ABAT ABAT Communication Systems & Central Station Monitoring 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which communication pathway is considered the most reliable primary signaling method for burglar alarm systems to a central station?
- Standard POTS telephone line
- Cellular/GSM communicator
- Internet Protocol (IP) broadband
- Dedicated leased line (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Dedicated leased line
Dedicated leased lines provide the highest reliability for alarm signaling because they are exclusively reserved for the alarm system and not shared with other traffic.
Question 2: In the Contact ID protocol, what does the event code '130' represent?
- Fire alarm
- Burglary alarm (Correct answer)
- Panic alarm
- Medical alarm
Correct answer: Burglary alarm
Contact ID event code 130 is the standard code for a burglary (intrusion) alarm signal transmitted to the central station.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a dual-path communicator in a modern alarm system?
- To double the signal transmission speed
- To provide redundancy if one communication path fails (Correct answer)
- To allow two central stations to monitor simultaneously
- To reduce monthly monitoring costs
Correct answer: To provide redundancy if one communication path fails
Dual-path communicators use two separate communication channels (e.g., cellular + IP) so that if one path goes down, the backup path automatically transmits signals.
Question 4: Under UL 2050, what is the maximum allowable response time for a central station to respond to a burglar alarm signal?
- 30 seconds
- 60 seconds
- 90 seconds
- 180 seconds (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 180 seconds
UL 2050 requires central stations to respond to burglar alarm signals within 180 seconds (3 minutes) of receipt of the signal.
Question 5: Which format is the most widely used digital communicator protocol between alarm panels and central stations in the US?
- SIA DC-09
- Contact ID (CID/DTMF) (Correct answer)
- Ademco High Speed
- 4/2 Format
Correct answer: Contact ID (CID/DTMF)
Contact ID (also known as CID or DTMF tone format) is the most universally adopted protocol for transmitting alarm event data from panels to central stations.
Question 6: What does 'account duress code' refer to in central station operations?
- A code used to test alarm transmissions
- A secondary password that silently alerts the central station the user is under coercion (Correct answer)
- A code entered to cancel false alarms
- A backup PIN for system arming
Correct answer: A secondary password that silently alerts the central station the user is under coercion
A duress code is a special PIN that, when entered, appears normal to an intruder but secretly signals the central station that the user is being forced to disarm the system.
ABAT ABAT Communication Systems & Central Station Monitoring 1
Which communication pathway is considered the most reliable primary signaling method for burglar alarm systems to a central station?