I need the collected data to be transferred to a smartphone or a GPS device, to be sent to a server. Is that possible?
—Name withheld
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This is a difficult question to answer precisely, because a reader alone does not determine read distance. The same passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) reader with the same settings might interrogate one tag at a distance of 10 meters (33 feet) and another at a distance of 1 meter (3.3 feet), depending on the tag's size. Generally speaking, 30 meters (98.4 feet) is near the upper limit for a generic UHF dipole tag. To achieve that read distance, you might require a tag with a larger than normal antenna, but there are readers that can transmit the data via a cellular network or GPS.
Convergence Systems Ltd.'s CS208-3G, for example, features 3G mobile connectivity and GPS functionality built into the unit, as well as GSM, GPRS, SMS, Ethernet, USB and serial port connectivity. If you are looking for something for outdoors (which I assume you are, since GPS only works outdoors), then the CS208-3G might be the right choice for your needs. The reader is designed for all types of weather, and the GPS unit in the device provides its location.
—Mark Roberti, Founder and Editor, RFID Journal
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