SYSTEM PURPOSE:
Intended for people who are living at home alone and have pre-existing health issues or are concerned about their personal security around the home
The person at risk (health or security) wears a pendant around the neck and/or a wristwatch at all times.
In the event of the person requiring assistance, they push a large distinct button on either the necklace, the wristwatch or the system unit (although this is in a fixed location and may not be readily accessible in a time of need.
The system unit receives the alert signal and takes action which has been predetermined by the person who setup the system (usually a family member)
The system will dial up to three different telephone numbers, if the first number does not answer then it will dial the second number and so on ...
When the person who receives the call answers the telephone call (it can be to a fixed landline or a mobile), they will hear a pre-recorded voice message sent by the system unit. Usually this message goes something like "Please help me ... push any button to hear me speak" but it can be any message the user wants to record, in their own voice.
Once the person who received the call pushes any button on THEIR phone, they can listen to what is happening and speak with the person (assuming they are capable of speaking) and take action accordingly.
So that's a basic outline of how this system operates, below is the details about the system I am offering AND some hints and tips which the user manual doesn't tell you! Some of these hints and tips are extremely important!
DESCRIPTION OF COMPLETE SYSTEM ON OFFER
(Nothing is missing - this is ready to go)
Main System Unit (complete with AC power plug pack, telephone line cable and with new batteries installed)
Alert Wristwatch (new batteries installed)
Alert Pendant (new batteries installed)
3 way telephone equipment adaptor
User Manual - printed copy
SYSTEM UNIT:
This is actually an OEM version of the SURESAFE Personal Alert System
I am a "techie" and checked inside the system unit, this is the model HA-28 and I have included a photograph of the branded SURESAFE unit, it is identical.
There is a keypad which is normally covered by a hinged cover, in normal circumstances there is no need to press any buttons at all
YOU CANNOT MAKE NORMAL PHONE CALLS WITH THE SYSTEM UNIT - IT ONLY CALLS THOSE NUMBERS FOR WHICH IS HAS BEEN PRE-PROGRAMMED
Towards the bottom/front is a small hole for the microphone, it is best to record your message speaking directly into this area so that the recorded message is loud and clear
There is an ON-OFF white slide switch on the left hand side, turn this on and leave it on.
Into the rear panel you plug the telephone line and the AC power adaptor plug
On the rear of the system unit is a battery compartment, I have fitted 4x AAA size batteries which are brand new.
The idea with the batteries is in case the AC power fails, the unit will retain the numbers to dial and also the message being sent to the person called by the system unit.
I have found these batteries last a LONG TIME, months and months because you normally are running the unit from the AC power adapter anyway BUT it is a good idea to change them every six months or so *** special notes below about this
On the right hand side of the system unit is the receiving aerial, this picks up the alert signal from either the pendant or the wristwatch. The positioning of this aerial is not normally critical and I always just left it "hanging down"
PENDANT:
Small and light (important as it is hanging around the person being protected neck!)
The large BLUE button is easy to access and push
Inside this pendant are 2x type 2016 Lithium batteries and these SHOULD last for around 5 years. It is not difficult finding new batteries and fitting them but usually this will not be required for a long time.
WRISTWATCH:
Also not overly large or heavy and with a large RED button which is easy to locate and activate.
Again, inside this wristwatch are 2x type 2016 Lithium batteries and these SHOULD last for around 5 years. It is not difficult finding new batteries and fitting them but usually this will not be required for a long time.
In both the pendant and the wristwatch, I have fitted brand new batteries - no need to change them.
By the way, the 2016 Lithium button batteries are not hard to find and I managed to find them for about $1 each - not expensive!
COSMETIC CONDITION (ALL ITEMS)
No part is broken, damaged or marked.
I have carefully cleaned AND STERILISED all items. The pendant and wristwatch were used in "real life" as part of our testing this equipment, so it was very important to make sure these were clean and sterilised!
Oh, the person who helped me test this equipment has now recovered so they have no further use for it (I hope)
QUIRKS AND TIPS OF THIS EQUIPMENT
There are NO PROBLEMS with the equipment but some things I found just a bit "funny" or downright troublesome!
1: I will supply the telephone line lead already plugged into the rear of the system unit. Why? because the socket is recessed so much that it is VERY HARD to fit it in - a design issue.
2: *** The battery compartment could have been better designed. Yes it works fine but fitting the batteries is a bit tedious - I found my fat fingers had trouble getting the batteries inside properly but with some patience, I achieved my aim.
3: When the system unit is activated (the person using it needs help in other words), the system unit gives a series of ten "beeps" - this means it is dialling out on the telephone line. It would have been better to hear what is going on, to hear dial tone and the unit dialling a number might have been better.
DON'T FORGET, UNTIL THE PERSON WHO RECEIVES THE CALL PUSHES ANY NUMBER ON THEIR TELEPHONE (LANDLINE OR MOBILE) THERE IS STONE COLD SILENCE - SO THE CALLER PRE-RECORDED MESSAGE MUST TELL THE PERSON TO PUSH A NUMBER AT THEIR END OF THE PHONE LINE.
If the called person does not do this, THEY will hear nothing (other than the recorded message repeating infinitely) and the person requiring help will hear nothing as well.
4: Make sure that ONLY friends, family or other private persons telephone numbers are programmed into the phone!
Why? Believe it or not, the following tale is true .... when I first got this unit I only programmed 2 telephone numbers into it, leaving the 3 number blank (or so I thought). In fact the 3rd number was 000! One night the system unit was activated accidently and it tried to call the first 2 numbers but no answer so it merrily called Triple O - the pre-recorded message said "I need an ambulance"
Now don't forget, the Ambulance Service did not know to push any button at their end of the phone and as they could hear nothing at the callers end (other than the message asking for an ambulance repeating over and over) - they had to investigate because the caller may have collapsed!
After my testing of the unit, I went to bed and then was awakened one hour later by the Ambo's knocking at the door! As no-one had answered the "emergency" call, they traced the call and visited my address...lesson learned, NEVER EVER program this unit to call for Emergency Assistance via 000
This is actually why I am also supplying a 3 way telephone line adaptor, so that the system unit AND a standard telephone can be connected at the same time, so at least the person who has the system installed can hear if the system has called someone, and they can talk to them using a normal telephone.
5: When recording the message, you only have a short time (4 seconds) so make the message short and directly to the point. Something like "I need urgent assistance. Push any number on your phone to talk with me"
6: The system unit ONLY works with a standard fixed telephone line, that can be the old type "direct to the house" telephone connection or a telephone line provided by your Internet Service Provider, including the telephone ports on the back of your NBN modem (VOIP service). My testing and subsequent use by my friend of this equipment was via the NBN network using TPG as the provider - works just fine BUT BUT BUT ....
DO NOT FORGET, WHEN THE NBN SYSTEM LOSES POWER THEN YOU WILL ALSO LOSE YOUR TELEPHONE LINE - this should be kept in mind during a storm, if trees come down and kill the house power, then you will have no telephone service via NBN either...no NBN then this system cannot make a phone call to anyone.
Recording of the message and programming the numbers to be called is clearly outlined in the supplied manual - very easy to follow
7: I do not know the distance limitations of the equipment to capture the alert signal from the keyfob or wristband but the person who used this day to day was able to activate it a good 60 feet from the system unit without any problems at all - so anywhere around an average sized house should be fine.
To keep everything clean and sterile, I have now placed this equipment in sealed plastic and that is the way it will be supplied.
