Agrident ASR650 Quick start guide

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Agrident GmbH, Steinklippenstr. 10, D-30890 Barsinghausen
Phone [phone] - Fax [phone]
ASR650
Stationary Long-Range Reader
V19/09/18

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ASR650 Operational Manual
© Copyright 2018 by Agrident GmbH
TB
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without prior written permission of Agrident GmbH.
Agrident GmbH reserves the right to make changes to any and all parts of this documentation
without obligation to notify any person or entity of such changes.
September 2018
Agrident GmbH
Steinklippenstr. 10
30890 Barsinghausen
Germany
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail]
www.agrident.com

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Content
1Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 Definition of terms.................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 How RFID works...................................................................................................................... 7
1.3 Supported transponder types.................................................................................................. 7
1.3.1 FDX-B.............................................................................................................................. 7
1.3.2 HDX................................................................................................................................. 7
2The Antenna ................................................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Important notes regarding reading performance..................................................................... 8
2.1.1 Antennas and metal......................................................................................................... 8
2.1.2 Antenna position regarding other electric equipment...................................................... 8
2.1.3 Installing the antenna ...................................................................................................... 9
2.1.4 Connecting the antenna to the reader board................................................................. 10
2.1.5 Field Distribution............................................................................................................ 10
2.1.6 Antenna requirements ................................................................................................... 14
2.1.7 Antenna and metal bars ................................................................................................ 15
3The Reader Electronics ................................................................................................................ 16
3.1 Specifications......................................................................................................................... 16
3.2 Installing and Connecting the ASR650.................................................................................. 17
3.2.1 ST2 –Connector for DC power supply and interface.................................................... 17
3.2.2 ST7 –Antenna Connector............................................................................................. 18
3.2.3 ST6 –Connector for external LED Board...................................................................... 18
3.2.4 ST3 –Connector for 4/8-channel antenna multiplexer.................................................. 19
3.3 Signalization .......................................................................................................................... 19
3.4 Power Supply Requirements................................................................................................. 20
3.5 The RS232 Interface ............................................................................................................. 21
3.6 The RS485 Interface ............................................................................................................. 22
4ASR650 Settings .......................................................................................................................... 23
4.1 Installing ASR-PC-Demo....................................................................................................... 24
4.2 Starting the ASR-PC-Demo................................................................................................... 24
4.3 The File Menu........................................................................................................................ 24
4.3.1 File................................................................................................................................. 24
4.3.2 Settings.......................................................................................................................... 25
4.3.2.1 Connection................................................................................................................. 25
4.3.2.2 Search Connection.................................................................................................... 26
4.3.2.3 Log File...................................................................................................................... 26
4.3.2.4 Device........................................................................................................................ 27
4.3.2.5 Sound ........................................................................................................................ 27
4.3.2.6 Config File.................................................................................................................. 27
4.3.3 Tools.............................................................................................................................. 28
4.3.3.1 Monitor....................................................................................................................... 28

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4.3.3.2 Animal Counter.......................................................................................................... 29
4.3.3.3 Auto Diagnosis........................................................................................................... 30
4.3.4 Help ............................................................................................................................... 32
4.4 The Main-Window of the PC-Demo Software ....................................................................... 32
4.4.1 Received Tag................................................................................................................. 33
4.4.2 Settings.......................................................................................................................... 33
4.4.3 Connection..................................................................................................................... 34
4.4.4 The ‘Info’ area................................................................................................................ 34
4.5 Taglist.................................................................................................................................... 35
4.6 General Settings.................................................................................................................... 36
4.6.1 Serial Number and Firmware Version ........................................................................... 36
4.6.2 Transponder Types ....................................................................................................... 36
4.6.3 Operating Modes........................................................................................................... 37
4.6.4 Device Address.............................................................................................................. 40
4.6.5 Timing............................................................................................................................ 40
4.6.6 Device Check................................................................................................................. 41
4.6.7 Baud Rate...................................................................................................................... 41
4.6.8 Processing Priority......................................................................................................... 42
4.6.9 Zero Tag Output ............................................................................................................ 42
4.7 Tuning.................................................................................................................................... 43
4.7.1 Power-On Tuning........................................................................................................... 43
4.7.2 Background Tuning ....................................................................................................... 43
4.7.3 Tuning Data................................................................................................................... 44
4.7.4 Tuning Graph................................................................................................................. 44
4.7.5 Start Tuning................................................................................................................... 46
4.8 TX/RX.................................................................................................................................... 48
4.8.1 RF-Activation................................................................................................................. 48
4.8.2 RF Power....................................................................................................................... 49
4.8.3 Receiver sensitivity........................................................................................................ 49
4.9 Output Format........................................................................................................................ 50
4.9.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................... 50
4.9.2 Changing the output format........................................................................................... 50
4.9.3 Output Formats description ........................................................................................... 51
4.9.3.1 Custom Format.......................................................................................................... 51
4.9.3.2 ISO 24631.................................................................................................................. 54
4.9.3.3 NLIS........................................................................................................................... 54
4.9.3.4 Short ASCII 15........................................................................................................... 55
4.9.3.5 Short ASCII 16........................................................................................................... 55
4.9.3.6 ASCII + SCP.............................................................................................................. 55
4.10 Synchronization..................................................................................................................... 56
4.10.1 Sync. Mode.................................................................................................................... 57

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4.10.1.1 No Sync. Mode ...................................................................................................... 57
4.10.1.2 Wireless Sync. Mode............................................................................................. 58
4.10.1.3 Wired Sync. Mode ................................................................................................. 58
4.10.1.4 Wired Sync. Slave only.......................................................................................... 58
4.10.1.5 Wired Sync. Triggered........................................................................................... 58
4.10.2 Wireless Sync. Level ..................................................................................................... 59
4.11 Module................................................................................................................................... 62
4.12 Bluetooth................................................................................................................................ 62
4.13 WLAN .................................................................................................................................... 63
4.14 LAN........................................................................................................................................ 63
4.15 Mux........................................................................................................................................ 64
5Safety and care............................................................................................................................. 65
6Warranty ....................................................................................................................................... 65
7CE MARKING............................................................................................................................... 66
8FCC and IC digital device limitations............................................................................................ 66
9Trouble shooting........................................................................................................................... 67

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1 Introduction
This manual is primarily written for OEM customers, distributors and
advanced users. It is not intended to be a document for end customers
since there are lots of details explained which are much too technical for
most end users.
Please read this manual carefully before using this product for the first time.
It will help you to get the best possible system performance and to use all
capabilities of the reader.
The equipment has to be installed by qualified personal only.
1.1 Definition of terms
Explanation of terms and abbreviations used in this manual
RF: Radio Frequency (in this case the long-wave band)
RFID: Radio Frequency IDentification - A method of transmitting data contactless
between a reader and transponders.
Reader: A device which is able to communicate with transponders using an internal or
external antenna. The reader generates a high frequency field in order to get
the data of a transponder. The received data are transmitted to an external
controller (e.g. PC) via an interface.
Transponder: Data carrier for RFID applications, available in various models and types.
Raw data: Complete data content of a transponder - that means ID and additional
information (for example header or trailer).
ID: Identification number of a transponder.
ISO 11784/85: International standard concerning the use of RFID technology for the
identification of animals; it defines the transponder types to be supported and
the ID notation.
FDX: Transponder type, which transmits its data while the RF field is activated (full
duplex) using AM (Amplitude Modulation).
FDX-B: FDX transponder with 128 bits of raw data, ID notation in compliance with ISO
11784/85.
HDX: Transponder type, which transmits its data after RF field switches off (half
duplex) using FSK (Frequency Shift Keying); 104 bits of raw data, ID notation
in compliance with ISO 11784/85.

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1.2 How RFID works
The items (here animals) to be identified are equipped with passive transponders, which contain
an identification code. For energizing the transponders and for reading out the ID code, an RFID
reader plus antenna is required.
The reader generates a high frequency field using an antenna. This high frequency field activates
each transponder, which is inside the reading range. The high frequency field is used for supplying
the transponder with energy and for transmitting the transponder data to the reader.
After receiving the complete transponder content, the reader decodes the ID and builds an ID
message. This message is sent to an external controller for further processing.
The reading range depends on the output power, the antenna and the environment.
The following things may influence the reading range:
Mounting antenna on metal or close to metal
Antenna mistuned
Electrical interference
The ASR Demo-Software includes tools for checking the tuning state of the antenna and the
environmental noise.
1.3 Supported transponder types
The ISO 11784/11785 supports two types of transponders: FDX-B and HDX. Both work
completely different regarding the transmission of the ID code (‘Modulation’). In both cases the
transponder is energized while the RF-field is activated.
1.3.1 FDX-B
The transponder transmits its ID content while the RF-field is activated using Amplitude
Modulation (AM). The envelope of the carrier represents the transponder data.
1.3.2 HDX
An HDX transponder transmits the information after the RF-field is switched off using Frequency
Shift Keying (FSK). The higher frequency (134.2 KHz) represents a binary 0 and the lower
frequency (124.2 KHz) the binary 1. The amplitude does not contain any information.

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2 The Antenna
Agrident provides a range of different antenna options for the ASR650.
The antenna is one of the most important parts of an RFID system. It supplies the transponder
with energy and receives the data transmitted from the transponder. There are several electrical
parameters which are important in order to guarantee the best possible reading performance.
Please contact your local Agrident distributor regarding help for choosing the
optimal antenna for your application. Selecting a wrong antenna size might
decrease your systems performance unnecessarily. Please note that larger
antennas do not always provide the best reading performance. A rule of
thumb is: Choose the antenna as large as necessary but as small as possible!
Third Party Antennas
Agrident will not take responsibility for the correct function of the reader in
case of using third party antennas. If the reader gets damaged because of
connecting wrong antennas to it, the warranty becomes null and void!
2.1 Important notes regarding reading performance
In order to achieve the best possible performance with your ASR650, please consider the
following rules carefully.
2.1.1 Antennas and metal
Installing the antenna on metal objects or close to them can decrease the reading performance
seriously. The integrated Autotuning function of the reader is able to compensate parts of the
negative influence of the metal. Metal normally decreases the antenna inductance. This can be
adjusted by the reader by adding more capacitance to the antenna circuit. However, the losses
in the metal cannot be compensated and reduce the reading range even if the antenna is tuned
correctly.
So, it should be avoided to mount the antenna onto a solid metal plate or too close to a ‘short
circuit ring’. The ‘Tuning’tab in the ASR-PC-Demo Software can also provide useful information
for checking the influence of metal on the system.
2.1.2 Antenna position regarding other electric equipment
The antenna - as a fundamental part of the complete RFID system - also receives the trans-
ponder signals. These signals are very small since the transponders transmit passively. Although
lots of other electric and electronic devices are not supposed to be radio devices, i.e. to transmit
any signals over the air, they do that nonetheless. If these signals (or their harmonics) are within
the frequency range of the RFID system, the reading performance may suffer.
In order to avoid a poor reading performance, the antenna should not be mounted too close to
other electric or electronic devices, especially:
switch mode power supplies
frequency inverters
motors
CRT monitors
energy saving lamps
computers
any other cables than the antenna cable (like mains, motor and interface cables)
other LF-RFID systems within 50 meters, which are not synchronized

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2.1.3 Installing the antenna
The following drawing shows the APA203 panel antenna.
For fastening the antenna on site, use flat head screws with a thread diameter not larger than 5
mm and suitable washers. Do not use countersunk screws for this purpose as this could lead to
a damage of the plastic frame.
Please avoid exposing the antenna to direct sunlight permanently. Installing
the antenna in an area sheltered from ultraviolet light will extend its
durability.
Please ensure that the antenna and the antenna cable do not interfere with
movements of animals or persons close to the system. The antenna cable
should be fastened with cable ties or it should be inside protective pipes.
Please consider mechanically moving parts (like gates) very carefully. Do
not fix cables where they can be stretched or damaged by animals.

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2.1.4 Connecting the antenna to the reader board
The antenna has to be connected to ST7 of the reader board. The following table shows the
correct wiring of the antenna for each type of antenna cable.
Pin Number
Function
Twinax Cable (black)
Chainflex cable (purple)
1
Antenna 1
silver
white
2
Antenna 2
copper
brown
3
Antenna Shield
black
black
Agrident is only using these two types of antenna cable. If you are using third party antennas, the
colors of the antenna cable wires might vary.
Agrident highly recommends to use low capacitance antenna cable (twisted),
like TWINAX AWG 2x20 (IBM Nr. 7632211) or IGUS Chainflex
CFBUS.LB.021 (very flexible, also at low temperatures but more expensive).
2.1.5 Field Distribution
1. Single Antenna
The left picture shows the field distribution and lines of flux for a single antenna. This leads to
optimum and worst reading orientations. Generally speaking, the transponder coil should be in
90 degrees to the field lines in order to achieve the best reading range.
In case of a single antenna, an ear tag has to be parallel (1) to the middle of the antenna panel
for the maximum read range –a glass tag / bolus perpendicular. If the ear tag is rotated by 90
degrees off the optimum orientation (2), it cannot be read in the same position. But it can be read
at the sides of the antenna in this orientation (3) at about 60-70 percent of the reading range from
case (1).
(3)
(3)
(1)
Back
Front
(2)
ASR650 –ST7
Ant1
Ant2
GND
Antenna

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It is important to prevent animals / tags from entering the back zone of the antenna. Animal ISO
11784/11785 does not support Anti-Collision like used in HF- or UHF readers. That means, if two
or more transponders of the same type –either FDX-B or HDX –are in the antenna field at the
same time, they cannot be read since they are transmitting at the same time. It is not possible to
direct the magnetic field into one direction only, so mechanical means may be required.
Shielding the antenna on one side is only possible within certain limits. Placing the antenna on a
metal plate directly will short-circuit the field into both directions. The antenna requires a certain
distance to the metal plate in order to avoid a complete loss of reading performance into the other
direction. The distance depends on the antenna size. For the APA206, for example, the antenna
should have at least 10 centimeter clearance from the metal plate. For larger antennas the
distance has to be higher.
This graph shows the field distribution of a single loop antenna close to magnetically conducting
material. You can see that the field is deformed compared to the case without metal.
It is important that the metal plate has at least twice the size of the antenna coil in order to allow
good shielding. The material of the plate can be stainless steel, for example.
Such a setup will prevent tags from being read behind the shielding metal plate. It is also
imaginable to take advantage of this fact for preventing antennas, which are close together, from
coupling, e.g. in multi-lane applications.

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2. Double Antenna
The ASR650 offers the possibility to connect two single panels to one reader. In order to make
this possible, you require a double antenna adapter (‘ASB200’). The panels are normally arranged
in parallel orientation and face each other in order to build one common field. Comparable to
magnets, the single fields of the antennas can attract or repel each other, depending on their
phasing.
Antennas in phase:
In this setup the antennas are “in phase”. This is also called parallel- or Helmholtz antenna. The
optimum tag orientation is similar to the one of the single antenna (transponder coil parallel to the
panels). The reading distance can be significantly increased compared to a single antenna. In
addition, it does not matter on which side of the animal the ear tag is attached since the tag is
close to any of both panels.
Please avoid very close distances between both antennas! Since the
coupling of the two coils can be too high in such a case, the reader might
not be able to tune the antenna correctly anymore. For two APA206
antennas in this setup, the panels should have a minimum distance of 50
centimeters.
Phasing
Phasing

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Antennas out of phase
In this setup the antennas are ‘out of phase’. This is also called anti-parallel- or Anti-Helmholtz
antenna. The optimum tag orientation is 90 degrees rotated compared to those of the single
antenna and ‘double antenna - in phase’setup.
As you can see in the left drawing, the direction of the field lines varies at different positions. This
makes the anti-parallel setup more suitable for applications with varying transponder orientations
than the other setups.
Nevertheless, this setup has disadvantages as well: There is a dead spot in the middle of the
gate. At this point the tag cannot be read in any orientation. How large this zone is, depends on
antenna size and distance. Please avoid mounting the antennas in positions, where the animals’
transponder stays in this dead spot. For pure walkthrough applications this fact does not really
matter because the tag should be read without stopping the animal (before and after this spot).
But for applications where animals should be read when they are stopped, e.g. in a scale, it should
be considered carefully.
Additionally, the field is pretty much ‘pushed’outside the gate –like for magnets with equal
polarity. This extends the reading zone in a way that transponders can be read quite far outside
the panels as well. That could lead to several transponders in the field at the same time and thus
to data collision –so the reading zone should be checked out doing comprehensive tests before
starting with live animals.
An advantage of the anti-parallel setup is the suppression of far-field interference. This can be an
interesting aspect if long-wave transmitters decrease the reading performance.
Phasing
Phasing

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2.1.6 Antenna requirements
Basically, the nominal antenna inductance is about 13µH and the capacitance approximately
105nF. When the inductance is lower, more capacitance is required and vice versa.
Based on the transmit power level which is selected, the ASR650 requires a minimum antenna
impedance. The antenna impedance (parallel impedance) correlates with the Q-factor of the
antenna. The lower the Q, the lower the antenna impedance.
Power Level
1
2
3
4
5
6
Power in %
1
30
50
70
90
100
No Antenna
1400
1400
1400
1400
1400
1400
High Imp. [Ω]
1200
1200
1200
1200
1200
1200
Low Imp. [Ω]
0
200
200
250
500
750
Short circuit
0
200
200
200
200
200
The line ‘Low Imp. [Ω]’ shows the minimum antenna impedance required for operating the
ASR650 within the according power level. At full transmit power, the minimum impedance is
750Ω. When the antenna impedance is lower, the reader will disable the transmitter in order to
protect some components from damage due to overheating.
A low antenna impedance results from a low antenna Q. In case of using Agrident antennas, the
values for the impedances are high enough. But when the antenna is too close to metal, the
impedance decreases as well. In this case please check your installation and try to mount the
antenna at a different position. It might also be required, to remove some metal parts. If this is not
possible, the power level has to be reduced until the impedance is sufficient. But the lower the
power level, the lower the read range.
The status ‘High Impedance’ and also ‘No Antenna’ do not result in the switch-off of the
transmitter. They are just shown for informational purposes when requesting the antenna status.
If the impedance is too high, it could be possible that the transponder reception does not work
any longer because the bandwidth of the antenna is too narrow then.
The transmitter power level can be changed in the tab ‘TX/RX’ in ASR-PC-Demo. Please see
chapter 4.8.2 for details.

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2.1.7 Antenna and metal bars
Generally, it is the best if there is no metal close to the antennas used in LF-RFID systems. If metal
cannot be avoided, there are certain rules to consider. This document shows some examples for placing
the antenna on steel bars, which is probably a quite common scenario. The location of the antenna is
important and the different setups result in different performances of the system.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(1)
This is the best possible installation when steel bars are present. The horizontal parts of the
antenna coil are well away from the metal as well as the vertical parts. The vertical parts cross
the horizontal bars only at small sections so that losses are reduced to an acceptable minimum.
(2)
In this setup the antenna was shifted upwards so that the lower horizontal part of the coil is
directly at the position of a metal bar. This setup is worse compared to (1) and it will introduce
higher losses that will result in lower reading performance.
(3)
The installation shown here will introduce even more losses because now the upper and lower
horizontal parts of the coil have the same position as the steel bars.
(4)
(5)
(4)
Here the horizontal parts of the coil are okay again but the vertical parts are too close to the
vertical steel bars. This setup will also lead to a poor reading performance.
(5)
This is the worst possible setup. The coil is ‘touching’ the bars completely.
It is highly recommended first to provisionally fix the antenna and to check
the antenna parameters using ASR-PC-Demo. This can be done using
cable ties, for example. After confirming that the antenna values are good
enough for allowing the optimal system performance, the antenna should
be fixed permanently. Please also refer to chapter 4.7 for details.

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3 The Reader Electronics
ESD precautions must be taken while touching the reader board after it has
been removed from its antistatic bag. Ignoring this warning will lead to the
loss of warranty.
The ASR650 is a stationary reader designed for reading both ISO relevant transponder
technologies: FDX-B and HDX. It is operating on 134.2kHz and can read passive tags as defined
in ISO11784/11785 at a very good reading range. Combined with one of our antennas, the
ASR650 provides a flexible and universal RFID system.
The reader board consists of the power supply, the transmitter (including patented Autotuning
function), two separate receivers (for FDX-B and for HDX), a microcontroller, two communication
interfaces (RS232 and RS485) and an interface for connecting a four- or eight channel antenna
multiplexer. The ASR650 additionally offers an interface for add-on modules like Bluetooth,
WLAN, Ethernet or the two-channel antenna multiplexer. The optional wired Synchronization
module can be attached to another connection strip.
3.1 Specifications
Item
Specification
Power Supply
12V (3A) DC to 24V (1.5A) DC (+/- 5%)
Operating Frequency
134.2kHz
Reading Range
HDX: up to 70cm FDX-B: up to 65cm with antenna APA203
Reading Rate
HDX: up to 14 reads per second FDX-B: up to 18 reads per second
Antenna Tuning
Patented Autotuning (USP 6, 070, 803 and EP 0 625 832 B1)
Interfaces
RS232 and RS485 (8N1, configurable from 9600 Baud to 115200 Baud)
Optional:
Bluetooth Class 1 (Master capable) or
Ethernet
Indicators
Onboard LEDs:
Yellow: Power
Green: Tag Read
Red: Malfunction (antenna tuning or low input voltage)
Optional: External LED board with buzzer
Synchronization
Wireless Synchronization for HDX only
Wired Synchronization optional
Antenna values
Inductance = 13µH, Capacitance = 105nF, >750Ωimpedance at full
transmit power (can be less when transmitter power is lower), see chapter
2.1.6.
Temperature
Operating Temperature: 0-60°C Storing Temperature: -20-70°C
Dimensions
L x W x H: 160 x 100 x 30mm

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3.2 Installing and Connecting the ASR650
The following picture shows the ASR650 circuit board:
Connector
Function
ST1
Socket for Add-On Module (Bluetooth, Ethernet or 2-channel MUX)
ST2
Connector for DC power supply and RS232 / RS485 interface
ST3
Connector for 4-channel or 8-channel MUX
ST4
Socket for Wired Sync. Module
ST6
Connector for external LED board (RJ45)
ST7
Antenna connector
Since the Add-On Modules do only fit in one direction, the pin assignments do not need to be
explained in detail.
The ASR650 uses the ‘Phoenix Combicon’series for the antenna-, power supply- and interface
connectors. The reader board comes with the corresponding mating plugs which have screw
terminals for connecting all the cables. The wiring has to be done as follows:
3.2.1 ST2 –Connector for DC power supply and interface
Pin Number
Function
1
V+ (12.0 …24V DC), 36W
2
V-
3
RS232 TxD
4
RS232 RxD
5
GND (is not the same as V- !)
6
RS485-A
7
RS485-B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 2 3
ST1
ST7
ST2
ST6
ST4
1 8
ST3
1 5
SERVICE
READ
POWER

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3.2.2 ST7 –Antenna Connector
Pin Number
Function
1
Antenna 1
2
Antenna 2
3
Antenna Shield
3.2.3 ST6 –Connector for external LED Board
The ASR650 provides an RJ45 plug for connecting an external LED board. You can also purchase
an external LED board from Agrident, which contains an additional buzzer for audible indication
of a successful tag read.
Pin
Function
1
+5V (common anode)
2
Red LED cathode
3
For internal use only!
4
Yellow LED cathode
5
For internal use only!
6
Green LED cathode
7
For internal use only!
8
GND
The external LEDs have the same functions as the on-board LEDs. Please note that there are
series resistors for the red and yellow external LEDs on the reader board already but not for the
green LED. Hence the series resistor for the external green LED must be added externally. It is
important to pay attention on the electrical values of the LEDs and ULN2003.
Please do not use pins 3, 5 and 7 –these are only used for internal purposes on the ASR650!
Pin 8 (Ground) is not needed for connecting external LEDs, as shown in the schematic above.
µP
ASR650

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3.2.4 ST3 –Connector for 4/8-channel antenna multiplexer
Unlike for the ASR550, there is no additional adapter board required for connecting a 4-channel
or 8-channel antenna multiplexer. The electronics and the connector are on the ASR650 already.
Via the connector ST3, the multiplexers are supplied with power and it also provides the required
control lines for switching the antennas.
Pin Number
Function
1
Power supply for MUX
2
Control line A
3
Control line B
4
Control line C
5
GND
The control lines are also used for detecting the MUX-type during the initialization period –so
please always connect all of them. The wiring to the external multiplexer boards is 1:1. There is
no special cable required here but the connection between reader and multiplexer should be kept
as short as possible.
3.3 Signalization
The ASR650 has three on-board LEDs which indicate the reader status. In general, the yellow
LED indicates that the reader is switched on and the Firmware isrunning, the green LED indicates
a successful tag read and the red LED means that there is a fault condition. The table below lists
the possible indications related to the operating conditions:
Yellow
(Power)
Green
(Read)
Red (Service)
Function
continuously on
off
off
Reader status OK
continuously on
flashing
off
Tag was read
flashing
off
off
Reader is OK and Sync. Slave
flashing
off
continuously on
Low input voltage (<11.0V DC)
continuously on
flashing
continuously on
Antenna fault
Condition one, two and three indicate that the reader is working properly. If the input voltage is
below 11.0 Volts DC, the reader will shut down the transmitter in order to avoid overheating. The
ASR650 will also disable the transmitter if the antenna inductance and / or the antenna impedance
are completely wrong. The antenna requirements are explained in chapter 2.1.6.

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ASR650 Operational Manual
3.4 Power Supply Requirements
You might use power supplies between 12 and 24 Volts DC for the ASR650. It is very important
that these power supplies have low ripple and noise (50mVPeakPeak or less). Agrident highly
recommends using linear regulated power supplies (stabilized). Switch-Mode power supplies can
decrease the reading performance significantly if their switching frequency is too close to the
readers operating frequency. In addition, they change their behavior depending on input voltage
and load. You can also operate the reader from a 12 Volt car battery but please note that the
ASR650 will disable the transmitter if the input voltage sinks below 11.0 Volts.
The power supply should be able to deliver 3 Ampere per reader at 12 Volt DC since the maximum
input current can be 2 Ampere. For higher input voltages the required currents are smaller.
Regarding the minimum input voltage, it is also very important to consider the length and the
cross-section of the power supply cable.
Let’s assume the output voltage of your power supply unit (PSU) is 12.0 Volts and you want to
use standard data cable with a cross-section of 0.5mm². The minimum input voltage for the reader
is 11.0 Volts and the maximum possible current about 2 Ampere. So, the maximum allowed
voltage drop is 1.0 Volt and thus the maximum allowed cable resistance is 0.5 Ω.
VPSU = 12.0V VIn Minimum = 11.0V cable: 0.5² with 36mΩ/ meter IMax = 2.0A
   󰇛  󰇜  
  Ω    󰇛  󰇜     Ω    Ω Ω   
That means your power supply cable must be shorter than 6.94 meter in this case. If the cable
needs to be longer, you have to use cable with a higher cross-section or a PSU with a higher
output voltage.
For the most agricultural applications, standard non-shielded cable will work fine. However, there
might be applications where shielded cable is required, e.g. Abattoirs or other industrial
applications. In this case the shielding avoids the reception of unwanted signals via the power
supply cable –at least partially.
You should connect the shield to Ground of the reader (ST2-Pin5) on one end and on the other
end to the enclosure of the power supply in case of using a metal enclosure.
The minimum cross-section of the power supply cable should be 0.5mm².
ASR650 –ST2
+V
-V
shield
shield
12...24V DC
Power Supply
GND