With each read the system saves some useful information about the passing, understanding this can help to better interpret your data and identify potential problems.
As well as the basic information including the Time and Decoder ID, the following data is recorded for a passive read:
- OrderID - The ID number of the order for which the transponder was printed.
- Hits - The number of times the chip was seen by the decoder during the passing (Not applicable to Track Box Passive data, you should expect lower hits due to the transponder communication protocols).
- RSSI - The strength of the signal received (in dBm) from the passing when the read was recorded.
- A higher value is a stronger detection. For example -42 is better than -60. The best possible value is -35 and the worst value is -85dBm, this is the sensitivity limit.
- Typical values are in the range of -50dBm..-70dBm.
- The RSSI value is the value of the best hit according to your decoder's detection mode.
| Guidelines for detection strength | Hits | RSSI |
| Perfect (could not be better) | 75...255 | -35...-55 |
| OK (nothing to worry about) | 20...75 | -55...-65 |
| Not Great (still working, but could be better) | 5...20 | -65...-75 |
| Barely Detected (setup should be checked) | 1...10 | -70...-85 |
| Transponder is in range but not moving* | high value | low value |
*Such as a participant who has already finished watching the race near the finish line whilst still wearing their transponder.