# Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers

> Repair, install, or maintain mobile or stationary radio transmitting, broadcasting, and receiving equipment, and two-way radio communications systems used in cellular telecommunications, mobile broadband, ship-to-shore, aircraft-to-ground communications, and radio equipment in service and emergency vehicles. May test and analyze network coverage.

- **SOC code:** 49-2021.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-2021-00
- **Also known as:** Radio Frequency Technician (RF Tech), Radio Technician (Radio Tech), Tower Technician (Tower Tech), Two-Way Radio Technician (Two-Way Radio Tech), Communications Systems Technician, Field Service Technician (Field Service Tech), Field Technician (Field Tech), Installation Technician (Installation Tech)
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or adequate weather proofing has been installed.
- Climb towers to access components, using safety equipment, such as full-body harnesses.
- Run appropriate power, ground, or coaxial cables.
- Test operation of tower transmission components, using sweep testing tools or software.
- Install all necessary transmission equipment components, including antennas or antenna mounts, surge arrestors, transmission lines, connectors, or tower-mounted amplifiers (TMAs).
- Read work orders, blueprints, plans, datasheets or site drawings to determine work to be done.
- Climb communication towers to install, replace, or repair antennas or auxiliary equipment used to transmit and receive radio waves.
- Replace existing antennas with new antennas as directed.
- Lift equipment into position, using cranes and rigging tools or equipment, such as gin poles.
- Bolt equipment into place, using hand or power tools.
- Install, connect, or test underground or aboveground grounding systems.
- Perform maintenance or repair work on existing tower equipment, using hand or power tools.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Use drone technology to inspect towers and antennas for damage or maintenance needs.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Telecommunications _(knowledge)_
- Customer and Personal Service _(knowledge)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Repairing _(transferable_skill)_
- Installation _(transferable_skill)_
- Equipment Maintenance _(transferable_skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(ability)_
- Information Ordering _(ability)_
- Arm-Hand Steadiness _(ability)_
- Mechanical _(knowledge)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Telecommunications _(Specialized Skill)_
- Microsoft Word _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Installation _(Specialized Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Equipment Maintenance _(Specialized Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Finger Dexterity _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Project _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Windows _(hot technology)_
- AERONET calculator
- Backbone.js
- Caliper Maptitude
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Location mapping software

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 29th percentile (Low) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 31st percentile (Low) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 21st percentile (Low) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 37th percentile (Moderate) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 84th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** 8.6% growth (Growing fast); 1.2k annual openings; 11.7k → 12.7k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $64,190; 11,400 employed.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-2021-00_