Interior communications electrician

Two interior communications electricians performing maintenance on the phone system of the USS George H.W. Bush

Interior communications electrician (IC) is a rating in the United States Navy. They operate and perform organizational and intermediate maintenance on alarm, warning, and indicator systems; interior communications; and ship's control, entertainment, and navigation systems.^[1] IC is one of the most versatile ratings in the U.S. Navy with equipment all the way forward, all the way aft, all the way up the mast and on the bottom of the ship. Members of this rating are commonly referred to as "IC-men" by Navy personnel.

Duties

Interior communications electricians install, maintain and repair the equipment needed for interior communications within ships and shore facilities. These communication systems include public address systems, interior telephone systems, alarm systems, engine telegraphs to communicate orders for changes in engine speed from the bridge (ship's command station) to the engine room, certain kinds of ship control and equipment monitoring devices, the ship's gyrocompass, the rudder position indicator, audio-visual equipment for the ship's TV entertainment systems, advanced navigation and various other equipment.

The duties performed by ICs include:

• Maintaining and repairing interior communications systems;
• Preparing and interpreting blueprints, wiring diagrams and sketches;
• Installing and inspecting dry cell and storage batteries;
• Recharging wet cell batteries;
• Testing interior communications and gyrocompass equipment;
• Installing telephone and other communications circuits, boxes, switchboards and bell buzzer systems;
• Maintaining propulsion ordering and indicating systems;
• Maintaining tactical plotters and dead reckoning equipment;
• Maintaining and operating broadcast TV and radio systems and SITE (Shipboard Information, Training and Entertainment) CCTV systems;
• Maintaining and repairing shipboard navigation equipment;
• Maintaining impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system;
• Maintaining ship's hull degaussing system.
• Maintaining sound powered phone system;
• Maintaining wind speed and direction indicator;
• Maintaining ship's speed indicator;
• Maintaining ship's optical landing aid system on CVN platforms
• Maintaining flight deck surveillance camera system on CVN platforms
• Maintaining warhead/weapons storage alarm systems

Working environment

People in the IC rating work in many different situations, at sea and ashore. While most of their work is performed indoors, it may be in a clean or dirty environment or a shop-like nature, and it may be in any kind of climate or temperature. ICs usually work closely with others. Most systems ICs work on is of the modern solid state electronic type, making the rating a very technical profession. All ICs require a secret security clearance.

See also

• List of United States Navy ratings

References

External links

Media related to Interior Communications Electrician at Wikimedia Commons