their bib number, 2) an antenna which enables the connection with the RFID reader. Tags are made up of two components: 1) an RFID chip which is programmed with information about the carrier of the tag, e.g. RFID tags are worn or carried by participants and are used to identify each one uniquely at timing points. You can build a system capable of timing even the largest of races with just a few thousand dollars - or less, if you shop around for second-hand components. Here's what you will need: RFID tags Essential components of an RFID race timing systemīuilding your own RFID race timing system may seem daunting, but there really are only a few core pieces of equipment you’ll ever need. Part of the reason why is the low cost of wearable NFC tags (these tags use similar NFC chips to the one you’ll find in your contactless credit card), but also the in-built NFC functionality available in Android smartphones, which essentially can turn any Android phone into a NFC tag reader. NFC sits in the LF/HF part of the RFID spectrum and has been increasingly adopted for timing and runner identification in trail and ultra races. Two RFID tags by Smartrac: the very popular UHF DogBone Monza R6 for use on race bibs (left), and an NFC Circus tag that can be read by smartphones (right) NFC vs RFIDĪlthough technically a subset of RFID, NFC technology (short for Near Field Communication) deserves special mention among RFID technologies. UHF RFID systems use frequencies in the 860-960 MHz range and can be used to detect as many as 1,000+ tags per second as far as 10-15 meters from the reader, making them ideal for wide and busy finish lines where several tagged participants may be crossing in a short space of time. Ultra-high frequencies are the most widely adopted in race chip timing systems. However, this is still not enough for most race timing applications. HF has a longer range that its LF counterpart (typically up to a meter or so), can handle a higher read rate and be used to transmit larger data payloads. High frequency RFID uses frequencies in the MHz range. It’s widely used in industrial applications and pet IDs, where scanning rates are low and objects are scanned through contact or with the use of handheld RFID readers. LF RFID can only handle low read rates, making it unsuitable for most race timing setups. Low frequency RFID uses frequencies in the 125-134kHz range to identify tags in close proximity (usually less than 10 centimeters) to the tag reader. There are many different types of RFID frequencies and technologies in use commercially, and not all are suitable for race timing. And it has become affordable enough to bring it within reach of most every race out there. Today RFID timing is considered the golden standard for race timing and can be relied on to provide near-100% accurate results for even the largest races. But progress has been swift and RFID has come a very very long way. The very first RFID race timing systems were like any other new technology: very expensive and - let's face it - quite rubbish. It was during the 90s that RFID was first adapted for use in mass-participation sports. RFID technology was originally developed for industrial applications, where it was used to provide easy tracking of objects as they moved through warehouses and manufacturing plants.
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