GSM alarm

Arlo1

1 TW
Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Messages
8,459
Location
Nanaimo
So I'm upgrading the security in my shop and maybe other things soon after but the shop comes first. I am looking at GSM alarms so they will call or txt me if something happens. I want to know more about the SIM card. In Canada here it seems the cell companies are ASSHOLES! We can get prepaid sim cards for a pay as you go plan but we have to pay $10 a month min to keep them active. I am wondering about using a US sim card. I have not ordered the alarm yet but want to very soon. I have been planing this for a while. And now its time. Other wise one other option is a very powerful signal that will send a message from my shop to my house which measures 1.9km on my e-bike so ~1.5km..... The gsm is best so I can get messages no matter where I am. Any help for a pour Canadian would be awesome.
 
Well, if you were building the alarm yourself, you could simply set it up to run a web script via regular internet, and have it autosend a text message via any of the various celphone companies' free texting webpages. Last I saw, some of them had a form of captcha on there, which you'd need to find a way around (shouldn't be hard, since spammers do that kind of thing all the time).

Other than that, sorry I don't have any other ideas.
 
amberwolf said:
Well, if you were building the alarm yourself, you could simply set it up to run a web script via regular internet, and have it autosend a text message via any of the various celphone companies' free texting webpages. Last I saw, some of them had a form of captcha on there, which you'd need to find a way around (shouldn't be hard, since spammers do that kind of thing all the time).

Other than that, sorry I don't have any other ideas.
I dont have a land line run down there and don't plan to either. This will be GSM or a signal that can just travel a few miles right to my house. I need to know more about sim cards and cell phones that don't expire. Im pretty sure I know a member who has a cell who he never pays a penny to use. He just hacks the system.
 
Look here for wireless security stuff
http://www.usabluebook.com/c-858-auto-dialers.aspx

Another company is http://www.telguard.com/ I got TG-9 Summary Data Cellular Communicator for Alarm & Event Monitoring. Monthly fee is not that much.

Don't know if they work in Canada?
 
pelle242 said:
Maybe there is a neighbour with a wifi that you can piggyback on?
Forget about hacking gsm, not done in real life.
No wifi at my shop its a industrial park and the shop is cement. I don't get any wifi signals inside.
 
Arlo1 said:
No wifi at my shop its a industrial park and the shop is cement. I don't get any wifi signals inside.

Then you will need to get an antenna outside on the roof or something regardless of what type of radio system you use. Is it fairly clear line of sight between the shop and your house. 1.5km is no problem with directional wifi antennas.
 
At 7-Eleven you can get a Speakout wireless SIM and $25 prepaid voucher that expires after 365 days. I am told that Speakout rents the Rogers network. $1.25/month is deducted for a 911 fee, resulting in a $15 loss over the course of that year, but at $10 remaining and 0.10/text, 100 texts per year, I think it's the best (sadly) you can get in Canada for that kind of intermittent reporting. I've got a similar project in the closet, and that was the first reasonable airtime solution I found.
 
pelle242 said:
Arlo1 said:
No wifi at my shop its a industrial park and the shop is cement. I don't get any wifi signals inside.

Then you will need to get an antenna outside on the roof or something regardless of what type of radio system you use. Is it fairly clear line of sight between the shop and your house. 1.5km is no problem with directional wifi antennas.
Cell phones work in the shop and i would prefer gsm anyway. It would be nice to get an alert anyware my phone gets reception!!!
 
MRVass said:
At 7-Eleven you can get a Speakout wireless SIM and $25 prepaid voucher that expires after 365 days. I am told that Speakout rents the Rogers network. $1.25/month is deducted for a 911 fee, resulting in a $15 loss over the course of that year, but at $10 remaining and 0.10/text, 100 texts per year, I think it's the best (sadly) you can get in Canada for that kind of intermittent reporting. I've got a similar project in the closet, and that was the first reasonable airtime solution I found.
Yeh the 7/11 thing is the best thing i found too! I am thinking about trying an us sim card!!!
 
hi arlo,i used walkie talkies in my store,canadian tire they were 27.99 would send a signal for 26kms iirc.i just left one on with a homemade horn in front of it,i could hear mice if they moved around in my shop.just an idea for ya.
 
Huh. Stumbling/staggering around ES, found re search for " SpeakOut" Currently price zero (assuming $100 other "stuff" bought).
http://www.speakout7eleven.ca/prepaid-cellphones/speakout-sim-card
* Note: The SpeakOut SIM card is a full size SIM card and will not fit into any device that requires a micro-SIM. While data capable handsets may work on our server, we can't guarantee service. (Lawyers suspected.)

Also on that page:
Simply click “Add to Cart” to buy online — we’ll have it shipped right to your door with free ground shipping on us.

:)
 
Thanks lock I will look into this.
 
i know noone wants to spend money for (almost) nothing. but even for $10/month you should compare pro and cons. if you only are notified once and can prevent bigger loss it will pay off. and you can put those $10 in your tax declaration anyway.
there are really cheap alarm systems on DX.com. i haven't tried them out, but for around $100 you can get gsm alarm systems (433mhz though but still better than nothing).
http://www.dx.com/p/dp-60-gsm-home-alarm-system-w-wireless-door-sensor-window-sensor-pir-motion-sensor-black-275911
 
Is it possible to send wifi signal to you're shed? options would almost be endless...
If you could do this, you could rig up some shed automation, automatic lights, window sensors, pressure sensors, sensor this and sensor that!
This is what I am going to do @ home to double up on home security/home automation. You can even use your phone as a check in check out and get this reported to you via email.

a cheap thing would be to send a Video feed from you're shed to you're house, But seems like it would only be useful to double check in-case of a potential break in, not going to get any kinda alert unless you are physically watching it.



I like home/shed automation because it can be potentially energy saving.
 
The fingers said:
Maybe you could hot rod a baby monitor to increase the range and program it or a nanny cam to call you if it detects noise, or visit a spy shop locally for ideas. :twisted:
My shop is 1.9 km on bicycle from my house so ~1.5 km birds eye view and there is some trees and hills in the way... I would need to be a strong signal.... As well.
I would like it to send messages to my phone so I can be anywhere and get info and not having to carry a baby monitor around....
 
Which is where Gotcha! and similar programs could come in, for monitoring the video without specific hardware designed for the purpose. Gotcha! can email you when something is detected; there may be other programs that can text you (by accessing your celprovider's "free texting" site via script, perhaps?).

You can make dishes or yagis that should easily get the range you need for wifi, but the obstructions might be an issue. You could check with people that are in whatever path would get around the obstacles and see if there are any of them willing to let you set up a repeater on their property.


There should be other systems around (probably even opensource, Instructables, etc) that can use regular alarm system sensors and do the same thing, I'd guess.
 
The GSM alarm I have works. I just need to get a TRUE pay as you go sim card not one that costs 10$ a month or what ever to keep active.
 
ok. Unfortunately the only cel providers I know of that don't charge some sort of monthly fee are ones like tracfone whose sims *only* work in the exact phone they come out of (not even in another phone of the exact same model!). :(
 
you can easily get 1.5km range man with a RF system, They do it all the time with FPV on the quadcopters and rc planes ect.. they get 20km range + on some setups
But i feel this wont be adequate for your needs of monitoring unless you setup a system in the shed to turn on the video when motion is detected.


they say perfect conditions like a remote location, line of site, so flying hi with 200mW you can get 2km range
You can get 2watt systems for like $100, then you need to hook up a direction antenna somewhere that's up hi. Directional antennas can be made or purchased for close to $50-$150 or so..
You can also use a repeater, Some people like to mount their antennas on something hi so line of sight can be achieved and run cables down or use like a 50mW repeater for the immediate location. I am having a stab in the dark, but a baby monitor is under 50mW due to legislation from memory 50mW is the limit of these devices I could be wrong and it might even be 20mW


You are leaving you're self open because the system is not encrypted or anything, any jo blow can lock into that frequency and watch you :shock:


so Seems like GSM is probably the way to go..or IP
 
what about getting a sim card from another country that has a yearly plan, I know here in AUS, a company called telstra has a 365 day pre paid option, you pay like $40 and that will last the whole year, You could then turn on global roaming and use it over their, Will just probably cost a bit everytime you need to send a text message,
 
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