Add a call/text dialer to an existing alarm?

[MrMrMr111]

I have a normal house alarm and want to add a call or text dialer so I can bee notified I'd the alarm goes off.

Can these be fired by myself easily? How? Where? I have a main control panel and also a remote keypad.

What do they cost, and what do I need to get this working?

Thanks

 

[GalaxyGuy]

I have some galaxy self monitoring customers who use this one from Advent Controls as a backup path. They seem to rate it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GSM-Alarm...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item4ae3d23d65

I haven't tried it myself, but will be an easy install.

The GSM dialers will connect to +12V and 0V aux power. They will also take a trigger input connected directly to the same connection as your bell wire. You don't get any specific details of what is happening from your alarm system, just an indication that your alarm bell is ringing.

I am not connected to the supplier in any way.

 

[MrMrMr111]

So it's basically a couple of wires out of the existing alarm control panel ran to it for power and the Bell output for trigger.

Looking as long as it SMS me and wife etc that it's going off that is basically what I want. I have some IP cameras for security to, but just to know the alarm is sounding is enough.

Easy to fit and program/use? Do you need a SIM on PAYG as well? Any recommendations, as years ago the PAYG SIMs used to run out if they weren't used fitted 6 months or something?

Thanks

 

[EightyTwo]

PAYG SIMs still run out! Register it for payment on-line. That way, you can check the credit and top up as necessary. You should also test it once an month or so.

 

[MrMrMr111]

PAYG SIMs still run out! Register it for payment on-line. That way, you can check the credit and top up as necessary. You should also test it once an month or so.

Is that what others use for diallers though, PAYG? Do you just lose the credit on it?

Whats the best way to manage it, how would you test it also? Just set the alarm when your in and walk until it goes off, and make sure you get a text?

Thanks

 

[desig]

I use a PAYG SIM, though not this particular dialler.
Most diallers allow a "status" SMS to be sent to it, which then triggers a response SMS back. The SMS dialler would only cost for the message it sends out, not the one it received to trigger it.
The status SMS can just respond with something simple, stating whether the alarm is currently on or not (depends on the dialler).
Sending one of those status SMS once a month or so is usually enough to keep the PAYG SIM active.

As mentioned already, it's best to have a PAYG SIM that can be registered and managed online, so that you can keep an eye on the balance and top up.

Why PAYG over pay monthly?
Once a dialler is set up correctly, there shouldn't be an expectation for it to make calls/send out lots of SMS on a regular basis (if it was, you might have other problems with false alarms being triggered etc).

Having a mobile contract for something used so infrequently would be a waste. As long as you make sure to keep the PAYG SIM active it can last a long time.

Example, lets say a PAYG SIM charges 10p/SMS, and you load it with £10
Even if you sent one status SMS a month, that £10 topup will last you for 100 months (over 8 years)
even at £5/month, a contract for the same period of 100 months would cost £500!

 

[Nintendofan]

Exactly as Desig says, I also use a PAYG sim from Sainsburys with a £10 top up.

I've set my Pyronix voice dialler to send me a 'test' text every 7 days, I also do a proper test (although with a silent alarm) every month with a voice message delivered.

Just be careful as certain 3G sims won't work i.e a sim from Three

 

[MrMrMr111]

Good idea on sending a test text every week or so to keep it active, definitely would do this then.

Just had another thought, the main control panel is inside a cupboard, I'd have to mount the dialer next to it to get the power and input wire off it presume, how would this work with a signal for the SIM then?

 

[Nintendofan]

Just had another thought, the main control panel is inside a cupboard, I'd have to mount the dialer next to it to get the power and input wire off it presume, how would this work with a signal for the SIM then?

It depends on the signal strength of the network you choose in your area and strength in the cupboard. My dialler is mounted inside the metal enclosure of the alarm panel but has an aerial on a fly lead that is external to the enclosure.

If you have a poor signal you could run an alarm cable from the panel to a more suitable place and mount the dialler there e.g in the loft

 

[Gim74]

I have the Advent Controls Alpha that was posted on an ebay Ad above: it works very well and it is almost plug & play (on my Veritas R8 at least).

About the signal, mine is installed behind the fridge, on the side of the R8 panel and there the signal is quite weak. Buit it still works well since for placing an "empty" call or sending an sms you just need 20% of the GSM signal. You do not need the QoS of a real phone call (>65% signal).

 

[Mr Gear]

I've had the Advent Controls dialler attached to a Texecom system for a while now, works very well, you can program it to send out a 'keep alive' text every so often so no worries on that score. It came with a stub antenna but I ordered a higher gain one for a few quid from eBay which made a significant difference in a low signal area - you can request the unit texts you back with the signal strength indication to check.

If you are in GiffGaff I can confirm that their sims work fine, and as you'll know handily give you the 3 months worth of free same network texts & calls before then chipping away at the credit you put on.

 

[Gim74]

Since a few of you have the Advent Controls Alpha unit attached to the alarm, maybe someone can confirm I configured the Keep Alive function correctly.

I sent the message with this format

KA 0954005934, 21

I got as answer

KA TEXT

is this the correct behaviour?

Note I did not send the "." at the end of my message, on the manual i see a dot where the example is but on the command table at page 7 I do not.

Can someone confirm that it works? At worst I will know in three weeks / 21 days.

 

[Mr Gear]

Since a few of you have the Advent Controls Alpha unit attached to the alarm, maybe someone can confirm I configured the Keep Alive function correctly.

I sent the message with this format

KA 0954005934, 21

I got as answer

KA TEXT

is this the correct behaviour?

Note I did not send the "." at the end of my message, on the manual i see a dot where the example is but on the command table at page 7 I do not.

Can someone confirm that it works? At worst I will know in three weeks / 21 days.

Not used the KA function personally yet, and unfortunately won't really be able to test until the weekend at the earliest to see if your result text was correct.
According to the manual the format used should be

KA 07000000000,10.

so I'm just wondering if the space you have following the comma may affect things?

The "." at the end should not be needed however the manual does advise to using it because "it is useful to include a full stop immediately after the action as some mobile phones can enter superfluous characters at the end of a message, which can invalidate the message"

Why not send the command again, formatted as per the manual, but set the KA to 1 to see if you get a text the following day - then reset it to three weeks once you know it works?

 

[Gim74]

Ok I come back to this.

I tested with KA set to 1 as Mr Gear suggested and it worked.

When I tried KA set to 21 it didn't... can the reason be taht the alarm went off after 10 days? Will the KA SMS work only if no other SMS was sent for the set period of time?