Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Home Security Systems?

Unfortunately it seems that even up here in the hill billy part of PA heroin has made a comeback. Now, the robberies are on the rise everywhere around here. And the local emergency room is seeing more heroin over doses. Heroin drives folks totally insane... real sad, but I think I need a camera system or something.

Any suggestions?

A noisy dog, a security company sign or two, and blood stains on the door steps. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Fake surveillance cameras are cheap--but I don't know how much attention junkie burglars pay to such things. Real cameras have to be monitored to prevent crime--doubt if you want to do that. I have three dogs and a monitored (dictograph) security system that we only turn on when we leave town--works for me.

Being in the security surveilence business for about ten years before I retired, I can shed some light on camera/ security systems. To be effective, you either have to have a 24 hour monitoring of the video, or a software program that detects video motion, and sounds an alarm. Even systems that employ 24 hour monitoring ,usaully have video motion detection, as humans tend to go to sleep. In adition, you might want to have a time lapsed VCR integrated to capture alarms, and then you have to remember to replace the tapes or you can just rewrite over them . Also you can get camera systems hat have automated pan/tilt and zoom, that lets you set a predetermined range that you want to scan over, instead of just a fixed camera, and then zoom in on an alarm

Ther are many good companies that offer VMD, and it can get expensive. One is Radiant Inc, out of Boulder CO.

I think Sam's Club still carries a system with 4 cameras , and a monitor with quad splitter in it for abut $600

I don't know where you are located but temperature is also a factor in cameras working. They all start to drop out at ambiemt 120 degrees F. This happens if they are in a weather proof housing with no blower. Then you have the other extreme at abot 15 degrees F that you have to have a heater.

anither way to go is motion detectots, These are bascially IR sensors that detect changes in temperature in thie field of view. They work great indors, and most places outdoors, but sometimes you get two instances during the day when the background temperature might match the human body temperature and you could miss an intruder.

Again they aren't very expensive, but the alarm sounding interface , etc can get to be pricey.

However, non of these systems have to be fed, or house broken.

In small systems, sometimes it is cost effective to go with a commercial company that hooks you up to an central comamnd that notifies police , like ADT Security. However , if you are in a rural area, response time can be too long.

Also, some services charge for false alarms that you cause.

DixieFreedom - There is little you can do to be totally secure against a determined burglar. But there are some things that will help. Your home should look like it is occupied. I had both my neighbors houses on each side burglarized one morning. The LEO said that the only thing that saved me was that my old truck was in the driveway. They struck between 9:00 am and 10:30 am. This was in the middle of a large subdivision. Timers can be used to turn lights and radios on at different times. My TV has an awake timer that can be set to turn the set on and off.
Security Services are good in urban areas if you can afford them.
You should replace any short screws in the doorjam with longer ones. Mine were only about an inch long. I replaced them with 3'' screws. Dead bolt locks should be installed, double keyed if you have a window in the door and don't have small children. (Fire safety)
If you can afford a good safe for jewelry and firearms that will help.
Write down the serial numbers to all your stereo equipment, TV, firearms, cameras, computers, ect. Kept this list inside a notebook in case the police need them. Write or ingrave your name and address on inconspicuous surfaces of these items. I take the address labels I get in the mail from various charities and put them up under the CDs and DVDs in their cases, just to make it more difficult for a thief.
Motion sensor floodlights on the outside of the house help. Radio Shack sells a battery operated motion alarm for about $45. Might be enough noise to scare off a burglar. They had some security systems also. Just need something to make noise to get the neighbors attention. Home Depot was selling a camera system for about $300 not too long ago.
I am sure there are some other things that can be done to make it more difficult for the thief.
Good luck. Bob