Wireless Burglar Alarms....

[rqy99g]

Are they reliable? I look around the internet and there seems to be a lot of articles saying that they are unreliable, easy to hack, can be jammed, etc.

Are they that bad? Or should I just have my old wired system updated?

 

[ultomoat]

Wired is certainly cheaper and more reliable. The only wireless systems worth looking at are those which are 'two-way' - ie the detectors know when the system is armed, and the control panel can instantly spot detectors with faults.

The Texecom Reflex equipment is the best on the market at the moment.

 

[rqy99g]

Cheers, will do a bit more searching armed with a bit more information : )

Is a Texecom Reflex something an average home owner could fit (reliably)?

 

[bernardgreen]

Look at page 9 of

http://mpc.assaabloy.com/yalefile/Fetchfile.aspx?id=16000

This unit is equipped with the latest type of radio receiver using AM radio technology. If the system is armed, any criminal attempt to prevent
(or jam) the detector transmissions will be picked up as interference and will trigger an alarm. If the alarm is frequently triggered by interference there may be high levels of unusual radio signals in your area. Some kinds of electronic equipment can generate this kind of radio interference.

In the unlikely event of you experiencing problems with interference, it is recommended that you switch jamming detection off. Please telephone our helpline if you require any further assistance.

Which is the same as recommending that the owner of a wired system turns off the tamper detection in their alarm.

Other wireless systems will sound the siren when they detect jamming whether or not they are armed. After a few false alarms and angry neighbours the owner turns off the tamper ( jamming ) detection. Then when a criminal arrives with the jammer switched on but no siren he or she knows that the tamper has been disabled and that they can now break in knowing the wireless alarm cannot react to the break in.

And AM ( amplitude modulation ) technology is inferior to FM ( frequency modulation ) or PM ( phase modulation ).

 

[rqy99g]

That doesn't sound good! But I'm an average man in an average house with average belongings. Would the average burglar go to those lengths?

 

[bernardgreen]

Criminals " going equiped " with wireless transmitting equipment and without good reason to have such equipment have been caught.

 

[sparkymarka]

It's Texecom ricochet not reflex ...also look at Pyronix enforcer

 

[alan333]

Or should I just have my old wired system updated?

If the wiring is already there I'd go with a new wired system. I'm not an alarm expert BTW but I updated my old alarm. You can pick up a new Galaxy G2 on ebay for about £30, add a battery and a keypad, and re-use your existing sensors and siren (if possible/compatible). Add a Selfmon ethernet module for £50 and control it from your phone.