# Average gear weight for Signal operator??



## SiGoPsStewie (1 Jul 2009)

When in the field what sort of gear does a signal operator carry? Plus when in full gear how much weight does an ops. carry? Also for the forum mods,,, please dont lock this.. i used the search function but cannot find Sigops specific info. I did however find weight of gear for infantry though :-\.


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## MikeL (1 Jul 2009)

For the most part Sig Ops work in CPs, so the only thing they are carrying around the camp is their rifle. I've never done the 9TAC or Rifle Coy stuff so I dunno what they usually have on them 


In Afghanistan when I was patrolling with the OMLT I carried quite a bit of weight. Nothing really different from what an Infantry Platoon Signaller would carry.

From what I remember on a typical patrol I carried the following

Helmet w/ NVG mount
Oakley M Frames
Body Armour
C7A2 with PAQ4 and light

Chest Rig
8x magazines
2x frag grenades
1x smoke grenade
500ml water bottle with gatorade
IFAK(Medical stuff)
MNVG
aide memoire, pens/markers, notepad
some food(granola bar type stuff)

Backpack
AN/PRC 522, antenna, handset
extra batteries
3L Camelbak bladder
500ml water bottles
1x magazine
1x smoke grenade
extra medical supplies


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## SiGoPsStewie (1 Jul 2009)

thank you for the response.


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## Jammer (1 Jul 2009)

Eqpt weight varies with the mission and who you are out with.

Skeletor:
Take into account the fact that the Sig Op trade is very diverse in the Bde (you should know this already).
Our employment is a lot more than working in a CP or 9TAC. Very often you can be seconded to coalition units (as was I), to enhance the Comds comms footprint.
Either way, its' frickin' in 50 degree temps.


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## MikeL (1 Jul 2009)

Oh I know, I was just speaking in general terms. Didnt want to go into every different role/job a Signaller can fill as theres a lot an I don't know what they all are.


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## phionex (10 Jul 2009)

What is the normal weapons a Sig Op carries on deployment and at Batallion/JSR? Do we carry a sidearm such as the Browning or Sig? Do we get to chose our primary weapon for example the C8 Carbine? Just Curious as to what I will be normally carrying? 

Also do Sig Ops have to wear webbing or TacVest and can a Man Portable Radion be attached to the TacVest?


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## MikeL (10 Jul 2009)

phionex said:
			
		

> What is the normal weapons a Sig Op carries on deployment and at Batallion/JSR? Do we carry a sidearm such as the Browning or Sig? Do we get to chose our primary weapon for example the C8 Carbine? Just Curious as to what I will be normally carrying?
> 
> Also do Sig Ops have to wear webbing or TacVest and can a Man Portable Radion be attached to the TacVest?



Depending on your unit an position you will either have a C7A2 or a C8 varient. This is what I've seen anyways, dunno if it is different for other units. An no you have no choice, it is whatever your unit/position dictates you have. And again depending on your unit/position you may or may not have a pistol. All Sig Ops I've seen have all had brownings with the exception of one, he had a Sig because he was with a MP unit.
The tac vest is what is issued and it is what is worn unless your unit allows you to wear non-issue kit. An a manpack radio would be worn in a backpack, not attached to your tac vest. Only radio that would be worn on the tac vest would be something like a PRR or MBITR.


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## JimmyPeeOn (1 Aug 2009)

Well....those came out pretty large. Hope it helps, Mods if you can shrink those down a bit, I'd appreciate it.

It all varies as to where you are and what you are doing...If you are in the big dirty, and going out often, this is the standard. PLUS water, food, radio, batteries, maps, GPS, PRR, Message pad/markers, IFF strobe, glo-sticks ballistic eye wear and of course smokes.


note: I can't morally suggest the gloves in the lower picture, this was taken on day like 5 of my roto, and I noticed that my hands were sweating and blistering after an hour in the sun.  ( and that was Febuary)

Spend the money, save your digits.

AB


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## Fusaki (1 Aug 2009)

Jimmy P.On, that's alot of gear man.

On my tour, those who humped manpacks carried considerably less then that.  From your bottom pic, I wouldn't bother carrying the pistol, bayonet, 1 of the frags and 1 smoke, and that bandoleer.  You could probably shave at least 10 lbs from your load right there.  I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but what you've got in the pic seems excessive.

A signaller's job (not specifically a Sig Op, but signallers in general) is to help co-ordinate the fight.  He should be squeezing the PTT, not the trigger.  IMHO even 10 mags is probably more weight then necessary.  At least on the infantry side of the house, our signallers need to be very careful not to overburden themselves. Manpacks are stupid heavy, and you gotta be able to get that thing where it needs to be.  Shaving off weight in your other gear is important.


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## JimmyPeeOn (1 Aug 2009)

Wonderbread said:
			
		

> Jimmy P.On, that's alot of gear man.
> 
> On my tour, those who humped manpacks carried considerably less then that.  From your bottom pic, I wouldn't bother carrying the pistol, bayonet, 1 of the frags and 1 smoke, and that bandoleer.  You could probably shave at least 10 lbs from your load right there.  I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but what you've got in the pic seems excessive.
> 
> A signaller's job (not specifically a Sig Op, but signallers in general) is to help co-ordinate the fight.  He should be squeezing the PTT, not the trigger.  IMHO even 10 mags is probably more weight then necessary.  At least on the infantry side of the house, our signallers need to be very careful not to overburden themselves. Manpacks are stupid heavy, and you gotta be able to get that thing where it needs to be.  Shaving off weight in your other gear is important.



Wonderbread;

Its not a lot of gear....its an epic @#$% ton...

If I was humping the man-pack I'd be tracking down the 1st experienced 031 Pl sig I find and getting advice.

I was in the turret 75% of the time.  For anything dismounted I lightened up a fair amount.
Working with the US however, I only had to carry an MBITR when out on foot, but I still lightened the load almost exactly as you stated.


The chest rig lasted about 3 months,
Bayonet lasted about a week. (heavy and useless)
pistol I kept with 1 mag (i didnt feel right leaving in my locker @ BAF/Kabul for weeks at a time)
Kept both frags, but dropped a smoke.
went down to 8 mags (incl on on the rifle)
The bandoleer was full of U.S 20 Rd mags, I just left it in the turret it was NEVER carried on foot.
(Im Cbt Sp, but not a masochist)  
In the turrett I had a borrowed and "Can-ofladged"  (read spray painted) DCU FLCV. It was pretty nice.


On that I carried 
First aid kit
2X rifle mag ( back up ) 
1X frag
1X smoke
pistol, loaded
rolly polly ( small one with a pop flare)


Thanks for addressing that though Wonder, It was just the only pic I had of the "standard" loadout.  
When in doubt
"Semper Gumby"  
(always flexible)


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## uniballer (9 Aug 2009)

Currently on patrols here we are usually carrying:

helmet
fragvest
chestrig or tacvest depending on who is going out with us
10 mags
2 frags
2 smoke
med kit
c-8 with surfire and paq4
camelback
1 or 2 m72s
smallpack
1-2 belts of ammo for c-6 or c-9 
up to 9 liters of bottled water depending on vehicle or footbourne
ranger blanket or bivy bag
stretcher
psyops papers to handout

it is an epic @#$% ton humping all this around in 50-60 degrees!


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## dangerboy (9 Aug 2009)

uniballer said:
			
		

> Currently on patrols here we are usually carrying:
> 
> helmet
> fragvest
> ...



The guy carrying the radio is not hauling that much stuff is he?


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## PuckChaser (10 Aug 2009)

That sounds like a section's amount of mission required kit.... heck the stretcher and the radio alone would be as big as a rucksack.


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## daftandbarmy (10 Aug 2009)

One of the perks of being in the Airborne side of the house is that you get to weigh your kit before every jump as part of the load manifesting process. On most exercises lasting from 2 to 4 days, I recall that my signallers' kit (container) regularly exceeded 80lbs, even with me carrying his spare batteries, rations etc. I recall that on one exercise his container weighed in at 104lbs. His all up soaking wet body weight was no more than 150lbs.  

On ops we didn't weigh the gear so I can only speculate on the actual weight he carried. We made sure that he didn't have to carry any 'team ammo' or equivalent though, just the basic load.


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## JimmyPeeOn (12 Aug 2009)

daftandbarmy said:
			
		

> I recall that on one exercise his container weighed in at 104lbs. His all up soaking wet body weight was no more than 150lbs.



did that include his actual parachute and reserve parachute?  I hope for his sake he got to ditch some of that weight once he hit the ground!!!  

Was that with PPE+plates or without?

Cheers


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## daftandbarmy (14 Aug 2009)

Jimmy P. On said:
			
		

> did that include his actual parachute and reserve parachute?  I hope for his sake he got to ditch some of that weight once he hit the ground!!!
> 
> Was that with PPE+plates or without?
> 
> Cheers



That included bergen, webbing, SLR, ammo, batteries, 4 days of CSupps, all in the wrapping sheet and trussed up in the container attached to the D rings on the front of the harness. No body armour, of course, as this was well before anyone cared much about the cannon fodder. Add a PX4 parachute and a reserve and you have a nice little load when (and if) you can stand up, fully airsick, in a C130J crossing the IP at low level bucking like a trailer park newlywed. Yee hawwww! Helmets on  :warstory:


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