Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA-I)
General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1)
Credential: General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1)
Credentialing Agency: Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA-I)
Renewal Period: 4 years
The Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA-I), General Communications Technician Level 1 (GCT1) certification is an entry-level credential intended for radio communications technicians or engineers. The GCT1 certification is modeled after wide-ranging industry communication systems encompassing more specific detailed items along with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidelines covering all disciplines in the COMT program. The purpose of the GCT1 is to provide basic certification testing that covers all areas a new radio communications technician or engineer will encounter in the public safety communications, business radio, or commercial radio field. ETA-I does not have minimum training, education, or experience requirements to take the certification exam.
More information can be found on the certifying agency's website.
General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1)
Eligibility Requirements
- Credential Prerequisite
- Experience
- Education
- Training
- Membership
- Other
- Fee
Note: This credential may have multiple options for becoming eligible. Listed are the minimum requirements based on the minimum degree required.
Exam Requirements (View Details)
- Exam
- Written Exam
- Oral Exam
- Practical Exam
- Performance Assessment
Renewal Period: 4 years
- Continuing Education
- Exam
- Continuing Education OR Exam
- Fee
- Other
Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA-I)
5 Depot Street
Greencastle, IN 46135
Phone: (800) 288-3824
Fax: (765) 653-4287
Email: eta@eta-i.org
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Safety
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List basic building / workplace safety protocols per industry standards
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Describe general power safety guidelines, including:
Battery systems
Lock Out / Tag Out rule
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Describe general tools and equipment safety
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List personal protection equipment (PPE) used in the communication fields
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Describe Radio Frequency (RF) safety
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Describe communications safety requirements used near machinery
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Describe safety measures used with towers and elevated surfaces
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Describe grounding and lightning protection safety measures
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List fiber optic safety requirements
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List laser use safety requirements
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Electronic and Electrical Theory
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Summarize Ohm’s law and formulas to include:
Voltage
Current
Resistance
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List Watt’s Law formula including power calculations
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Define Direct Current
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Define Alternating Current
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Explain how and why series circuits are used
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Explain how and why parallel circuits are used
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Describe decibels and their use including:
RF
Power
Audio
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Describe harmonics applications in communications
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Calculate power efficiency
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Explain the use of the metric system including:
prefixes and their acronyms
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Tools and Components
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Describe hand tools used in communication fields
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Describe power tools used in communication fields
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Define components used in communications to include:
Wire
Resistors
Capacitors
Inductors
Relays
Solid State Devices (SSD) to include:
1. diodes
2. transistors
a. bipolar
b. FET (field effect)
3. Op-Amps
4. integrated circuits (IC's)
5. optical devices
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Connectorization
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Describe the requirements for the following types of connections to include:
DC Power
AC Power
Telecom
RF
Signaling
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List basic wiring fundamentals including:
Wire Sizing (Gauge)
Color Code
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List standard connector types and functions
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Describe standard connector terminations
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Power Systems
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Define Voltage
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Define Polarity
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Describe uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems including AC UPS systems
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Describe DC power systems
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Describe generators and their uses
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Define battery sizing in power systems
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Describe renewable energy power systems including:
Solar
Wind
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Describe power distribution
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Explain the use of and operation of breakers including:
Fuse
Circuit
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Describe load centers usage and operation
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Define a “Cutoff switch” and its use
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Describe an alarm unit and its use
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Define transfer boxes
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Radio Frequency (RF) Fundamentals
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Explain basic RF fundamental operating principles and terminology
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Explain basic FCC (Federal Communications Commission) rules and regulations pertaining to two-way communications including:
Licensing
Spectrum usage
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Define RF bandwidth
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Define propagation to include:
Line-of-Sight (LoS)
Groundwave
Skywave
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List frequency spectrum band allocations to include:
VLF
LF
MF
VHF
Lowband
Mid-band
Highband
220MHz (Ham, Commercial, Positive Train Control)
UHF
380-470 MHz (Military, Federal, Ham, Commercial)
470-512 MHZ (T-band)
700 MHz (Long Term Evolution{LTE}, Commercial and Public Safety)
800 MHz (Public Safety-Emergency Responders, Cellular, Specialized
Mobile Radio{SMR or Trunking})
900 MHz
1.8-1.9 GHz (Broadband Personal Communications Service {PCS})
2.1 GHz (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System {UMTS}, 3G)
2.4 GHz (Industrial, Scientific and Medical)
Other Frequencies
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Explain RF modulation and demodulation to include:
Transmitter modulation
Receiver demodulation
Receiver bandwidth must match the transmitter modulation scheme
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Radio Types and Systems
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Describe the following Radio Types:
Base
Mobile
Portable 2-way
Paging
Tone only
Voice
Display
Repeater
Microwave
Satellite
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Describe the following Systems Types:
Simplex
Duplex/Half Duplex
Conventional
Microwave
Repeater
Internet Protocol (IP)
Wireless Network Technology (Wi-Fi) 2.4 GHz
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Describe basic Radio components to include:
Transmitter(s)
Receiver(s)
Power Supplies
Audio and Control
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Antennas
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Define polarization
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Describe antenna wavelength and how it is used
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Define resonance
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Define antenna bandwidth
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Define beamwidth
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Explain 3dB Points (Rule of Three)
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Describe gain
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Identify front-to-back ratio
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Describe antenna match to include defining standing wave ratio (SWR)
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Describe measurements including:
Power
Return Loss
Distance-to-Fault
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Describe antenna downtilt
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Explain the importance of using drain holes
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Describe a Balum antenna
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List antenna types and azimuth to include:
Omnidirectional
Uni-Directional
Specialized
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Transmission Lines
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Describe transmission line power
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Explain characteristic impedance
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Describe transmission line frequency
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Explain line length
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Describe line physical weight
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Describe cable physical size/diameter (Gauge)
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Describe line outer covering material
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Define the importance of shielding percentage
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Describe the importance of line bend radius rules
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Explain line RF signal loss
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List cable types used in communications
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Interference
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Define RF interference including:
natural
man-made
mitigation
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Describe co-channel interference
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Describe adjacent channel interference
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List interference protective devices
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Data Networks
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Define serial data to include:
RS232 standard pin out
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Data Communication Environment (DCE)
Data Terminal Equipment (DTE)
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Describe Internet Protocol (IP) to include:
Wireless
Protocols
Cables
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Fiber Optic Systems
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Describe basic fiber optic cable fundamentals and terminology
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Define fiber optic modes including:
Single-mode (9 µm /125) (µm = micron)
Multimode (50 or 62.5 µm /125)
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Describe fiber optic wavelengths including:
850 nanometers (nm)
1310 nm
1550 nm
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List common fiber optic connectors
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Test Equipment and Methods
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Describe the use and operation of the following meters:
Volt Meters
Ammeters
Watt Meters
Optical Power meters
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Define dummy load; show where and why used
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Describe the value of Communication Service Monitors (CSM)
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Describe the use and operation of system analyzers including:
Oscilloscope
Frequency Domain Reflectometer (FDR)
Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR)
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)
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Describe the use and operation of audio transmission test sets to include:
Transmission Impairment Measurement Sets (TIMS)
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Explain the use and operation of a Lineman’s handset (Butt-Sets)
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Explain the use of a ground resistance tester
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Describe appropriate Lock Out / Tag Out procedures
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Telephony Communications
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Describe telephony basics to include:
incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC)
plain old telephone service – voice (POTS)
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Describe public switched telephone networks (PSTN)
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Describe private telephone networks (PTN)
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Identify telephone circuit types
2-wire
4-wire
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Define Loopback or Channel Service Unit (CSU)
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Satellite Communications
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Define Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites
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Describe why SMART was formed (Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talk groups)
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Define Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN)
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Explain Global Positioning System (GPS)
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Identify a satellite antenna alignment set-up
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Environmental Systems
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Describe fire suppression systems
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Describe Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems affecting communications
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List how lighting systems affect communications sites
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Describe how vermin affect communication environments
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Physical Plant / Headend and Security Systems
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Describe the function of access systems / locks for a communications site
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List cybersecurity systems awareness
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Describe battery usage to include:
Types
Recharging
Proper Sizing
Configuration
Series
Parallel
There are a number of resources available to help you prepare for the General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1) examination:
General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1)
Renewal Period: 4 years
The General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1) credential has the following recertification information:
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The General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GTC1) is renewable every four years. Applicants will be required to obtain continuing education credits totaling ten hours per year for a total of 40 hrs over the term of the certification or will provide employer verification that they continue to work in an applicable field. That combined with the updating of contact information will constitute renewal for the GTC1.
Detailed information related to the recertification process, associated fees and forms can be obtained from the Additional Certification Renewal/Maintenance Information on the certifying agency’s website.
Note: If the four year term for the GTC1 is exceeded without renewal by certification maintenance, and the certification expires, then the applicant will be required to retake the current version of the examination and will then again be eligible for the certification maintenance.
- ETA-I does not require specific education, experience, and training, however the U.S. Department of Homeland Security may require non-specific field related experience and training.
MOS is Military Occupational Specialty
ASI is Additional Skill Identifier
WOMOS is Warrant Officer Military Occupational Specialty
Bright Outlook – new job opportunities are very likely in the future for this job
Registered Apprenticeship
This is an official U.S. Navy website
Updated: October 16, 2019
Federal Occupations Table Legend
Related As
The federal occupations shown in this table are related to this credential in one of three ways: Most, Some, or Other.
MOST
This credential is directly related to most of the major duties associated with the federal occupation (at least 80%). Note that the credential may require additional education, training or experience before you are eligible for it.
SOME
This credential is related to some tasks associated with the duties of the federal occupation (related 80% to at least one or more critical tasks but less than 80% of all of the entire military occupation). Note that the credential may require additional education, training or experience before you are eligible for it.
OTHER
This credential is related to this federal occupation, but is more advanced or specialized and therefore will most likely require additional education, training, or experience.
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