Dakota Alert - ONE MAT AND ONE M538-HT

by Dakota Alert

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13 x 8.2 x 8 inches ; 4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B001DO407Q
• Item model number: MURS-HT-KIT
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 8, 2004

Product Description

Dakota Alert - ONE MAT AND ONE M538-HT

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Expensive poorly engineered non-working gadget, August 22, 2006

By 

C. Williams "Walter" (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

My first experience with this MURS HT Kit inlcuded the transmitter and the radio combo for $200.00. When it arrived I placed fresh batteries in it, read all the poorly written instructions and set the unit up on its default settings. I immediately noted how poorly made both units were. They resemble dime-store toys -not $200.00 electronics. Even the transceiver MURS radio was just a cheap toy in a plastic housing. The transmitter unit is nothing more than a security light IR inside an oversized plastic box with a thin film of white plastic covering the exit port. It could have been have the size but they just put the whole standard unit inside it and used six AA batterys in a cheap plastic holder with to very thin and easily broken wires to power it. The setting are doen on the circuit board with athe IR face snapped off, by way of jumper pins and tiny switches...all about $2.00 worth of components. The antenna which is never shown in photos is a standard metal anteena on pushes onto a two peg post on the top of the outside of the box. The clip that holds the box closed fell off in my hand. I baited a small area 6 feet in front of the unit which I hung on two screws to the fence at ground level trying to get an alert from our opossum and our shunks. The transceiver was placed in my window plugged in as the NiCad batteries were still charging, at about 35 yards from the transmitter with its two foot antenna sticking straight up. At dusk, I waited for an alert and was chagrigned to say the least when I looked out with my ITT night vision to see a large gray fox standing 6 feet in front of the unit and no alert was sent. I checked the radio and all was proper. I had the unit set on high (80 feet advertised)and still no alert even when the big opossum came an ate all the foot walking around 5-6 feet infront of the unit. I brought it inside and waved my hand over it and still no alert. I reset the setting so the LED light would stay lit (why this is a setting is your guess is as good as mine??). I waved my hand over it again and it stayed lit but no alert was sent to the radio two feet away. This unit is pure quack dime-store toy garbage similar to other gimmicks designed to make quick and easy money at the unwary consumers expense. I advise no one to waste their time or money in its purchase.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I own the entire set..., November 8, 2008

By 

Imo Gene (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dakota Alert - ONE MAT AND ONE M538-HT (Electronics)

I own the entire set- the base station, two walkie-talkies, two motion sensors, and two of the driveway sensors. I've been using the setup for about six months without any problems, the units are great.

I used the driveway monitors, which are buried seismic sensors, to alert when vehicles near my gates. The motion sensors are placed inside the gates. The buried sensors are more accurate so they are placed on the perimeter. Once dialed in correctly, the motion sensors detect vehicles and humans with minimal false alarms. Most false alarms here on the motion detector are caused by wind blowing nearby bushes.

The range is fairly decent for my purposes, the farthest sensor is about a quarter mile, maybe a third, from the base station. The base station will pick up signals better than the hand unit, but both are adequate and are fine. I have clear line of sight without obstructions, and the antennas on each end are placed high (15' high for the gate sensor, 7' high for the indoor base station.)

I've yet to change the batteries in any unit after six months. At first I did have some issues with constant false motion sensor alarms which required strategic placement and settings inside the motion unit.

Other than that, this setup is exactly what I needed at a decent price. Five stars.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars dakota alert, July 4, 2010

By 

Matt D (il USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dakota Alert - ONE MAT AND ONE M538-HT (Electronics)

I have had this item for a month and it hasn't missed yet. If it goes off something is out there. Might be a deer, coyote, raccoon, car,
or person but no false alarms. Very pleased with unit and shipping time.