CAT Alarm Communication Systems & Signal Transmission 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a digital communicator in an alarm system?
- Transmit alarm signals to a central monitoring station (Correct answer)
- Power the alarm control panel
- Detect motion within a protected area
- Control door lock access
Correct answer: Transmit alarm signals to a central monitoring station
A digital communicator sends alarm event data from the control panel to the central monitoring station so operators can respond to the alarm.
Question 2: What does PSTN stand for in the context of alarm system communications?
- Public Switched Telephone Network (Correct answer)
- Primary Security Transmission Node
- Packet Signal Transfer Network
- Protected System Transmission Node
Correct answer: Public Switched Telephone Network
PSTN stands for Public Switched Telephone Network, the traditional landline infrastructure historically used for alarm signal transmission to central stations.
Question 3: Which communication method transmits alarm signals over a broadband internet connection?
- IP/Ethernet communication (Correct answer)
- POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service)
- UHF radio
- Fiber analog
Correct answer: IP/Ethernet communication
IP/Ethernet communication uses internet protocol over broadband connections to send alarm signals to the central station receiver.
Question 4: What is a dual-path communication system in alarm monitoring?
- A system using two independent channels so if one fails the other still transmits (Correct answer)
- A system with two control panels linked together at one location
- A system that monitors two separate buildings from one keypad
- A system requiring two separate keypads for a single panel
Correct answer: A system using two independent channels so if one fails the other still transmits
A dual-path system uses two independent communication channels, such as cellular and IP, providing redundancy if one path fails.
Question 5: Which contact format is most widely used as the industry standard for transmitting alarm event data to central stations?
- Contact ID (Correct answer)
- ASCII text
- Morse code
- DTMF-only tones
Correct answer: Contact ID
Contact ID, developed by Ademco (now Honeywell), is the dominant industry-standard format for transmitting alarm event codes digitally to central station receivers.
Question 6: What does a telephone seize circuit do in an alarm communicator?
- Disconnects in-use telephone devices so the communicator can access the line (Correct answer)
- Amplifies the signal for long-distance PSTN transmission
- Converts analog telephone signals to digital format
- Filters electrical noise from the telephone line
Correct answer: Disconnects in-use telephone devices so the communicator can access the line
The telephone seize circuit takes control of the phone line from any in-use devices so the alarm communicator can immediately transmit an alarm signal regardless of whether the line is in use.
Question 7: Which type of alarm communicator is most vulnerable to being defeated by a burglar cutting the telephone line?
- PSTN landline-only communicator (Correct answer)
- Cellular-only communicator
- IP/broadband communicator
- Long-range radio communicator
Correct answer: PSTN landline-only communicator
PSTN landline-only communicators rely entirely on the physical telephone line, making them completely disabled if that line is cut by a burglar.
CAT Alarm Communication Systems & Signal Transmission 1
What is the primary purpose of a digital communicator in an alarm system?