Welcome To Electronics Technician (ET) School

A School Day One

Reporting to School

Students should report in at Horsley Hall no later than the day before their class is due to start.

What to Expect

Muster at 0730 at the Horsley Hall Quarterdeck. Have information sheet filled out to the best of your ability. After meeting with your class advisor you will go up to the chapel as a class for an in-brief from various personnel at TRACEN Petaluma regarding the rules of the base and rules for the students.

Uniform

Your Indoc packet will have the uniform requirements for your entire stay at ET 'A' School.

  • What to Bring
  • Full sea bag
  • Medical record
  • Orders

A School Course Description

ET 'A' School Course Overview

These courses provide technical training on specific electronic systems and equipment used throughout the Coast Guard. These courses encompass the use of test equipment, technical publications and troubleshooting methods used for corrective maintenance to the lowest repairable level. Upon graduation students have the knowledge and skill necessary for maintenance and repair of electronic equipment. ET "A" School is 28 weeks in duration.

Course Prerequisites

  • Eligibility
  • Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Minimums: MK + EI + GS = 172 w/ AR = 52; OR an AFQT = 65.
  • Clearance requirements: Must be eligible for a final SECRET clearance.
  • Students must possess normal color perception.

EPME & Time In Service

Students must complete all E-4 EPME and Time in Service requirements (tests and practical factors) prior to graduation to advance to ET3. 

ET 'A' School Curriculum Outline

Section Duration Title
Unit 1: Fundamentals 20 Days Unit topics include direct and alternating current, beginner electronics vocabulary, electrical safety fundamentals including CPR certification, test equipment usage, simple circuit analysis, power supplies, and basic troubleshooting techniques.
Unit 2: Advanced Circuits 13 Days Topics include semiconductors, transistors, multistage amplifiers and regulated power supplies.  Various digital circuits including numbering systems, logic circuits, flip-flops, multivibrators, and shift registers are covered.
Unit 3: Receivers 21 Days Teaches basic principles of communications, modulation, mixers, IF filters, amplifiers, demodulation and audio amplifier circuits. RF Principles also teaches antenna transmission concepts, and antenna maintenance. Students utilize a NIDA Lab Model HF Receiver and a Harris Corp R-2368 to practice signal tracing and troubleshooting.
Unit 4: RT-9000 24 Days Students learn the primary building blocks of a transceiver and apply this knowledge to the RT-9000 HF transceiver system. Students will perform corrective and preventive maintenance to the receiver, transmit, synthesizer, and the power supply section of the transceiver. Students will also be introduced to modulate and demodulate devices (MODEMS) and remote operations of the RT-9000.
Unit 5: Systems/Crypto 13 Days This unit teaches operation and limited maintenance on cryptographic equipment including KG-84C, ANDVT, KY/HYX-58, and AN/CYZ-10 DTD, down to card level. Students are taught how to set up equipment in an HF voice or data system in a simulated communications suite, along with troubleshooting and isolating faulty equipment within the system.  All ET “A” graduates are assigned the COMSEC competency and receive official authorization to work on this equipment upon graduation.
Unit 6: SINS 20 Days This unit introduces RADAR, GPS, Depth Sounders, and NMEA fundamentals, using the Scalable Integrated Navigational System (SINS) installed on Coast Guard small boats as the training platform. In order to become familiar with the concepts, students learn and demonstrate proper operation, preventive maintenance, and corrective maintenance of the SINS.
Unit 7: VHF 13 Days Concepts introduced in this unit include the operation and maintenance of direction finders and secure VHF transceivers including antenna and coaxial cable system troubleshooting. Current Coast Guard electronics logistics systems are covered to include ALMIS, CMPlus, and FEDLOG.  Students are also trained in basic tower climbing.
Unit 8: Soldering 10 Days Basic soldering workbench techniques are covered.  All common coaxial and multi-conductor cable connectors are studied. There is extensive lab performance testing of soldering techniques and connector building.

A School Information

Overview

This course provides technical instruction on basic electronics, digital circuit theory and communication fundamentals, using advanced computer trainers and the communications equipment used throughout the Coast Guard fleet. This course encompasses the use of test equipment, technical publications and troubleshooting methods used for corrective maintenance to the lowest repairable level. Upon graduation our students will have the knowledge and skills necessary for advanced electronics classes, on-the-job training programs, and the performance of basic technical tasks.

Class size

Up to 20 students

Class Duration

28 weeks

Housing

Unaccompanied students should refer to the barracks information page under Student Barracks Information. Students with dependants should contact the TRACEN Petaluma Housing Office at (707) 765-7538 to make housing arrangements.

Duty

Q: What duty do students stand?
A: Normal student duty rotation is 1 in 4 days.

Uniforms

Q: What uniforms should students bring, and what do they wear to class?
A: Students must report with a full sea bag. ODUs are worn throughout most of "A" School. The Uniform of the Day will change for special occasions.

C School Day One

Reporting to TRACEN Petaluma

Students should report in at Horsley hall no later than the day before their class is due to start. The preferred check-in time in Horsley Hall is before 10 p.m. local time.

What to Expect

ET 'C' School Students need to be at their course classrooms at 0730 on the convening date. Class times are from 0730 to 1600, with a lunch break.

Class Locations

  • COMMS
  • COM-03A - Bauer Building 3rd floor-Rm 314
    COM-05A - Bauer Building 3rd floor-Rm 314
    COM-06 - Bauer Building 1st floor-Rm-117
  • DGPS
  • DGPS - Bauer Building 1st floor-Rm 120
  • NAV
  • NAV-08 - Bauer Building 3rd floor-Rm 316
    NAV-12 - Bauer Building 3rd floor-Rm 313
  • IFF
  • IFF-01 - Bauer Building 1st floor-Rm 130
    IFF-02A - Bauer Building 1st floor-Rm 130

Uniform

The authorized uniform of the day for all classes is the Operation Dress Uniform (ODU). Uniforms must be clean with no paint.

What to Bring

Students should have adequate uniforms and sundry items such as alarm clocks, laundry bags, etc. to be comfortable and ready to learn while they are here.

C School Course Descriptions

Overview

ET "C" Schools are divided into four major areas: Comms, Nav, DGPS, and IFF. These courses will provide technical instruction on equipment used throughout the Coast Guard and shall encompass:

  • The use of test equipment
  • Technical publications 
  • Troubleshooting methods

Upon graduation our students shall have the knowledge and skill pre-requisites necessary for performing all necessary technical tasks.

Contact

School Mailing Address

Commanding Officer
USCG Tracen Petaluma
ATTN: ET  School
599 Tomales Road
Petaluma, CA 94952-5000

School Chief: ETCM Kevin Eldridge 707-765-7991
Assistant School Chief: ETCS Hector Rivera 707-765-7006