How to Set Up a Perimeter Alarm

An outdoor perimeter alarm system is your trusted protector, notifying you when the bad guys arrive even while you sleep. Whether you set it up for your home, a camp site or your bug out location, this type of alarm is absolutely essential for your survival, and could, quite possibly, save your life one day.

As well as alarming you to the presence of someone or something, your outdoor perimeter alarm can even scare off attackers or temporarily confuse them. This will give you enough time to get on your two way radio and organize your forces to fend off an attack or pursue and capture the wild animal or the attacker that triggered the alarm.

The Concept Behind Your Outdoor Perimeter Alarm System?

The idea here is to set up a perimeter and protect it against assailants. In crisis and survival situations, this action can undoubtedly save your life, since a properly chosen and well guarded perimeter will assist in preventing looters from stealing your vital supplies or, gangs from attacking you and your family.

Once you’ve chosen your perimeter, you have to protect it. However, it’s very difficult to have someone always stationed at every key area and be completely aware at all times – especially if your party is only comprised of two or three people. In such an event, an outdoor perimeter alarm system can really come in handy.

The Supplies You Will Need for a Cheap and Effective Alarm

basic tripwire alarmA basic tripwire alarm is all you’ll need. For this type of alarm you will need a wire and a siren of some sort that will be triggered with the help of the wire. You can choose, for example, a thin cable or a fishing wire and a personal key chain alarm or a so-called “alarm mine” comprised of either a sound grenade or a sentry alarm – which can be ordered conveniently online, and which is designed to mimic the construction of a military Claymore mine in paintball battle simulations.

The key chain alarm is an even cheaper alternative, usually costing less than $10 and providing you with a simple nail-based mechanism that can easily be integrated into a basic tripwire alarm trap.

Setting Up Your Alarm System

Before setting up your outdoor perimeter alarm system, you have to set up your perimeter. In order to do this, remember the OCOKA military procedure, which for those who don’t know stands for;

  • Observation and fields of fire,
  • Cover and concealment,
  • Obstacles,
  • Key terrain and
  • Approach avenues.

The idea is to secure a perimeter that will keep you hidden, set natural or artificial obstacles in your intruders’ paths, provide you with a good position for observation and give you the best chance to defend your position.

Usually multiple alarms have to be set up at the various approach avenues. This means you have to set up the tripwires along the main path that leads to your home or camp, at the gate or in areas around your camp site that can be more easily accessed through a nearby clearing.

Simply attach one side of the wire to the trigger mechanism of your alarm mine or key chain alarm, secure and conceal the alarm so it won’t be spotted, and tie the other part of the wire to a tree or post. When an intruder walks along the path toward your hideout or home, they will trip over the wire, triggering the outdoor perimeter alarm system, and giving you the heads up you need in order to take immediate action.