Installation Manual

ParSec
Reader
Installation Manual - Issue:3 - December 1998 - Page 5
2.2. Siting the reader
The physical location chosen to site each reader will depend principally upon
(1) The area of coverage required for Static Asset Tags (PS-SAT1-1’s).
(2) The exit/entry points to be protected or monitored with Portable Asset Tags
(PS-PAT1-1’s) and Personnel Tags (PS-PET1-1’s).
For 'portal monitoring' with PS-PAT1-1’s and PS-PET1-1’s, the reader should be sited in line
with the centre of the doorway and midway between the top of the door and the ceiling. (This
is not critical and, in some cases, it may be appropriate to site the reader in a higher position
to deter vandalism.)
Where the system is used solely for monitoring unauthorised movement of items protected by
PS-SAT1-1’s, the reader should be mounted 0.5m below the ceiling and in the centre of a
convenient wall in the location, to optimise the polar pattern of the receiving antenna.
Up to nine of the RS232 type readers can be chained to provide extended coverage of a wide
or irregularly shaped area. (For details of reader addressing, see section 4.3.)
Notes
"DIFFICULT" LOCATIONS
(1) The reader antenna has reduced sensitivity to tags from the rear. Where
REAR
DETECTION
is a problem, a new type of uni-directional antenna is being
developed. Contact your supplier or Newmark for more information.
(2) The presence of steel girders, metal filing cabinets/office furniture, false
ceiling supports and aluminium backed plasterboard in the building structure
will cause reflections and will cause blind areas and hot spots. If this occurs, it
will be necessary to move the reader to an alternative location, which may be
as little as 10 cm away in some cases. Installation survey equipment will be
available from Newmark in due course. Radio signals can often travel down
corridors, lift shafts and may even go round corners. Always try and test the
reader temporarily in the intended location first to check that it will work
properly in that location.
(3) Peoples bodies absorb the tag transmissions and it is always good practice to
mount the reader as high as possible or even facing downwards from the
ceiling so that bodies do not shield the reader. In some cases it may be
necessary to mount more than 1 reader to provide adequate coverage.
(4) The readers are not weather-resistant and so must only be mounted outside in
an all plastic suitably rated enclosure.