Wausau - "System 1 Alarm"

[mkaskavitch]

I've heard this for a long time and it came through again this afternoon. I've always been curious what this is. I believe it is a alarm trigged at CWA airport, although I'm not sure. When activated, it sends out an alert automatically over the air stating "System 1 alarm" 3 times.

Anyone have insight on this alert?

 

[Karl_KS9E]

I'm just guessing, but I'd think it is more likely an archiving system that has reached the end of the data storage capacity. This happens every 24 hours. I'd suspect it is a reminder to change the storage media.

 

[JT-112]

Does this alarm get transmitted on a public safety freq?

If so, sounds like a Varda alarm. Varda made (maybe still does, I'll Google it) a portable alarm unit that included an HT, audio playback device and sensors for the alarm.

Trip the alarm, and the HT would key up and play back whatever was recorded onto it's tape playback device.

I had Milwaukee PD install one of these in my workplace a long time ago. Sure enough, the caught the guy that had been repeatedly breaking into the place. The idea is that the alarm went right to the cops with absolutely no delay - no alarm company, not getting stuck in dispatch, nothing.

The drawback for the listener is that you'll have no idea what alarm is for. The cops will, of course. That Varda alarm went someplace else the next day, and they never changed the audio tape. All it ever said was "Varda alarm, Varda alarm, Varda alarm."

 

[N9NRA]

Does this alarm get transmitted on a public safety freq?

If so, sounds like a Varda alarm. Varda made (maybe still does, I'll Google it) a portable alarm unit that included an HT, audio playback device and sensors for the alarm.

Trip the alarm, and the HT would key up and play back whatever was recorded onto it's tape playback device.

I had Milwaukee PD install one of these in my workplace a long time ago. Sure enough, the caught the guy that had been repeatedly breaking into the place. The idea is that the alarm went right to the cops with absolutely no delay - no alarm company, not getting stuck in dispatch, nothing.

The drawback for the listener is that you'll have no idea what alarm is for. The cops will, of course. That Varda alarm went someplace else the next day, and they never changed the audio tape. All it ever said was "Varda alarm, Varda alarm, Varda alarm."

Hmmm, this may just explain what i heard once around here (i live in the Wausau area ), what i heard once (at `round about midnight) was the following, "Rothschild units, the time is now, respond to the varda" (repeated), just curious, but could that also be the same as the "system one, alarm" transmissions? I`ve heard `em on WPD too. Intresting. N9NRA

 

[SCPD]

Dodge county does something like. They will say B-Boy xx two or three times. Then they will say no response B-Boy xx. You will hear officers say they are 76. To the scanner listener it sounds like a unit didn't respond to a radio call but it is to let the officers know about an alarm.

 

[davdrums]

I've heard this message many times. They actually do a test of this on the Wausau Police dispatch frequency every day at 4:15am. The alarm goes off, then dispatch asks a unit if it copied it, they reply, and then a "system 1 clear" message follows. I do know a member of the Wausau Police and if I ever run into him, I'll ask him; I'm curious myself.

dave
KC9LFG

 

[R8000]

This could be a bunch of different devices. The Varda alarm as mentioned before is quite popular with PD's as it's sales and design are targeted to law enforcement use.

Zetron and other manufactures also make DVR based alarm units to send speech when a input is closed. The means to send this speech out can vary, or even be connected to a radio and announced on the air.

The speech that is said will vary from agency to agency. Some will be pretty plain Jane, others will be disguised as other radio traffic.

In other words, it could be anything lol.

 

[N9NRA]

I've heard this message many times. They actually do a test of this on the Wausau Police dispatch frequency every day at 4:15am. The alarm goes off, then dispatch asks a unit if it copied it, they reply, and then a "system 1 clear" message follows. I do know a member of the Wausau Police and if I ever run into him, I'll ask him; I'm curious myself.

dave
KC9LFG

hey there Dave, i just sent ya a pm with some thoughts on this, ya can read `em there and call me as i mentioned in the pm. Just to add, i have heard this during the day too, and the dispatch will do a "code 45" check after the message transmits. N9NRA

 

[ir8ib]

system 1 alarm i believe has to do with cwa. its an alarm that gets reset every morning and usaually a county dispatcher asks a mosinee officer if they copied and they wont reset until that officver replies. usualy 562 is badge number called out on old sheriff 1. they also change the time every year between 4 and 415. Code 45 is just the code they use to ask if an officer is ok or needs assisitance. also 10-78 is needs assistance but only used inj a rush type situation.

 

[ir8ib]

Hmmm, this may just explain what i heard once around here (i live in the Wausau area ), what i heard once (at `round about midnight) was the following, "Rothschild units, the time is now, respond to the varda" (repeated), just curious, but could that also be the same as the "system one, alarm" transmissions? I`ve heard `em on WPD too. Intresting. N9NRA

respond to the varda is usually the undercover or surveillance code for their is activity marked units rush in and FI. ik they used this wen they were building the buffalo wings and rings in weston because scrap metal thieves kept stealing from the construction sit. then they ended up settin up a perimiter around green acres and searched. thats wen i heard it used. also wen they say it u can barely hear it cuz they r tryin to b quiet. although i could b wrong

 

[N9NRA]

respond to the varda is usually the undercover or surveillance code for their is activity marked units rush in and FI. ik they used this wen they were building the buffalo wings and rings in weston because scrap metal thieves kept stealing from the construction sit. then they ended up settin up a perimiter around green acres and searched. thats wen i heard it used. also wen they say it u can barely hear it cuz they r tryin to b quiet. although i could b wrong

Okay that makes sense, however when i heard it they weren`t being very quiet...or my scanner has a better audio output then i thought . It was intresting, and i haven`t heard it since, guess it`s rather moot now that they`ve gone P25 digital . N9NRA