It really does depend where you get posted. I got out lots, foot and vehicle patrol on Op Athena Roto 0. But I was working with Para Coy. The OC's policy was everybody went on patrol. The platoons got out all the time, that's their primary job, but like I said, it depends on your unit and position.
We are a combat service support trade, not just service support. Our members who are selected to work at JTF 2 for example, are the only trade that deploys directly with the teams, so in that case you are right there in the action again. For a while there we were the only trade who had to pass the "Cooper's Test", a type of PT test, to be considered for selection to JTF.
Generally though, we spend most of our time in the command post. As was mentioned by Beentheredunthat, there may be only one Signaller in the organization, so yes usually the Coy Sig hangs out in Coy HQ while the Platoon Sig takes care of business at the platoon level.
And if you are posted to a HQ unit, say 2 CMBG HQ and Signal Sqn, you will spend pretty much all your time in the back of some type of Sigs vehicle.
So, yes we patrol, yes we see lots of action (tons of tours for Sigs), and yes we sit on our asses lots in CP's ....
RC Bradley
Sgt
Sig OP