Cheapest way to activate a siren system?

[Stormsetter4]

Hey guys, I have been tasked by my city on how to activate the sirens here. The county currently does not want to do it anymore, so the city wants to go independent. What is the cheapest way to activate a siren system via DTMF? We want it to be simplified so that all we have to do is push a few buttons. A used encoder such as an SS2000D would be preferable. Any help would be greatly appreciated as our city needs some help.

[holler]

Get a basic DTMF encoder and hook it to a radio at some city office.

http://www.genave.com/enc-3300-dtmf-prod.htm

Who does the two way radio work for the city? I would suggest starting with them.

[theroofable]

Program one of the keys in the two way radio to DTMF encode. Simple, and free if you already have a radio. (most radios are capable of DTMF encoding) If not, get yourself one that can, still cheaper than a DTMF board, and has more uses.

[Stormsetter4]

Program one of the keys in the two way radio to DTMF encode. Simple, and free if you already have a radio. (most radios are capable of DTMF encoding) If not, get yourself one that can, still cheaper than a DTMF board, and has more uses.

That sounds like a good idea. Do you think we could do that to a police radio? We have a few extra laying around. I am going to try to get up there today and see what we have.

[theroofable]

Yeah, let me know what kind it is. I would suggest using a base radio for best results. I have done this in a few fire departments and OEM offices as a backup alert system. Do you know if the sirens each have their own code or if they are set off together?

[Stormsetter4]

Yeah, let me know what kind it is. I would suggest using a base radio for best results. I have done this in a few fire departments and OEM offices as a backup alert system. Do you know if the sirens each have their own code or if they are set off together?

I think they all have their own code, a citywide code and a county all call code. I will probably just use the city code so if the county ever decides to set them off, they will still go.

[FSThunderboltfan1000]

Another great option is a web power switch.

[Stormsetter4]

Another great option is a web power switch.

What is that?

[JasonC]

Federal Informer radios are $300ish and have a relay output and accept two-tone activations. Tone encoders can be had for next to nothing (or even generated on a computer).

[Stormsetter4]

We already have FC's. I just found a radio at the police dept that sends out DTMF tones from a keypad on the radio. I am probably just going to program the FC's to 1234 so it is easy to remember.