Getting Started

An RFID monitoring station consists of a reader, an antenna plus a power supply. Our single and multiple antenna readers include an embedded controller that timestamps tag detections and continuously monitors the system.

The single antenna reader will drive one antenna. The multiple antenna reader has a switching circuit that allows up to four antennas, scanning one at a time. This slows the scan rate per antenna down by one half to one quarter. It is important to make sure the scan rate is sufficient to detect tags passing by at the velocity of your system. The Installation Guide has an explanation showing how to do that calculation.

You will need to design the antennas for your particular situation. Oregon RFID provides assistance to help you select the correct wire size and can offer construction suggestions. Email a photo or drawing of your location with antenna locations and dimensions indicated. Contact us at support@oregonrfid.com or by phone at (866) 484-3174.

Two tools are needed to design antennas. An inductance meter measures the loop's L value so that tuning capacitors can be adjusted to match. A tuning indicator is used to precisely tune an antenna to the resonant frequency. It is an easy to use tool with 3 lights to indicate the tuning is low, high and OK.

Power for the system can be provided by deep cycle marine batteries and swapping them every few days. Batteries can be connected in parallel to increase capacity and run for a longer time.

The reader is configured using a waterproof PDA or any Windows/Mac/Linux computer with a serial port or USB to serial adapter.

More detailed information is available in our Installation Guide.