What can cause a reduction in read distance?
There are a number of factors that can influence the reading range of any RFID system. They include the influences of metal, the attenuation caused by the signals passing through different materials, environmental noise and interference. Metal Metal close to an antenna, or a large mass of metal (relative to the antenna size) passing an antenna, can alter the matching of the antenna’s characteristics to that of the reader. Re-tuning of the antenna in-situ normally reduces this problem. Signal Attenuation As the frequency of a tagging system rises, the ability of the radio waves to penetrate different materials decreases. At Tag-it™’s frequency (13.56 MHz) this reduction is much less than at UHF and microwave frequencies. It is not an issue at the LF (134.2 kHz) frequency. Environmental If there is environmental electrical noise (RFI) in the location of the Antenna system, some reduction in the read performance may result.
