SCRAM House Arrest

A SCRAM Base Station range test is performed at the SCRAM House Arrest^® client’s home with the supervising authority present. This check ensures that the range is at the appropriate setting and any “dead” areas are identified and the client is aware of those areas.

What you will need:

• Assigned SCRAM House Arrest Bracelet
• SCRAM Base station

Procedure

1. 1. Preliminary Steps.
      Important Note: Prior to performing the range test, the following MUST be accomplished:
      • The equipment must be assigned to the client.
      • AC power must be applied to the base station.
      • The base station must be able to communicate to SCRAMNET^®.
        Once the equipment has been assigned to the client, the following must be completed in SCRAMNET prior to performing the range test in the client’s home.
      1. Set the RF Range in the House Arrest section of the client’s Client Monitoring page. Determine the proper range using the table below.
         

         Distance	Open Field Range	Rule of Thumb for House Size
         Minimum	35 ft.	Small one bedroom apartment on one floor
         Average	75 ft.	Two bedroom townhouse on two floors
         Maximum	150 ft.	3,000 sq. ft. ranch or two floors plus a basement

         Open Field Range – The range measured outdoors in an unobstructed level field, i.e., no buildings, cars, trees, or people. This is the optimum RF environment.
         Rule of Thumb – The house sizes listed above are just a rule of thumb. Radio Frequency (RF) behaves very differently from house to house. To know what the range setting should be for a specific home, a range check is required.

      2. Click the Initiate Range Test link on the client’s Equipment page.
         A Range Test has been initiated – Pending Base Station update message appears.
   2. Plug in the Base Station at the Client’s Home.
      Place the base station in a central location in the home…at least three feet off the ground on a wood surface. A counter top is ideal. Plug in AC power and connect to the communication method that has been established for the client in SCRAMNET.
      Note: Avoid placing the base station near mirrors, windows, glass surfaces, or large metal objects such as kitchen appliances.
      When the base station is plugged in, the following occurs:
      • The base station communicates with  SCRAMNET. 
        • If the communication method does NOT match what has been enter in the system, a “Base Station Called From Wrong Number” message will appear in the client’s event log and the range test cannot be performed.
        • If the communications method is verified, the Base station’s LCD screen will display:
          • Line 1 –PRESS BUTTON TO
          • Line 2 – BEGIN RANGE CHECK

Note: The base station display will return to DATE/TIME MONITORING if the base station button is not pressed within 10 minutes. If the base station was plugged in prior to clicking the Initiate Range Test link, unplug then re-plug in the base station so it receives the range test command from SCRAMNET.

2. Perform Range Test.
   To perform the range test:
   1. Press the button on the Base Station.
      At this time:
      Base station display:
      • Line 1 – RANGE CHECK
      • Line 2 – PLEASE WAIT

      The red ring around the button blinks.
      The base station and bracelet establish communication.
      Note: Establishing communication may take up to five minutes.
      After approximately one minute:
      Base station display:

      • Line 1 – RANGE CHECK
      • Line 2 – IN PROGRESS

      The 3-minute range test begins.
      The base station beeps and the red ring around the button blinks once a second. While the officer/installer monitors the base station, the client:

      • Walks to the corners of all rooms, orienting their leg so the bracelet is pointing away from the base station.
      • Walks near the refrigerator, furnace, and hot water tank.
      • If applicable, walks throughout each floor.
      • If a shower is inside a bath tub, steps inside it.

      If a single beep and the blinking red ring stop during the range test, perform one of the following then re-run the range test:

      • Increase the RF Range setting in SCRAMNET.
      • Change where the base station is located in the home.
      • Designate those locations in the home as “dead” areas and instruct the client NOT to go there while wearing the bracelet.

      After three minutes:
      Base station display:

      • Line 1 – DATE/TIME
      • Line 2 – MONITORING

      The red ring around the button stops blinking.
      The base station stops beeping.

   2. Make a note of any “dead” areas in the client’s Notes tab.