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UER Forum > UE Main > Silent Alarms (Viewed 12000 times)
rayfang2000 


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Silent Alarms
< on 3/31/2016 12:05 AM >
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I had a question about silent alarms. Around where I live the sites I urbex at are relatively active. I was wondering about how silent alarms work, and how to detect when one has been tripped. I know the point of the alarm is that it is not heard, but I was just wondering and tips you guys have for dealing with possibly silent alarmed sites. Thanks




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EsseXploreR 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 1 on 3/31/2016 12:20 AM >
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The best thing to do is to go without your gear and anything else you don't need. Go inside, trip the sensor, leave, and watch from a safe distance to see who shows. If there is a response, it's active, if not, you're good to go.




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ZenCanadian 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 2 on 3/31/2016 3:07 AM >
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Silent alarms are called silent because there is no indication you trip it on site, but at a remote monitoring location.




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jonrev 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 3 on 3/31/2016 3:57 AM >
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VAD 


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Forgive us our trespasses

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 4 on 3/31/2016 5:18 AM >
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You can never really "detect" when one is tripped - the best you can do is look out for the sensors and avoid giving them anything to sense.

The first type is a Passive Infra-Red (PIR) sensor:

These can be tuned to detect up to 30' - they sense motion of objects heated to human-temperature - usually humans. If outside, they will often not be focussed at ground level to avoid cats, raccoons, etc. Generally best to avoid them entirely though - sometimes they have little LEDs that light up or change colour when tripped, and sometimes they will make a little click, but you can't trust that they will.

The second type is door contact sensors:

These are usually magnetic reed switches, and will have one half installed on the door, the other on the frame. This way, when the door opens, the two separate and it triggers the alarm. Obviously don't open a door with one of these on it - but if you are in a secured facility, after every door you open inspect the inside of the frame and the other side of the door for one. If you trip it, get far from the door, or clean out of the building if you think K9 will be called (since they can smell the doorknob and track you)

[Disclaimer: I do not own either of these images]




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rayfang2000 


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'Merica

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 5 on 3/31/2016 3:25 PM >
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So the only way I can really avoid silent alarms is to predict whether or not a site might have silent alarms, and just leave whenever I feel like one gets tripped?




Those who say they can, and those who say they can't are both usually right.
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blackhawk 

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 6 on 3/31/2016 4:40 PM >
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The most insidious type of silent alarm is a smart camera network. Hard to spot and if it's a fixed cam as all smart cams are, impossible to know if it's a smart cam networked with others and controlled by specialized software. They can monitor distances up to 1000 yards, possible more with the appropriate lense. Typically set up with multiple cams with overlapping field of view. Rugged and redundant by it's virtue of one cam only being part of a system which can be massive. A typical smart cam if you spot them look like an ordinary fixed monitor cam.

The computer/software can merely record and bookmark an event or be programmed to trigger a real time alert. Some can glean car types,tag numbers, and faces. These are capable of IDing returning cars and people.

The worst part is you will have no clue how large an area the network covers and they may chose to simply observe you even over a period of days or weeks.
You only see the cams they -want- you to see.

They are used extensively by government agencies and more each day by private companies and corporations for state of the art automated security systems.




Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
sirpsychosexy 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 7 on 3/31/2016 4:54 PM >
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Damn, I had my first run-in with a silent alarm two weeks ago and it was a good one. After photographing inside a semi-abandoned power plant for half an hour the door opened and a police squat, some guards and the owner came rushing in. After some chatting they eased up a bit, they told us that they had installed motion sensors and that they expected to find copper thieves due to recent thefts. Some weirdo photographers were the least of their worries. We could only apologize for wasting their time.

They are not that common here so I never even look for them. I couldn't believe that the building was actually alarmed, but later while looking at the photos I noticed a cute little PIR in a dark corner. I can assure you that I didn't hear or see any sign of it being tripped. I'm pretty sure I would've noticed a blinking light on the PIR, but nada.




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blackhawk 

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 8 on 3/31/2016 5:17 PM >
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Posted by sirpsychosexy
Damn, I had my first run-in with a silent alarm two weeks ago and it was a good one. After photographing inside a semi-abandoned power plant for half an hour the door opened and a police squat, some guards and the owner came rushing in. After some chatting they eased up a bit, they told us that they had installed motion sensors and that they expected to find copper thieves due to recent thefts. Some weirdo photographers were the least of their worries. We could only apologize for wasting their time.

They are not that common here so I never even look for them. I couldn't believe that the building was actually alarmed, but later while looking at the photos I noticed a cute little PIR in a dark corner. I can assure you that I didn't hear or see any sign of it being tripped. I'm pretty sure I would've noticed a blinking light on the PIR, but nada.


That probably won't be the outcome is the USA. Electric companies generally keep the substation next to inactive power plants... active. They are consider 911 hot spots and are overseen by Federal agencies such as the FBI.
Terrorists typically survey and photograph/video targets first.

Exercise caution around all 911 hot spots, especially now. I doubt US explorers will enjoy an unannounced FBI interview at your home as much as I did.





Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
HamBean 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 9 on 3/31/2016 8:16 PM >
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This thread reminds me, I've seen a few of these around. Do you think they are alarmed or do I have a chance at getting in?

1.






blackhawk 

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 10 on 3/31/2016 8:20 PM >
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Posted by HamBean
This thread reminds me, I've seen a few of these around. Do you think they are alarmed or do I have a chance at getting in?

1.
385335.jpg (64 kb, 800x533)
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What is it? Civilian, military?




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unlighted-zero 


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havin a time

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 11 on 4/1/2016 2:38 AM >
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Easiest way is just look for the motion detectors in every room you pass. If you come across one and the building is powered, you'll have to judge whether the place is important enough that they'd spend the money to have it monitored or not. More often than not they don't even work, at least in my experience. If you wanna know for sure, do what you think you need to do to trip it, then run out and watch from a safe distance to see if anyone responds. I've done that one before on a non-silent alarm before to see what the response time would be like in case I trip another one somewhere else in the future.




/flail it til ya nail it
AdventureDan 


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I'm here to make wavy eyebrows and climb on stuff

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 12 on 4/1/2016 3:26 AM >
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From my experience, the PIRs are easy to spot, usually above doorways and at the end of hallways, and almost always have an LED to indicate whenever they are sensing motion. It's not bright though, so it's not terribly noticeable. A good rule of thumb is it's easier to rule out whether an alarm has NOT been activated. If you see there is an LED bulb indicator in the detector but it is not lighting up, it's safe to say it isn't active. I once walked through a doorway and then turned around to backtrack and saw a motion detector with an LED blinking. I got out ASAP and pulled away just as police pulled into the other side of the building.

Other than that, what others have said, best to just be on the safe side and anytime you notice any door switches, sensors or cameras, just get out and watch to see if there is a response. Another option, is once you have decided you may have set an alarm, quickly temporarily disable any future use of the device, (taping the sensor lens, snipping a switch wire, etc.) and then next time you visit, check to see if it's been fixed.

Also in case you wanna look ridiculous, walking around in a thermal emergency blanket (get em for 5 bucks at Walmart) will stop infrared sensors from detecting you. I've used this myself at my high school for our senior prank, and I believe Mythbusters did a segment on it.





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blackhawk 

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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 13 on 4/1/2016 8:18 PM >
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Posted by AdventureDan
From my experience, the PIRs are easy to spot, usually above doorways and at the end of hallways, and almost always have an LED to indicate whenever they are sensing motion. It's not bright though, so it's not terribly noticeable. A good rule of thumb is it's easier to rule out whether an alarm has NOT been activated. If you see there is an LED bulb indicator in the detector but it is not lighting up, it's safe to say it isn't active. I once walked through a doorway and then turned around to backtrack and saw a motion detector with an LED blinking. I got out ASAP and pulled away just as police pulled into the other side of the building.

Other than that, what others have said, best to just be on the safe side and anytime you notice any door switches, sensors or cameras, just get out and watch to see if there is a response. Another option, is once you have decided you may have set an alarm, quickly temporarily disable any future use of the device, (taping the sensor lens, snipping a switch wire, etc.) and then next time you visit, check to see if it's been fixed.

Also in case you wanna look ridiculous, walking around in a thermal emergency blanket (get em for 5 bucks at Walmart) will stop infrared sensors from detecting you. I've used this myself at my high school for our senior prank, and I believe Mythbusters did a segment on it.




When I used them after set up I would cover the LED indicator; no free rides.
A good zoned PIR is extremely hard to slip by as its looking for temperature changes between zones past a certain rate. They can't sense long wave IR through many materials including glass, but maybe triggered by the material's own temperature as it breaches the zones. Proximity to these sensors effect their sensitivity. At couple feet away they're very easy to trip.

Now days I go with a computer controlled cam(s) motion detector/recorder. Some stand alone units look like PIRs but are cams with flashcards and record on triggering.

Truly abandoned sites don't have any these or power. I hate locations were they keep both active right until the last days when it's demoed. Sometimes getting permission to shoot, especially from the demo contractor, is much more productive...




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cavemonkey 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 14 on 4/4/2016 3:33 PM >
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Posted by HamBean
This thread reminds me, I've seen a few of these around. Do you think they are alarmed or do I have a chance at getting in?

1.
385335.jpg (64 kb, 800x533)
click to view






What you have there is a Minute Man Missile Silo that is very much active. There are multiple manner of surveillance methods in use at these sites, It will be very detrimental to your health and freedom should you cross that fence.

What looks to be just a fenced in area in the middle of nowhere is not. There are security teams in the local area (usually what looks like a run down farm isnt...). You cross that fence and within a few minutes you will have some bad dudes with a lot of hardware showing up to beat your ass and then throw you in prison for trespassing on a military installation.

Here is an example of someone who tried doing so- http://articles.la...news/war-briefs8.1

Just look the other way when it comes to active missile silos if you value your freedom...




nspyder 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 15 on 4/5/2016 9:08 PM >
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Any experienced explorer: what percentage of places would you say use silent alarms? It's always been somewhat of a concern of mine, and I was wondering how often they come up.




LuminousAphid 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 16 on 4/6/2016 7:45 AM >
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Posted by cavemonkey
Here is an example of someone who tried doing so- http://articles.la...news/war-briefs8.1





"See you guys, you never listen to me. I said there was gonna be trouble but you didn't listen to me. You guys are crazy. You know, you guys are self destructive. There's a funny farm and it has your names written all over it. But I'm gettin' out of here. I'm... I smell ice cream!"
EsseXploreR 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 17 on 4/6/2016 9:40 AM >
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Posted by nspyder
Any experienced explorer: what percentage of places would you say use silent alarms? It's always been somewhat of a concern of mine, and I was wondering how often they come up.


According to my Flickr, 8/134 places had silent alarms. That's roughly 6%. Half of those didn't even signal anyone.

Edit: wrong percentage



[last edit 4/6/2016 12:06 PM by EsseXploreR - edited 1 times]

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ROMNEY 


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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 18 on 4/6/2016 1:36 PM >
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The PIRs in my home city (from everything I've seen) blink red or change color (green light changes to solid red, for example) when tripped, even in the absence of any noise.

Recently spotted this in an abandoned school we were exploring. We vacated immediately and within less than 7 minutes 3 cop cars rolled up....so take the silent alarms seriously.

Just be observant and watch for a light color change. Of course, some won't change color (as someone above observed), but many do.

Also, be aware that some PIRs have cameras built in that auto-send digital footage to the email(s) of the owner's/owners' choice. Maybe mask up if you suspect a place is silent-alarmed as well...




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Re: Silent Alarms
< Reply # 19 on 4/6/2016 1:50 PM >
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Posted by cavemonkey


What you have there is a Minute Man Missile Silo that is very much active. There are multiple manner of surveillance methods in use at these sites, It will be very detrimental to your health and freedom should you cross that fence.

What looks to be just a fenced in area in the middle of nowhere is not. There are security teams in the local area (usually what looks like a run down farm isnt...). You cross that fence and within a few minutes you will have some bad dudes with a lot of hardware showing up to beat your ass and then throw you in prison for trespassing on a military installation.

Here is an example of someone who tried doing so- http://articles.la...news/war-briefs8.1

Just look the other way when it comes to active missile silos if you value your freedom...


bump
100% chance of breaching the fence perimeter.
100% chance of a armed escort out and detention+.
Ground seismic sensors, ground radar, smart cams, highly motivated/armed MPs... what don't they have?
lol, I was thinking it looked a lot military.




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