Which communication format is supported by alarm panels and utilizes tones?

The correct answer is Contact ID, which is a widely used communication format for transmitting alarm signals from alarm panels to monitoring stations. This format uses a series of tones and signal breaks to convey information about alarm events. It allows for efficient communication of critical data, such as the type of alarm and its location, using minimal bandwidth.

Contact ID is specifically designed for alarm systems, making it reliable and effective for security monitoring. Its structured format includes a combination of tones that help monitoring centers quickly interpret and prioritize the alarms being reported.

Other formats mentioned, while related to data transmission or signaling, do not specifically cater to alarm signals in the same way as Contact ID does. For example, pulse code modulation converts analog signals to a digital format and is typically used in a broader range of digital communications. Binary code is a more fundamental encoding system that represents data in binary form but doesn’t directly support alarm communication with tones. Continuous wave modulation is a method used to send radio signals but is not aligned with alarm panel communication needs.

Thus, Contact ID stands out as the communication format that effectively meets the requirements of alarm systems by utilizing tones to convey information.