Specialty Summary. Deploys, sustains, troubleshoots and repairs standard radio frequency wireless, line-of-sight, beyond line-of-sight, wideband, and ground-based satellite and encryption transmission devices in a fixed and deployed environment. Included are multiple waveform systems operating across the spectrum, keying and signal devices; telemetry, and instrumentation systems. Establishes and maintains circuits, configures and manages system and network connectivity.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Performs/supervises wireless radio and satellite systems and equipment maintenance activities. Oversees work in progress and reviews completed repairs for sound maintenance practices. Establishes requirements for maintenance equipment, support equipment, tools, and spare parts. Requisitions, accounts for, and turns in supplies and material. Interprets inspection findings and determines adequacy of corrective action. Reviews and ensures compliance with maintenance management publications and procedures. Identifies maintenance problem areas and recommends corrective action. Recommends methods to improve equipment performance and maintenance procedures. Evaluates justification and practicability of proposed modifications. Develops and enforces safety standards for ground RF system maintenance activities.
Inspects wireless radio/satellite communications activities. Determines equipment operational status. Serves on teams to evaluate transmission systems activities. Interprets inspection findings submitted by other inspecting activities, and initiates corrective action. Determines adequacy of corrective action. Checks installed and repaired components for compliance with technical publications.
Resolves installation, repair, overhaul, and modification problems associated with communications equipment. Employs orbiting communication satellite, line-of-sight, and tropospheric scatter techniques. Conducts tests to restore and maintain systems. Uses anti-jam equipment and techniques to neutralize effects of communication jamming. Uses layout drawings, schematics, and pictorial diagrams to solve maintenance problems. Analyzes construction and operating characteristics of equipment to determine source of malfunction. Performs intricate alignment and calibration procedures to ensure maximum operating efficiency. Determines repair procedures necessary to correct defective equipment.
Installs ground radio, satellite, and telemetry communications equipment. Consults layout drawings to ensure equipment is properly positioned. Checks equipment for serviceability prior to installation. Assembles, connects, secures, and interconnects components such as transmitters, power supplies, and antenna assemblies. Tests installed equipment for proper assembly of components and compliance with technical orders. Places in operation and tunes, adjusts, and aligns components to obtain maximum operating efficiency. Identifies and locates Radio Frequency interference sources.
Deploys and activates mobile and transportable transmission equipment. Refers to plans and equipment specifications to conduct site and equipment surveys, and establishes equipment systems interface. Unpacks, inspects, and positions communications equipment; erects antennas; and interconnects communications facilities.
Performs preventive maintenance on communications systems and related equipment. Inspects equipment at specified intervals to determine operational status. Replaces defective components. Performs operational checks. Updates maintenance data collection records and systems to document actions completed.
Repairs, overhauls, and modifies communications and related equipment. Isolates malfunctions using system checking procedures, required test equipment, analyzing voltage and waveform measurements, schematic diagrams, and equipment operating characteristics. Repairs equipment, including transmitters, receivers, transceivers, and related equipment. Tunes and adjusts components. Adjusts, aligns, and calibrates equipment for maximum operating efficiency. Fabricates and connects various types of antenna systems and transmission lines. Tests repaired components using bench mockups and related test equipment.
Maintains inspection and maintenance records. Posts entries on maintenance and inspection records. Records meter readings and other pertinent data in equipment logs. Completes maintenance data collection forms.
Manages, supervises, and performs planning and implementation activities. Manages implementation and project installation and ensures architecture, configuration, and integration conformity. Develops, plans, and integrates base communications systems. Serves as advisor at meetings for facility design, military construction programs and minor construction planning. Evaluates base comprehensive plan and civil engineering projects. Monitors status of base civil engineer work requests. Performs mission review with customers. Controls, manages, and monitors project milestones and funding from inception to completion. Determines adequacy and correctness of project packages and amendments. Monitors project status and completion actions. Manages and maintains system installation records, files, and indexes. Evaluates contracts, wartime, support, contingency and exercise plans to determine impact on manpower, equipment, and systems.
Specialty Qualifications:
Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: electricity and radio theory, including transistors, solid-state components, and digital techniques applying to ground RF communications and related equipment maintenance; and interpretation of management information data, technical orders, blueprints, wiring diagrams, and schematic drawings.
Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school is mandatory. Additional courses in physics and mathematics is desirable.
Training. For award of AFSC 3D133, completion of RF Transmissions Systems initial skills course is mandatory.
Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:
3D153. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3D133. Also, experience in functions such as; testing, tuning, adjusting, maintaining, or repairing ground RF communications and related equipment, and using specialized test equipment.
3D173. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3D153. Also, experience supervising functions such as siting, installing, repairing, overhauling, or modifying ground RF equipment, and using test equipment.
Other. The following are mandatory as indicated: For entry into this specialty: Normal color vision as defined in AFI 48-123, Medical Examinations and Standards. Specialty requires routine access to Secret material or similar environment. For award and retention of AFSCs 3D153/73, completion of a current National Agency Check, Local Agency Checks and Credit (NACLC) according to AFI 31-501, Personnel Security Program Management. NOTE: Award of the 3-skill level without a completed NACLC is authorized provided an interim Secret security clearance has been granted according to AFI 31-501.
