I’m looking around for a way to pay bills for the next year and see the alarm installer guys are hiring. Not paying much, but hiring.
Anyone out there with good or bad things to say about the profession? Is this going to be a step down from carpentry or are their higher paid jobs in the larger outfits?
Seems like a finish carp could transition into this pretty easily since we understand how things are built and are generally detail oriented enough not to screw things up too bad.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn’t rule the world.
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Seems like the bad guys in the movies always have an "inside man" at the alarm company to give 'em a back door.
Maybe you could be that guy.
Forrest
Used to be a somewhat complicated job -- you had to be able to snake wires through the walls like a telephone installer -- required some experience, skill, and cleverness. Now, at least for the simple residental installations, it's all wireless, and it's closer to hanging curtain rods.
not to hijack, but how does wireless work with adjacent apartments?
My impression is that all the sensors have unique rolling-code transmitters, like GD openers. Each sensor is programmed into the base unit.
In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. --Carl Sagan
I don't know the details, but the good ones do have a unquie code and also are "monitored". That they report regularly and not just on a change.Worked in ahouse with one and it would display the statuss of each door..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Yeah, I think they "check in" every few minutes, and an alarm sounds if one doesn't check in. They also report their battery status.
In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. --Carl Sagan
It is faster than that. Or else the also report on a change..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Yeah, they also report on a change.
In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. --Carl Sagan
You do some of this, no?
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I get thrown into it. Most of the time I hate it. Mainly because they put me in some pretty bad situations whenever I have to do alarms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbqIyeed4g&feature=related
Gotcha. Didn't mean to drag up bad memories for you.That's not how you busted your ribs, was it?'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
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Nah No biggie. I always seem to get thrown into it when nobody else wants to do it or can do it for one reason or the other. Kind of annoying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbqIyeed4g&feature=related
I think ... access control is alot more in demand right now? or am i just see'n more of it?
p
It's been common in some aspects of commercial work. It probably is catching on more. We have one guy that does that mainly. He is dumb as a box of rocks. But he can cut in door strikes and mag locks. That's usualy the reasoning for not firing him when he screws up bad. That and he's there every morning with no personal issues happy to be at work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbqIyeed4g&feature=related
Two totally different worlds.
Not at all un-learnable though if you have a head for simple electronics and some reasoning skills.
Residential or commercial? Residential I'd have to make some great money. I loath residential. Commercial aint to bad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbqIyeed4g&feature=related
I own a one man alarm/security company. I have made a good living doing so. That said, it came with a lot of sacrifice until I reached a certain proficiency. Much like becoming a master carpenter. However, it is not rocket science. Simply, unlike the old telephone cabling that was "daisy chained", each cable is a home run except in some fire alarm systems. Here in Texas installers are usually young guys (some maybe not legal residents) that barely know a hammer from a screwdriver. You would be horrified as I was to see them make a hole through sheetrock with a hammer instead of a hole saw. Your skill level and attention to detail would be a liability unless you found a company that was quality driven rather than dollar driven. My whole deal was/is quality. If cheap is what someone wants. I am not the man for the job. I am sure you would make a good installer from the standpoint of being careful when and where placing holes and cable. If you do decide to, read up on the NEC chapter on low voltage. Good luck and contact me if I can help.
Principals do not put food on the table. However
Another possible installation is Direct TV. They've been advertising a lot lately on broadcast TV (saw the Jimmy Kimmel ad about NFL games, maybe ten times over the weekend) so it makes sense that they'd be looking for installers.
Edited 9/8/2008 9:16 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter