BRITISH STANDARD

BS 6799:1986

Code of practice for

Wire-free intruder alarm systems

UDC 654.924.3

BS 6799:1986

Committees responsible for this British Standard

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by the Furniture and Household Equipment Standards Committee (FHM/-) to Technical Committee FHM/45, upon which the following bodies were represented:
Association for Payment Clearing Services Association of British Insurers Association of Burglary Insurance Surveyors Association of Chief Police Officers of England and Wales Association of Metropolitan Authorities British Retailers Association British Security Industry Association British Telecommunications plc Construction Security Advisory Service Consumer Standards Advisory Committee of BSI Department of the Environment (Property Services Agency) Electrical Contractors Association Electrical Contractors Association of Scotland Electrical Installation Equipment Manufacturers Association (BEAMA Ltd.) Electricity Supply Industry in England and Wales Electronic Engineering Association Home Office Home Office Crime Prevention Centre Inspectors Approved Alarm Installers Institution of Electrical and Electronics Incorporated Engineers Lloyds Syndicates Survey Department Metropolitan Police Ministry of Defence National Association of Goldsmiths of Great Britain and Ireland National Supervisory Council for Intruder Alarms Limited Post Office Royal Institute of British Architects Telecommunication Engineering and Manufacturing Association (TEMA) Tobacco Advisory Council Wine and Spirit Security Liaison Ltd.

The following body was also represented in the drafting of the standard, through subcommittees and panels:
Department of Trade and Industry (Radio Regulatory Division)

This British Standard, having been prepared under the direction of the Furniture and Household Equipment Standards Committee, was published under the authority of the Board of BSI and comes into effect on 31 October 1986. BSI 01-1999 The following BSI references relate to the work on this standard: Committee reference FHM/45 Draft for comment 85/37399 DC ISBN 0 580 15458 0

Amendments issued since publication Amd. No. Date of issue Comments

BS 6799:1986

Contents
Committees responsible Foreword 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Scope Definitions Classification of systems System selection System provisions Components Operational requirements Claims of compliance Page Inside front cover ii 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 5 Inside back cover

Publications referred to

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Foreword
This British Standard code of practice has been prepared under the direction of the Furniture and Household Equipment Standards Committee to provide a classification for wire-free intruder alarm systems intended to assist insurance and alarm companies, subscribers and the police in selecting the class of equipment best suited to particular risks and to enable them to achieve a complete and accurate specification of the protection required in particular premises. A wire-free intruder alarm system provides a non-wired signalling path, using, e.g. radio or ultrasonic frequency, between component parts of the system; this will normally be used for linking detectors and/or fixed or portable deliberately-operated devices with control equipment, but may also be used for links to ancillary or remote control equipment or between control equipment and warning and/or signalling equipment. Wire-free systems consist of one or more transmitter units associated with a detector or detectors and a common receiver unit. This code of practice identifies five levels of system performance, in ascending order of sophistication, as classes I to V. In simple systems, transmission only occurs when the associated detector generates an alarm condition, whilst more sophisticated systems may transmit a signal to indicate that the associated detector has returned to its quiescent state and may use specialized transmission techniques or narrow band receivers to minimize interfering signals from natural sources, or other systems, to allow monitoring of the receiver for deliberate interference. In advanced systems, a signal is transmitted at regular intervals indicating the status of a device, this may be automatic, by use of a timer, or, where permitted by regulations, may occur as the result of interrogation from the receiver. In either case, individual identification of each transmitter is available at the receiver. The use of radio frequency transmission by wire-free intruder alarm systems is controlled by the Department of Trade and Industry, Radio Regulatory Division and systems employing radio have to comply with the appropriate regulations. This code of practice does not give any recommendations for degree of protection, and a prospective subscriber should give careful consideration to the extent and degree of protection required, having regard to the nature of the premises to be protected, the value of its contents and the prevailing circumstances. It should be recognized that comprehensive protection necessarily entails substantial expense but that no intruder alarm system can possibly detect all forms of unauthorized entry or be completely tamper-proof. The successful operation of an intruder alarm system requires the active co-operation of the subscriber in carrying out the necessary procedures carefully and thoroughly. The usefulness of the whole system and its social acceptability can be jeopardized by lack of care. This care has to extend to the security of keys and of information regarding the system, its design, installation and method of operation and to ensuring adequate maintenance, to preserve the protection of property against criminal activity and to reduce the incidence of false alarms.

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This code of practice relates only to complete systems when installed in protected locations and not to individual components in isolation. The accuracy of any claim that an installed system complies with this code of practice is the responsibility of the claimant under the Trades Description Act of 1968. It is emphasized that claims that individual components of an Intruder alarm system are made in conformity or compliance with this code of practice would not be accurate as trade descriptions. The Control of Noise (Code of Practice on Noise from Intruder Alarms) Order 1981 gives guidance on methods for reducing the incidence of nuisance caused by audible alarms. Action may be taken under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 or the Pollution Control and Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 against anyone causing an audible alarm to sound unnecessarily. Attention is drawn to the Regulations for Electrical Installation (15th Edition, 1981, IEE). A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application. Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity from legal obligations.

Summary of pages This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i to iv, pages 1 to 6, an inside back cover and a back cover. This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the inside front cover.
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1 Scope
This British Standard code of practice provides general recommendations for the construction, installation and operation of intruder alarm systems installed in buildings, where the principal interconnections are by wire-free links. Such systems consist of one or more detectors, one or more control equipments, one or more warning and/or signalling devices and the necessary power supply equipment. This code of practice also provides a classification for, and advice on the selection of, wire-free systems linking some, or all, of the component parts of intruder alarm systems in buildings. It does not cover the transmission of signals from the protected location to a remote centre. This code of practice does not recommend the extent or degree of protection for a particular installation nor does it cover all of the needs for a particular installation.
NOTE The titles of the publications referred to in this standard are listed on the inside back cover.

3.2 Class I A class I system should provide the following: a) transmission of a signal when a detector or a deliberately-operated device has gone into an alarm condition, or transmission of other signals from control equipment appropriate to its application(s) such as those to warning devices or to ancillary control equipment; b) local or remote annunciation of a low voltage or high impedence condition of a transmitter battery prior to the point where it is capable of supporting seven days normal operation in addition to the generation of the fault signal.
NOTE The low voltage feature is not necessary for links associated with portable deliberately-operated devices.

3.3 Class II A class II system should provide the same features as class I and, additionally, provide an identification, available at the receiver, of the transmitter that has operated. 3.4 Class III A class III system should provide the same features as class II and, additionally, provide for the communication channel in use to be monitored so that the presence of any continuous blocking or interfering signals that are present for more than 30 s and that could prevent the reception of legitimate signals are detected and a fault indication is generated at the receiver.
NOTE It is necessary to agree the action to be taken when this indication is generated.

2 Definitions
For the purposes of this British Standard the definitions given in BS 4737 apply together with the following. 2.1 wire-free system a system employing electromagnetic radiation or sound to transmit telemetry or telecommand signals between component parts of an intruder alarm system 2.2 remote control equipment equipment, linked by wire-free means to the control equipment, used for the performance of the setting procedure and/or for the performance of the unsetting procedure
NOTE The inclusion of remote control equipment in a system is not a specific recommendation of this code of practice.

3.5 Class IV A class IV system should provide the same features as class III and additionally, with the exception of portable deliberately-operated devices temporarily removed from the protected premises, provide the following. a) Transmission within 30 s of return-to-normal signals from detectors which have gone into alarm condition or the incorporation of an interrogation facility which will give detector status indication at the receiver or at the control equipment. b) Repetitive transmission of signals denoting the status of the transmitter inputs and of its battery at intervals not exceeding 8.4 h (auto-reporting). c) Transmission of a low battery signal, when the battery has degraded, prior to the point where it is still capable of supporting seven days normal operation between the time the signal is initiated and the transmission capability ceases.

3 Classification of systems
3.1 General Wire-free systems are classified by category of integrity, i.e. the degree of monitoring provided, as described in 3.2 to 3.6. The manufacturer, or installer, should indicate to the subscriber the classification of the product, or installation, related to the nature of the risk to be protected and level of security provided.

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d) Generation of a fault condition by the receiver in the event of failure to receive a signal from any single transmitter in the system within a period of 8.4 h and the creation of an alarm condition in the event of three consecutive failures to receive a signal from that transmitter.
NOTE For a remote signalling system this alarm condition need not result in the sounding of any associated audible warning device at the protected premises.

4.1.2 Disadvantages. The disadvantages of wire-free systems include the following. a) Both fixed and portable transmitters normally rely upon a primary battery as their power source, although portable units may use a secondary battery that is periodically recharged. For size and cost reasons, the battery will have a limited capacity and the frequency, duration and power level of transmissions need to be limited to ensure an acceptable life for the battery of at least 6 months.
NOTE In class I, II and III systems, the approach of the end of the battery life is annunciated either locally or remotely and in class IV and V systems the battery condition is automatically checked at regular intervals.

e) Generation of a fault condition by the receiver if consecutive battery-low signals are received from any one transmitter for a period in excess of 8.4 h, which should continue until manually reset, or until a battery-good status signal is received from that transmitter. 3.6 Class V A class V system should provide the same features as class IV and additionally provide auto-reporting at intervals not exceeding 1.2 h and alarm condition generation, in the event of failure to receive the signal from any single transmitter in the system within a period of 3.6 h.

b) Because of the limitations on the battery capacity, continuous monitoring for correct operation of the system is not practicable.
NOTE For class I, II and III systems, failure of a transmitter unit or its removal, together with its associated detector, will only be identified by a routine test. For class IV and V systems, such failure or removal is automatically reported, the interval between reporting periods being determined by battery capacity or by legislative limitations.

4 System selection
4.1 General A wire-free intruder alarm system is normally appropriate where wired interconnections between detectors and control equipment are not viable for technical, aesthetic or economic reasons or when portable deliberately-operated devices are to be used. In selecting a wire-free system, consideration should be given to the advantages and disadvantages described in 4.1.1 and 4.1.2. 4.1.1 Advantages. The advantages of wire-free systems include the following: a) they can be used with portable deliberately-operated devices, such as those worn on the body or fixed to a cash trolley; b) they can be easily repositioned to allow for changes in the protected area or for protection from temporary risks; c) additional detectors can be added without installation difficulties; d) they have a reduced labour cost at installation compared with systems using wired interconnections; e) damage to ceilings and walls in buildings, such as those of historic interest, can be minimized; f) the ability to provide individual detector identification without additional wiring costs; g) they cause minimum inconvenience to occupants during installation.

c) For class I, II and III systems, the condition of the detectors is not known at the time the alarm system is set and a visual inspection of the premises is necessary to ensure that no doors or windows are open, although class II and III systems may be arranged to transmit return-to-normal signals.
NOTE Class IV and V systems transmit such signals or incorporate an interrogation facility which allows the status of detectors to be indicated at the receiver, or at the associated control equipment.

d) The receiver can be blocked by interfering signals of the same type from natural sources, other systems or by deliberate action. Radio systems operate on only one allocated frequency, which is not exclusive, nor is it protected by the regulatory body from interfering signals on that frequency. Class I and II systems provide no indication of the presence of signals which may prevent their ability to operate correctly. Class III, IV and V systems are monitored for interfering signals, which allows remedial action to be taken against natural sources or other systems, however, all radio equipment operated in the low power telemetry and telecontrol band is required to meet the appropriate Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) performance specification which will control spurious emissions and adjacent channel power. Deliberately generated interfering signals will also be detected but it is necessary to determine what action should be taken when this occurs.

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e) The effective range of a system installed in a building may be considerably less than the free space range due to attenuation caused by walls and floors, particularly if reinforced by steel rods or mesh, by the proximity of the antenna to earthed objects and by body shielding in the case of portable deliberately-operated devices. There may also be nulls in the reception pattern due to multipath interference. The system should have an adequate safety margin for sensitivity and tests should be carried out before final selection to demonstrate that coverage is satisfactory, particularly for portable devices. 4.2 Suitability for use The suitability of a wire-free system for a particular application is to some extent dependent upon the nature of the risk from which protection is to be provided. In selecting a wire-free system consideration should be given to the following system features. a) A class I system need only transmit a signal when the associated detector goes into an alarm condition. It indicates locally, or transmits a signal, when the battery is near the end of its useful life, and is suitable for use with portable deliberately-operated devices, but should not be used where tampering with the transmitter units or the deliberate generation of interfering signals is considered to be likely. b) A class II system additionally provides identification at the receiver of a transmitter that has operated and is appropriate where a knowledge of the operation of a particular deliberately-operated device or movement detector is required. c) A class III system will also monitor the receiver channel to detect excessive interference levels which are indicated as a fault at the receiver, although it is necessary to determine what action should be taken if a fault condition is indicated. Where such interfering signals may be present, a class III, IV or V system should be selected and tests carried out to ensure that the frequency of occurrence of interference is not excessive. Remedial action, if the tests indicate excessive interference, may include filtering of received signals, screening of units, resiting of the receiver aerial(s) or a change of operating mode.
NOTE The possible need for additional checks of physical points of entry to the protected premises when setting systems of classes I to III is emphasized.

d) Class IV and V systems provide all of the facilities of classes I, II and III and transmit return-to-normal signals or incorporate an interrogation facility which allows detector status to be available at the receiver or at associated control equipment. They should be used where the highest level of security and integrity is required from a wire-free intruder alarm system.

5 System provisions
5.1 General All systems should comply with 3.2 of BS 4737-1:1986 in respect of housings, tamper detection, environmental protection and documentation. Additionally the system record, as required by 3.2.4 of BS 4737-1:1986, should include the system classification (see clause 3) with specific identification of those links within the system that are wire-free, the system coding (see 6.1) and coverage (see 6.5). 5.2 Basic system All systems should incorporate the necessary detectors, warning devices and/or signalling equipment, control equipment and power supply as required by 3.1 of BS 4737-1:1986. Where system components utilize wire-free links to the control equipment, such components should, additionally, be in accordance with clause 6 of this standard or be subject to the exclusions made therein. 5.3 Circuit interconnections Where cables are used in any part of a system they should comply with appropriate requirements of 3.3.2, 3.3.3, 3.3.4 and 3.3.5 of BS 4737-1:1986. 5.4 Power If the voltage at the control equipment, at a warning or signalling device or at the receiver is reduced sufficiently to prevent the recommended performance levels for the system being met, an alarm and/or fault condition should be generated. When the system is set, this should be sent out as an alarm condition. It should not be possible to set the alarm system whilst the voltage remains below the required minimum level.

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6 Components
6.1 General Components should comply with all applicable regulatory body requirements for radiated power, frequency and duration of operation and radiation of interfering signals. The risk of false alarms, due to technical malfunction or due to poor design, should be minimized and verification techniques provided to ensure signal integrity in order to minimize false alarms in the presence of impulsive interference and transient noise.
NOTE Insufficient signal integrity will be provided by simple amplitude or frequency modulation of the carrier without the use of a sub-carrier or of suitable digital coding techniques.

Transmitters should be located within the protected premises and transmitters that are not contained within the housing of a detector should be provided with tamper detection as specified in 3.2.2 of BS 4737-1:1986. Where practicable, the transmitting element (e.g. antenna or transducer) should be protected from mechanical damage and tampering. Where a battery is used to power a transmitter, the battery should have an operational life of at least six months and battery-powered transmitter units should indicate locally or transmit a warning signal when the battery voltage falls towards the end of its life. 6.5 Receivers Receivers should be housed either in the control equipment or in a separate housing meeting the requirements for location, housing and power supply appropriate to the control equipment. The interconnection between the receiver and the control equipment should be electrically and, if appropriate, mechanically protected. Where practicable, the receiving element (e.g. antenna or transducer) should be protected from mechanical damage or tampering. Care should be taken in the mounting of a receiver antenna to ensure satisfactory reception of signals and to minimize the receipt of accidentally or deliberately generated interfering signals. The connection between an antenna and a receiver should be protected against potential damage. Where reception is from a portable deliberately-operated device, tests should be carried out to ensure that the receiver is positioned so that it is responsive at all times to signals from anywhere within the area in which the device is intended to be operated and the coverage should be indicated to the subscriber on the system record. 6.6 Warning devices Warning devices should be operated by a transmitted alarm condition from the control equipment. In the case of wire-free links between control equipment and warning devices there may be no alarm condition generated at the control equipment in the case of tampering and such devices are therefore not required to comply with 8.2.5 or 8.3.5 of BS 4737-1:1986.

The risk of non-operation due to mutual interference should be minimized and, where a number of wire-free systems are installed in close proximity, the transmission system used should minimize the effects of mutual interference by the use of narrow band receivers and coding and verification techniques. To minimize the possibility of interference occurring between systems, the method of coding employed should give a minimum of 16 different system identifications. The system and its components should not be adversely affected by anticipated normal levels of electrical or radio frequency interference in the environment of the installation. 6.2 Detection devices Detectors should be located so that, when the system is in the set condition, it is not possible to tamper with the detection device without the generation of an alarm condition. Detectors should be sited so that they are accessible when there is a need to change the batteries.
NOTE Detectors may suffer a loss in battery life or capacity if sited in areas which could be subject to high or low temperatures.

6.3 Deliberately-operated devices Deliberately-operated devices should be of types Y or Z complying with BS 4737-3.14:1986. The transmission of a message sequence from an operated device should not cease or be interrupted when the operating member is released. 6.4 Transmitter The transmission of an alarm or tamper signal should be repeated at intervals over a period to increase the possibility of receipt in the presence of deliberately or accidentally generated interfering signals.

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6.7 Remote control equipment Remote control equipment used for the setting or unsetting of a system should offer a degree of security not less than that provided by a key-operated switch of 200 differs. There should be suitable feedback to provide acknowledgement that the setting or unsetting operation has been successfully completed.
NOTE The requirements for control equipment given in BS 4737 do not apply to remote control equipment.

7 Operational requirements
The operational requirements for a wire-free intruder alarm system with local audible warning only should be as specified in clause 4 of BS 4737-1:1986. The operational requirements for a wire-free intruder alarm system with remote signalling should be as specified in clause 5 of BS 4737-1:1986. Exceptions to these requirements are: a) that for a class I system and for some systems of classes II and III [see 4.1.2 c)] it will be possible to complete the setting procedure with sensors or detectors in an alarm condition, and b) setting and/or unsetting of a system may be completed by means of remote control equipment.

Remote control equipment should only be used for the unsetting of a remote signalling system where an associated timed entry procedure is incorporated in the system. Such timing should be initiated by entry into the protected premises following a failure to unset the system by the remote control equipment.

8 Claims of compliance
The system record (see 5.1) for an installed system should be endorsed Complies with the recommendations of BS 67791) and any deviation from the recommendations of this code of practice, and the reason(s) therefor, should be itemized on the system record.

1)

Endorsing the system record with the number BS 6779 is a claim by the installer that the system has been installed to the recommendations of the code. The accuracy of such a claim is solely the installers responsibility.

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Publications referred to
BS 4737, Intruder alarm systems in buildings. BS 4737-1, Specification for installed systems with local audible and/or remote signalling. BS 4737-3, Specifications for components. BS 4737-3.14, Deliberately-operated devices.

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