# PA System

The PA System destination type is used to announce reports over external speakers and PBX announcement systems. A remote switch may be wired to the Catalyst so that personnel throughout the broadcast zone can acknowledge alarms.

The information below will detail how the phone number is used, as well as other operational details specific to the PA System destination type.

The primary difference between PA System destinations and standard telephone destinations is that PA System destination alarm reports are intended primarily to provide important operations and safety information for local personnel only. Therefore, PA System alarm reports are substantially more succinct than reports to telephone destinations.

PA alarm reports eliminate greetings, prompts for mode changes and good-bye messages. In addition, there will only be a single report recitation from this type of destination. At completion of the annunciation, there is a single “warble” prompt, followed by a 10-second delay during which the report may be acknowledged. See Acknowledgment Switch section below.

When configuring a PA System destination, entering a phone number into the phone number field of the destination dialog box is optional. When a PA System destination is configured with a destination phone number it is assumed that alarm annunciations will be made through a private phone system such as a PBX or PABX.

When a PA System destination is configured without a destination phone number it is assumed that the user wants alarm annunciations to be “broadcast” over an in-plant audio (PA) system. This mode of operation requires neither a telephone line interface nor the dialing of any phone number digits. Direct connection can be made between the Catalyst’s line level audio output and the in-plant audio systems.

There is no problem inter-mixing the PA System destination type with other destination types. By properly configuring the Catalyst’s Destination – Channel Grouping, concise messages may be directed to PA destinations only, while standard voice reports may be directed to telephone destinations. Intermixed PA and non-PA System destinations will function just fine regardless of whether the Catalyst is connected to dedicated phone lines or to PBX phone systems. Furthermore, use of the direct connection from the Catalyst audio output for PA system announcements does not preclude the use of the phone line for all other destination types.

See Also

Audio Connection

Multi-use Catalyst Relay Driver

Remote Acknowledgement Switch