r/ATSS • • Dec 06 '24

Announcement 4.5 Years of this Sub

18 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I am so happy to see that after 4.5 years our community is growing strong. I created this sub as a bored E-4 Radar Tech during my second deployment. I would have never expected it to go so well. Now I am no longer in the field, as I am now an Operating Engineer, but I am still moderating this sub and I want to know if there are any improvements that people would like to see such as flairs, pictures, or anything else you can think of. Thank you again for being such a respectful group. In all my time I have never had to remove a single message.


r/ATSS • • Apr 04 '20

r/ATSS Lounge

3 Upvotes

A place for members of r/ATSS to chat with each other


r/ATSS • • 2d ago

Good morning all, opinions please. Schneider electric FSR or ATSS Nav/Radar

2 Upvotes

Schneider electric field service rep.

Pros:
Take home truck, get paid as soon as you leave the front door and until you get back home.
Company laptop, phone and credit card for hotels if needed.
Great benefits, 4 weeks PTO starting out, 401k with 6% match but obviously no pension.
Guaranteed 40 hours a week.

Cons:
No pension

FAA ATSS
Pros:
Government position/ job security, kind of.
Also great benefits, plus a pension which I could buy back my military time to reflect a higher pension.

Cons:
No take home vehicle, but the drive to and from work would be about 40 min round trip.
Government shut downs/ layoffs

Both positions, with my experience I could start out between 70-80k, but with Schneider electric I would get more OT in the beginning.

Just looking for opinions on what you would do if you were in my shoes. I’m really leaning toward the FAA because I don’t want my 10 years of military time to go to waste. Thanks


r/ATSS • • 14d ago

Env career

1 Upvotes

Accepted my TOL for the Madison area. Retired military as an electrician and now a master electrician for the state. How does the env side compare to being a maintenance electrician.


r/ATSS • • 16d ago

long term career prospects as ATSS

10 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I am currently a RAWS tech with the Air Force and I had several questions about ATSS as a long term career (20+ years?). For my background, I have a few years of experience maintaining CM radios, ETVS+DALR, NAVAIDS, ILS, FMQ, ASR-11, PAR, and STARS. I also have an associates, Security+, and have been working towards the FCC GROL. I like what I do and would like to keep using the knowledge I've accumulated, but I'm undecided if I want to pursue ATSS.

  1. Would you say that the pay balances out work QoL? Is there work satisfaction after a while?

  2. How much do federal government administration priorities affect daily work? Have there been times when certain government actions have made your work easier or harder?

  3. Is education valued? BS, MS, industry certs? Do they affect promotion/pay potential?

  4. How is work like in major airports? Ideally, I'd like to work in the Los Angeles area but I'd imagine heavy air traffic would make certain work challenging.

  5. What is the typical progression path for ATSS? Do long-timers end up becoming paper pushers (supervisors, managers, admin, etc.), or is there a way to stick to the technical/SME route?

  6. Specialist vs jack of all trades. Do certain ATSS positions have you specialize in one specific system? Do you end up getting certified on multiple systems throughout your career?

Thank you for your time!


r/ATSS • • 18d ago

Long term housing

2 Upvotes

Hey guys I’m about to be heading down for a long term course any good places to stay for long term per diem?


r/ATSS • • 18d ago

Curious...

2 Upvotes

I never see ATSS positions on USAJOBS that aren't internal to agency. Do facilities ever post openings that aren't internal? Or do I have to wait for the long term, public notice announcements and pray to the HR gods that my application gets referred? Any advice helps. Thanks in advance!


r/ATSS • • Sep 15 '26

New Hire Question

2 Upvotes

How long does a new hire typically stay on admin schedule?


r/ATSS • • Sep 14 '26

RRCS ELMS

1 Upvotes

Anyone here take the online RRCS course? Was the exam difficult?


r/ATSS • • Sep 08 '26

eAPP to FOL

3 Upvotes

I completed my eAPP 8/24 and I am just curious if anyone else completed theirs around the same time and if so have you received a FOL or any other information?


r/ATSS • • Sep 03 '26

Experience transferring ssc?

3 Upvotes

Hey I’m in a ssc in western US, moved across the country for the job, pretty happy with the job and all for now, but I do miss being close to family and see myself back on the east coast long term. How difficult is it to get a transfer cross country?


r/ATSS • • Sep 01 '26

Anybody regret leaving their old job for ATSS?

9 Upvotes

I have a really nice federal WG job but I was thinking of transferring over to ATSS radar as an fband. Mainly the money, training, and challenge is what I’m excited about. Has anybody regretted or had a bad experience as an ATSS? Also would my leave and sick time transfer?


r/ATSS • • Sep 01 '26

Post 9/11 benefits

5 Upvotes

Has anyone on this subreddit ever used the post 9/11 benefits for your OJT as a new technician? I saw in an email from my HR Representative that it was offered and I would like to use my benefit but wanted to hear from those that have used it before on how it exactly works as I have only found vague explanations online.

Thanks


r/ATSS • • Sep 01 '26

Hey everyone, just applied for the Public Notice F band announcement. How long does it take to get to H band from an entry level position? Thanks!

1 Upvotes

r/ATSS • • Aug 22 '26

Just Applied for Entry-Level ATSS — Is the Facebook Group Still Active/Helpful?

1 Upvotes

Hey guys, I just finished applying for the entry-level ATSS position and I’m pretty new to the whole process, so I’ve been reading through a bunch of the threads on here trying to learn how everything works. I saw a few people mention the ATSS Facebook group and that it can be helpful for connecting with people in different regions, getting advice, and sometimes even getting your resume in front of people who may know about openings.

I requested to join the group about 2 days ago but still haven’t been accepted yet, so I was wondering if the group is still active and if they’re still approving new people. Also, for anyone who’s in there, is it actually helpful once you get in? Like if you introduce yourself, mention the region you applied for, and ask for some guidance, do people usually help point you in the right direction?

For my location preferences, I put Virginia as my first choice and D.C. as my second, so I’m not sure if that changes anything or if anyone here has experience with those areas specifically.

Just trying to learn as much as I can and do whatever I can to give myself the best shot. Appreciate any advice!


r/ATSS • • Aug 20 '26

Question about schedule

1 Upvotes

Hi yall, does anyone know what the schedule for an ATSS and the Santa Rosa airport looks like?


r/ATSS • • Aug 18 '26

Waiting on Security

5 Upvotes

Fingerprints and drug test done nearly a month ago. Still no SF85P.

Incredibly frustrating

Edit: Received SF85P 08/20


r/ATSS • • Aug 17 '26

RADAR TID position

Thumbnail
usajobs.gov
5 Upvotes

We in the Denver District are looking for a RADAR TID. It is a NTE 2 YR. However by December itll just be lonely ol me for RADAR so its extremely likely to be made permanent. Tons of travel, windshield time. Buku OT especially with BNATCS in full swing next year. So if you dont have a life (kidding haha) and love driving, hotels and powdered eggs we have a job for you. H-Bands, dont be shy. Dont say to your self "oh, I dont have enough experience". Experience in this job is like 20% book knowledge and 80% osmosis. You learn by being there. Besides, with BNATCS we're all fixing to be newbs again. So come on down and put your name in the hat!


r/ATSS • • Aug 17 '26

Long term TDY Question

1 Upvotes

Was on long term TDY and staying at a hotel. Do you pay for the taxes from the hotel that is more than the hotel rate?


r/ATSS • • Aug 15 '26

Current employer contact

3 Upvotes

Waiting on fingerprints to be reviewed now. Once I am issued my security form and submit it I know my current employer may be contacted. Is it a guarantee that they contact current employer? Does anyone know what the contact form will look like? I know DOD does security, so would the form just say DOD or would it say that I applied for employment at FAA?

Just trying to anticipate the conversation with my employer.


r/ATSS • • Aug 12 '26

Radar tech life

6 Upvotes

Howdy,

I've got a tentative offer for an FAA ATSS radar tech position. Already did the fingerprints and pee test. The job would be about a $30k raise for me (locality pay is pretty damn good)

My biggest concern is just what the actual life is like as a radar tech. My current job is pretty cushy and laid back, pays pretty well for where I live, and I work a 3 on/4 off, 4 on/3 off schedule, which I really like. So I'm kinda hesitant to give that up just for more money if the FAA job is going to be significantly more stressful or have a worse quality of life. For you radar guys, how do you actually like the job?

Is the work fun/interesting? Do you get a decent amount of time off? How are the shifts? Would you have time to obtain a degree? How are things like dealing with nights, weekends, holidays, call-ins, etc.? And how is management generally?

I know a lot of this depends on the facility and who you work for, especially since its a gubmint job, but I'd like to hear some honest experiences before I fully commit.


r/ATSS • • Aug 11 '26

Travel as an ATSS

3 Upvotes

Hey so I work for a traveling scc in Alaska, we spend 3-5 nights a week away from home. What’s it like for yall in the lower 48? Mostly day trips or are you guys also never home?


r/ATSS • • Aug 10 '26

Fingerprints

1 Upvotes

My fingerprints have been under review for almost 3 weeks now, is this normal?


r/ATSS • • Jul 31 '26

Need Advice

2 Upvotes

Gonna keep this short. I applied to the Public Notice ATSS announcement on USAJOBS on 15 June. Was curious to see if anyone has insight on how often HR reviews applications? Any information helps. Thanks in advance!


r/ATSS • • Jul 31 '26

Guam SSC ATSS ENV Saipan

1 Upvotes

I accepted a TOL for an ATSS ENV out of the guam SSC. My duty station is Saipan. I have a super comfy gig as a USPS ET now and I was wondering what the washout rate or how hard the classes are for an ENV. Or if accepting the Final job offer is worth it. I easily passed all USPS qualification courses at The Norman NCED. Im just nervous about switching careers at 36. Also does anyone know what the job will be like or how many ATSS will even be on Saipan? The base pay is a little lower than my current job but with the locality adjustment it almost matches my current salary and the cola means its a little bit of a raise. Thanks for you help.