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I'm thinking about alarm/security systems that don't rely on power. My thoughts are that as we descend to third world status we will begin to experience periodic power outages. I'm reminded of a backpacking trip I took in 1980 to Nepal. While I was in Kathmandu there would be brownouts and periodic outages every evening as demand for power would exceed supply.

Dogs are an obvious answer, but I have also read about geese being used as alarms by Romans and others. Geese also have an advantage of also being a source of protein. I'm interested in your thoughts of dogs, geese, and other critters that might be useful as well as having a secondary purpose.
 
^^^Dogs are also a source of protein, but don't forget simple mechanical alarms such as the CIA's rat trap, blank cartridge, fish line set-up. I have used that one a number of times successfully. Good luck with your research.
 
Well, in some countries, dogs have a dual purpose... Just like geese. ;)


Short of having a trained Squatch, I don't think you'd do much better than a dog. Their hearing and smelling senses are just about unmatched, they can be an offensive asset if needs be, be trained for a multitude of functions (i.e. fetching your downed waterfowl), and make for a faithful companion that won't sell you out.
 
The problem with such alarms is that they give away your position. I can sometimes hear dogs barking a mile away.

Also, I know from personal experience, that dogs bark at any and everything. My neighbors dog barks when I open my front door, when I come home, step out on my porch. You may say "well that's good", but not if the dogs is 200 yards away through a forest and can't see me - no, that is a false positive and 99% of the time that dog barking is ignored.

Some dogs, especially properly trained dogs, might be useful to give warning, but in some situations I believe a dog would be a liability.
 
I have seen donkeys kick the crap out of yotes, and peacocks hit the trees and go nuts at any sign of danger and are extremely loud. One can also use donkeys to pull carts and carry gear, and both can be eaten if ya need to.
 
My aunt had a flock of Guinea Hens on her farm. They were unimaginably loud and very effective as an alarm system. They'd see a coyote (or any intruder including you every time you showed up to just see your aunt Haha) a long time before the dogs would and let you know.
More on that: http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/raising-guinea-fowl-zmaz92aszshe.aspx and here: <broken link removed>
"They are often used by farmers as a sort of security alarm system. Guineas frighten easily, and are always alert for intruders, whether predators or simply strangers."


The Tibetian use to use a 2 dog system. Outside they had super large and tough (but quiet) Tibetian Mastiffs roaming. They can be defeated with a handful of tasty treats though. So inside of the compound they had a couple of Lhaso Apsos. Loud little beasts that you can't buy off with steak or tasty morsels. Anything that could get through the outer perimeter would be outed by the barking of the Apsos. I didn't see this used when I was there so maybe feeding them was too difficult or more than likely the Chinese put an end to it as they were wiping out a good part of the population due to "thought crime". Next time you see one of those little obnoxious dogs being pampered by a Paris Hilton type, consider their main use was personal defense, which they excelled at cause they tend to dislike strangers.

more: Lhasa Apso - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
I think a lot depends on you location....

As of now, I live in a residential area, but I have a dog that is trained to only bark if something is at my door or entering my yard. After that, I have some secondary measures of protection in order.

We will be relocating this year to a piece of property and I intend to get another dog as well as some solar powered security and monitoring with a gate system and fence around our property.....
 
I will second peacocks and donkeys... Coyotes are quite ill prepared to deal with angry dog-hating donkeys, they are frequently used to guard sheep flocks:

Protect Your Flock with Guard Donkeys - Hobby Farms

I'll be honest, I think peacocks are absolutely annoying, when disturbed even slightly they make a lot of noise, will not shut up no matter what. However, they're native to india and probably won't work too well in the PNW.
 
^^^Dogs are also a source of protein, but don't forget simple mechanical alarms such as the CIA's rat trap, blank cartridge, fish line set-up. I have used that one a number of times successfully. Good luck with your research.
I agree with the mechanical angle too. Animals can be a PITA. Id be thinking tin cans and string type of stuff only a modern improved version.
 
I'll add in the idea of off grid sensors:

there are many manyOpen Source objects that can fill the need, that work with the relative new idea of single board computers. I am currently studying them, and own two flavors. Both work fanless, so totally silent, are capable of always on, with MicroWattage power use.

There are Blue Tooth, WiFi and a Third transceiver RF module concept.

Available Passive IR, Motion Sensing, Seismic Sensing, Weight sensing, and capacitive touch sensing modules... all Open Source. From "sense" they then transmit, and can go silent again. Adjustable, per needs.

Operating Systems include their own flavors of Linux (Angstrom is popular) as well as Android 4.0

you can start by studying "Arduino" or BeagleBoneBlack, which is a Texas Instrument product. the BBB was my first unit, an American style Arduino, first made in Italy, the Great Briton.

These are awesome computers, and will interact with MS WIN XP through 7, for sure, as Well as MAC OS X. And of course Linux, if your there already. Then they can stand on their own, with many types of Monitors available.

On board is Power Supply Regulator, Micro SD card, USB 2.0, EEPROM bootloader, and HDMI video output.

Beyond the modules above, there are literally Thousands of Creative Commons code lines, called "sketches" in this family of computers.

My current studies in them is about three days on, a day off, so that I do not over do the study.

I have built several power supplies for mine. Most all run and do fine between 12 - 18 VDC input... I have successfully built 12 to 5 volt, with good regulation of power: there are Micro Size Units, that work off 3.3 & even 1.8 VDC, which can be left in the field as transmitters... line of sight up to 500 feet, depending upon the usual variables of walls, trees, etc.

go to http://sparkfun.com
or Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits to start off... or even Radio Shack, which has Starter kits, but Do Not expect their clerks to understand anything of them.

both websites I mentioned have super helpful forums to take you from Zero to High Tech as needed.

HTH,

philip

(I am also studying Battery Technology, specifically LI-ION & Li-Po for long term power of these critters.
 
I will second peacocks and donkeys... Coyotes are quite ill prepared to deal with angry dog-hating donkeys, they are frequently used to guard sheep flocks:

Protect Your Flock with Guard Donkeys - Hobby Farms

I'll be honest, I think peacocks are absolutely annoying, when disturbed even slightly they make a lot of noise, will not shut up no matter what. However, they're native to india and probably won't work too well in the PNW.

My grandpa had a pair of donkeys as pets and let them graze with his dairy cows. The jack gleefully stomped a couple of coyotes into protoplasm. They were stalking the spring calfs, bad idea!
Ditto on Peacocks being annoying, can't stand the screaming sOb's! Grandads neighbor had a couple that soon became a flock. They seemed to do great. They lived just about three miles south of Canby OR.
 

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