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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Jerry Bromenshenk <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 4 Jan 2005 09:23:28 -0700
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All,

I had to cancel my trip to Tucson this morning (ouch, I paid some steep
penalties this morning).

I'm going to try to reach Joe Traynor/Steve Park at AHPA.  We'll try to get
a PDA-based RFID reader and tags to them by Fed Exp.,

so for anyone interested in using radio frequency identification tags and a
reader (compatible with the HP iPAQ pocket PCs [pda]) for
equipment marking, theft recovery -- talk to them, or contact me directly.

I demonstrated these tags last year, but at that time, the tags were twice
the cost and hand-held readers were not available.  A warehouse reader/scanner
connected to a notebook computer was the only system available then.

That has changed with the advent of hand held PDA readers and tag prices
about 40 cents (small orders).  If we can round up enough takers to buy
50,000 tags;
we can drive the tag cost down.

This is the same system as being used by WalMart for inventory
control.  These tags are like bar codes on steroids.  You can bury them in
the boxes, frames, combs.  You can read
them from 10 ft with the little PDA system.  Each tag has a unique
identifier code.  The tags don't fade, wear out, etc.

There's been a lot of misinformation about these tags.  They contain the
same type of information as an optically scanned bar code.  They only
respond when
within range of a reader.  You can lock the information on the tags, and
its unlikely that anyone is going to crack the locking code.  They don't
spy on anyone, collect data, or transmit on their own.

I've hammered on the tags (literally, using a claw hammer), dunked them,
they are tough.

Can you defeat them -- well with a lot of time, energy, knowledge, and the
right equipment (and you'd still have to do it hive by hive, or even frame
by frame (depends on
how many chips in the beehive)?

These tags are small, but the antennae takes some space, so you CAN't stick
them on a bee.

There is an industrial grade, hand held reader available, but its still
very pricey >$3-4k.



We'll work get information and a sign up sheet to Joe/Steve for
distribution at the AHPA meeting.  Our goal is to get a list of beekeepers,
numbers of tags and readers needed, combine the list from AHPA and ABF (now
there's a thought - coorperation -- sorry, couldn't resist, aren't politics
wonderful), and order up a bunch of tags and some readers.

I still intend to be in Reno next week.

Sorry about the change of plans -- if anyone sees Joe or Steve today, ask
them to call me (if they haven't already)

406-544-9007

Thanks

Hate to miss a good meeting.

Jerry

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