Golf Course - How To Cover Remote Areas?

JH
John Honovich
Dec 02, 2015
IPVM

Member is looking to provide video surveillance to remote areas of golf course, i.e., on the greens relatively far away from buildings.

Anyone with experience here? Trenching? Wireless? Add Poles for cameras? Thanks.

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keith maxwell
Dec 02, 2015
Northeast Remote Surveillance and alarm, LLC

Where? I have done some golf course and other remote utility company work. You need line of sight, power or (solar) and poles, along with some creativity. I find most golf courses are not willing to make the investment to do it right.

A site survey is a must. Fortunately we are booked till spring.

(1)
U
Undisclosed #1
Dec 02, 2015

This is basically what got Sun Surveillance started, a remote camera on a golf course.

Solar panels, battery, low-power cam, Ubiquiti or similar wireless. The nice thing is they usually don't need video at night (unless there is a severe vandalism problem), so you can get by with a smaller solar panel and battery rig.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Dec 02, 2015
Well Every Golf course that has summoned my presence was dealing with after hours issues. ATV's, Parties etc.. Extreme low light Sensativity is the key. I have only had one with fairway flow control concerns. Being John specifically mention the Greens I would assume they are dealing with vandalism after hours.
AT
Andrew Thomas
Dec 02, 2015

From the Club House and/or the turn you can normally see much of any given course. These are obvious places to install thermal cameras (motion) and trigger solar light packs on poles via 900mhz mesh... The sprinklers are an obvious deterrent too.. That would be fun.

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keith maxwell
Dec 02, 2015
Northeast Remote Surveillance and alarm, LLC
From my experience problems on the Greens happen after hours. ATV's under age parties etc.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Dec 02, 2015

I have assisted on a few similar projects. One, 4g modems were installed at the remote locations. The cameras recorded to SD cards, and the 4g was for remote monitoring and video playback. The issue we had here was the modems kept reverting back to 3g, and the video was then slow. Once we go the modem firmware upgraded and set correctly to stay in 4g mode, that worked great.

Another location, they were able to get ISP cable drops to various out buildings, and the cameras were recording locally to small NVRs, and then viewed by a CMS at the main location. This worked great, as long as the ISP is providing the correct upstream bandwidth, and you have access to the modem/router firewall/port forwarding.

In these locations, power was available at the out buildings. They were recording on motion/analytics.

Dome cameras were installed on buildings and roadways or bullet cameras as needed.

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keith maxwell
Dec 02, 2015
Northeast Remote Surveillance and alarm, LLC
If its Lehigh Country Club it better be a few more dollars than free.
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Claudio Almeida
Dec 02, 2015

"I find most golf courses are not willing to make the investment to do it right."

Totally agree. But there is nothing cheaper and more efficient than a physical connection, when possible.

And I think that's the case, as it's the greens in almost everywhere, it would be easy to bury fiber optics cables in the ground. Grass is easy and cheap to repair and fiber optics are cheaper than radio links.

Regarding the cameras, I suggest some speed domes working together fixed cameras.

For power supply, I would go with solar panels.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Dec 02, 2015

Tell them to wait until solar powered drones are available!

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keith maxwell
Dec 02, 2015
Northeast Remote Surveillance and alarm, LLC
You are correct Claudio. The absence of technology is the most reliable system you could ever have in place.Good old copper. Properly protected will be here when the cock roaches take over and we are all dead I'm not a fan of 4g unless it's the only option. I can swap ubiquity and maintain the network myself. I have no patience to be jerked around byt an ISP or other third party when a problem arises..
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Claudio Almeida
Dec 02, 2015

Thanks, Keith. But I'm not talking about copper, but fiber optics. I like copper too, but not for exposed areas and long distances.

I used to work for Siemens Building Technologies, where we had a very bad experience in using copper in a condo with several fixed cameras and 35 speed domes installed in a 7 miles perimeter.

Something always burned at every lightning storm, despite we were using surge protectors everywhere (video, power and RS-485 connections). When we changed to fiber, it stopped.

We found that lightnings, when are discharged to the ground, were sending high voltages through copper cables to devices, burning them.

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keith maxwell
Dec 02, 2015
Northeast Remote Surveillance and alarm, LLC
Fiber is great when the copper cability is eceeded. Fiber is more reliable than wireless. I have yet to meet a golf course who will pony up for fiber.
(1)
U
Undisclosed #6
Dec 02, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Fiber-to-the-hole. ;)

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Dec 02, 2015

Golf Courses and HOA's are much like Big Foot...one day someone is going to catch one.

AT
Andrew Thomas
Dec 02, 2015

Yup, too bad the camera was out of focus, but aren't they always when chasing the creature.

They roam our neghborhood

(4)
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keith maxwell
Dec 02, 2015
Northeast Remote Surveillance and alarm, LLC
@UD5Man I have Slated both but neither vertical market peaks my interest. They fall right into thrifty market along with xhurchs and non profits.
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Bob Kusche
Dec 03, 2015

Two solutions come to mind:

1) This sounds like a job for SD cards. The chances of anything happening is remote enough that I'd be OK with not having real time access to the video. That way you can skip a LOT of the trouble.

2) One word: DRONES!

DG
David Gaw
Dec 07, 2015

Sensera Systems offers a line of solar/wireless cellular cameras that are a good fit for this application (already being used for golf course applications).

Our complete camera including integrated solar power are $3600. Cloud Service plans (inclusive of cellular) vary by plan.

David.

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keith maxwell
Dec 07, 2015
Northeast Remote Surveillance and alarm, LLC
That's one complete setup dealer cost or msrp?
DG
David Gaw
Dec 07, 2015

That is MSRP.

You can contact me about other questions

david@senserasystems.com

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