CAT Signal Transmission and Central Station Monitoring 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the acronym 'DACT' stand for in alarm system terminology?
- Digital Alarm Communication Transmitter (Correct answer)
- Dual Alarm Control Terminal
- Direct Access Communication Transceiver
- Digital Audio Communication Technology
Correct answer: Digital Alarm Communication Transmitter
DACT stands for Digital Alarm Communication Transmitter, the device within or connected to a control panel that dials the central station and sends alarm data.
Question 2: In a dual-path communication system, what occurs when the primary communication path fails?
- The panel generates a local audible alarm only and waits for the path to restore
- The system automatically switches over to the backup communication path to maintain monitoring (Correct answer)
- All alarm outputs are disabled until the primary path is restored by a technician
- The panel sends a text message alert directly to the customer's phone
Correct answer: The system automatically switches over to the backup communication path to maintain monitoring
Dual-path systems are designed to detect primary path failure and immediately route alarm signals over the secondary path, ensuring continuous central station monitoring.
Question 3: Which UL standard governs the requirements for central station alarm monitoring services in the United States?
- UL 2050 (Correct answer)
- UL 681
- UL 2572
- UL 864
Correct answer: UL 2050
UL 2050 (National Industrial Monitoring Standard) establishes the requirements for central station premises security services, including equipment, procedures, and response times.
Question 4: What is the function of an 'account number' in alarm signal transmission?
- It identifies the specific type of alarm event such as fire, burglary, or medical
- It uniquely identifies the subscriber's premises to the central station receiver (Correct answer)
- It stores the customer's billing and payment information
- It assigns a priority level to the incoming signal for dispatch ordering
Correct answer: It uniquely identifies the subscriber's premises to the central station receiver
The account number is a unique identifier programmed into both the panel and the central station receiver that links every incoming signal to the correct subscriber record.
Question 5: What does SIA ANSI/SIA CP-01 specifically address in the alarm industry?
- Requirements for IP-based digital alarm communication
- Control panel features and functions designed to reduce false alarms (Correct answer)
- Wiring methods for low-voltage alarm circuits
- Central station staffing and response time requirements
Correct answer: Control panel features and functions designed to reduce false alarms
ANSI/SIA CP-01 is the Control Panel Standard that defines features such as entry delay, exit delay, and user error cancellation designed to minimize false alarm dispatch.
Question 6: What is 'IP monitoring' in the context of central station alarm communication?
- Monitoring of IP address conflicts on the premises network
- Transmitting alarm signals to the central station over an Internet Protocol broadband network (Correct answer)
- Intellectual property monitoring embedded in alarm panel firmware
- Internal power monitoring of the panel's input and output voltages
Correct answer: Transmitting alarm signals to the central station over an Internet Protocol broadband network
IP monitoring (also called broadband or network monitoring) uses the customer's Internet connection to send alarm data to the central station, offering fast and reliable transmission.
Question 7: When programming a digital communicator, which information is essential for the system to correctly route alarm signals to the central station?
- Customer credit card number and billing address for the monitoring account
- Central station receiver phone numbers and the subscriber account code (Correct answer)
- The technician's state license number and installing company name
- The local police department's non-emergency dispatch phone number
Correct answer: Central station receiver phone numbers and the subscriber account code
The communicator must have the central station's receiver phone number(s) to dial and the account code to identify the subscriber when the signal is received.
CAT Signal Transmission and Central Station Monitoring 2
What does the acronym 'DACT' stand for in alarm system terminology?