Icky-pick or icky-pic is a name for a gelatinous substance contained within outdoor-rated communications cables, including both twisted pair copper cabling and fiber optic cabling.
PIC is the abbreviation for Plastic Insulated Cable. The cable is filled with an icky substance. The filled cable itself, therefore, is called an "Icky PIC".
Icky-pick has two primary functions:
- Prevent water from entering the cable, causing corrosion and damage from freeze expansion
- Deter animals from biting and damaging the cable due to the taste of the gel
Icky-pick is a very thick petroleum-based substance with very high flammability, and consequently is only rated for outdoor use, frequently direct-buried in the ground. An outdoor cable spliced onto an indoor terminal block is prone to leak the gelatin which is a fire hazard. The thick gelatin stains clothing and hands and is very difficult to remove. When fiber-optic cables are to be spliced, the gelatin must be removed with solvents and swabs to prevent fouling of the splice.