Charlie Card carrying?

[elements.livejournal.com]

I got my Charlie Card LinkPass in the mail today (my employer has a pass discount program so I get my passes early in the mail). Hurray!

Except, the one thing that sucks is a big notice on the back of the card telling me I must not punch holes in it. There's no way to tell where the RFID chip resides, so no way to know if I'd be ruining the card by punching it. I know I can't be the only person who was expecting to hold onto this permanent pass by punching a hole and attaching it firmly to *something* - keeping track of the pass has been, apart from privacy issues, the only thing I've worried about at all w/r/t the Charlie Card. Now I'm at a loss - unless the MBTA figures out that they should be pre-punching them (I'd hoped they'd already be) and lets us all trade in our first cards. Doubt it, certainly any time soon.

So, anybody have ideas about secure sleeves with strings to attach these things? I don't know a ton about RFID so I'm not sure how much wrapping up they can take and still work well. I'm envisioning something along the lines of a luggage tag, but none of the ones I have at hand fit just right (a little too small). Has anyone else had the chance to try something out? Know of anyplace local selling the right size luggage tag holders? New cottage industry for our awesome local artisans? Anyone else with clever ideas?

ETA: Thanks for all the ideas, everyone. It looks like I'll be set for the immediate future, but I'm still curious about fun locally-made crafty alternatives for the longer term. (I think the vinyl ID holders aren't really secure or sturdy enough for the sort of use I'd put them to, strung on a string and stuffed daily into my backpack's hip pocket, and I may wait a little before daring to actually punch where folks tell me the RFID antenna isn't.)

Comments

[myselftheliar.livejournal.com]

...I didn't see the DO NOT PUNCH HOLES and I punched one all the way on the left side, mid-way down and my card still works just fine.

[jadelennox]

The T was giving away these little plastic luggage-tag like holders on key rings for the cards, but they wouldn't survive 12 months of normal wear and tear, IMNSHO.

[spatch]

I'm more than happy to keep my Charlie Card in my wallet, though I know not everybody cares for that. My new Charlie Card passed the wallet-check test at the turnstile all right, but I haven't tried a hip-check test with the wallet in my pocket yet.

Just looking now, I've found many companies that sell vinyl badge holders in bulk, but it looks as if Staples may be able to help too, but even then you're spending nearly 10 bucks for a pack of 25 and I"m not sure how durable the vinyl will be. You might want to check other office supply stores.

[postrodent.livejournal.com]

Have you tried holding the thing up to a really bright light in a dark room? The arphid almost certainly isn't that big.

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

I could get you several for free. Hold off on buying anything :)

[ron_newman]

The CharlieCard will work fine while inside your wallet. I've used it this way numerous times over the past few weeks. Just tap your wallet against the target.

If you hold it up to the light, you'll see that the RFID chip is a small square just to the right of the word "Authority" on the front side.

[ron_newman]

Meanwhile, I just wish I could use the thing next month at all. Because I sometimes like to ride the commuter rail between Porter Square and North Station, I can't use the CharlieCard LinkPass, and have to instead buy a CharlieTicket Zone 1A pass. (Same price, $59).

[siderea]

Do you have any other RFID cards in your wallet? I tried recently, but just got "ERROR" on the screen; I don't know if that was because it's not valid till next month (which it isn't) or because my office door key is confusing it.

[ron_newman]

No, the only other RFID-thing I have is a key fob, for my office. That isn't in my wallet.

If you have a pass that isn't yet valid, the fare vending machine screen should still show it. The screen display implies that the card can hold stored cash value, two passes (e.g. this month's and next month's), and a transfer value.

If you use it at the gate, I presume the gate screen will say something like "PASS NOT YET VALID" and refuse to open, but since I don't have such a pass, I haven't tried it. (If you do, before January 1, let me know what happens.)

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Is the LinkPass not good for that route, or it's just that the conductor can't read the pass? That route would do me some good sometimes, but I've never used it before.

Interestingly, the LinkPass I got is still one of the old 'pass it through' variety, thought to be due to I get a student discount pass (the "Semester Pass" program. It kind of amuses me; I'm 45, but I get the student discount. Whee!)

[mrpet.livejournal.com]

But the antennae is. It most certainly goes all around the outside of the card (loops around it many times as well) to maximize read range. The center is probably pretty clear.

I do a lot of RFID for my job and if you punch through the antennae it will no longer work.

[nathanjw]

Someone on ne.transportation reported that they had punched through their CharlieCard, pretty far in and away from the antenna, and put a plastic ring through it, without breaking anything; a metal ring would probably cause trouble.

[mrpet.livejournal.com]

The metal right through the center of the antenna would shift the resonant freq. of the antenna and reduce the range. Although seeing as how I do know how these things are designed there is a chance that it could make it better do to a mess up in the design. This also is the reason why holding your remote keyless entry fob up to your chin while pressing it will increase your range.

They are purposely detuned do to having too much power. The FCC demands a certain average power and it's easier to muck with a capacitor in the design that to lay it out again to change the antenna. You add parasitic capacitance into the antenna circuit and shift it back up.

[ron_newman]

The LinkPass won't be good on commuter rail until conductors get portable CharlieCard readers. That's supposed to happen some time later this year, at which point the "Zone 1A Pass" will go away.

[elements.livejournal.com]

You are as usual awesome. Thanks!

[laklare.livejournal.com]

I punched mine in the upper left side...works fine.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

At my office, I just have to turn around and wiggle my butt at the reader for it to work. It is reason enough to come in before 8:30.

You probably shouldnt punch a hole--I am guessing they have a little spiraly antenna coiled in there. You could get a plastic ring-type thing that sticks to the card though.

When we all have RFIDs implanted in our skulls, things will be so much easier.

[ron_newman]

This is the first time I've encountered the word "arphid", but I like it and will start using it.

[herbert42.livejournal.com]

yeah, i was curious about the whole don't punch holes in it thing also. except i really would like to cut mine down to as small as possible. so, to figure out where the important stuff was, i chucked mine in the microwave and used the equation 'caught fire' = 'important'. the chip resides in the lower right as reported above. you can just see it as a small indentation after the word authority. it burned like a flare. there is also a thin wire antenna running once around the exterior of the card about 1/8 inch from the edge. there appears to be nothing in the middle of the card that i can see. if you cut a card in half you can just see the copper of the antenna along the cut edge.
my next test is going to be to cut out the interior of the card entirely, leaving the chip and wire and see if it still works.

[fenway1912.livejournal.com]

at least for now people buying a monthly pass at one of the T pass sale locations are still getting the pass on a CharlieTicket. If you have to buy the pass you can use your new CharlieCard at a vending machine and put the pass on the smart card. If for some reason you want the ticket version just go to one of the 5 pass sales locations.

I assume this will change. I'm thinking they may have to keep the old sales outlets open for awhile as they are staffed by union help.

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

What's wrong with "union help?"

[fenway1912.livejournal.com]

nothing is wrong with union help.

But one thing overlooked in this is how the former token sellers have been faring in the changeover. They are not happy.

[elements.livejournal.com]

I'd be really happy if they found new work in the T system for all of them; I know nothing about their contract but it might be written in there anyway, or at least I hope it might.

It seems to me that they still need a person at every T station at the gates anyway. If nothing else, you'd think they'd want it to prevent gatejumping. Ex: Yesterday afternoon I came back into town with a suitcase and so exited at Davis through the wider wheelchair-accessible gate. Someone was waiting on the other side and as soon as I'd exited, squeezed through. The gate buzzed, but there was no T employee in sight to even give the guy the stinkeye. I don't like the idea of an unpersonned station for lots of other reasons too, but you'd think the T would care about the gatejumping. (I'm ambivalent re gatejumping, personally, on the "not a big deal" vs "public utility needs funds" line.)

[elements.livejournal.com]

Yay, home science. So, ah, I'm assuming you're using a brand new card now after the first one caught fire, or are they really just that indestructible?

Thanks for the confirmation re what others above have said about the middle of the card. If I'm not happy with the luggage-tag-like thingie I may yet punch the hole in the middle.

I'd have *really* loved it if they just made the cards into keychain fobs, or had that as an option.

[elements.livejournal.com]

That's excellent news! I have a friend who rides North Station to Porter every day and will be thrilled when he can LinkPass it.

[fenway1912.livejournal.com]

What I am afraid off is the T will follow the example of the Chicago Transit Authority and hire a private security company to watch each station. Many of the former token sellers took what is now called "customer service" positions but they are not happy about being outside the booth.

[herbert42.livejournal.com]

yeah, something like the mobile speedpass device would be nice, but i'm holding out for the dental implant version. hold you cheek up to the turnstile to pass.

[herbert42.livejournal.com]

and no, the cards do not seem to respond well to fire and arcing plasma.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

Where can you get one of the smart cards? When I saw the ads on the Red Line about discounts for getting the tap-readable plastic CharlieCards, I tried to buy one at South Station and Harvard Station (where the sign said they were available), but they were only selling the old paper CharlieTickets. I'm accumulating an awful lot of these tickets, in my futile attempts to buy a smart card (and there's no way to pay for a bus ride with 50 cents from one card and 40 cents from another.)

[ron_newman]

Really? The ones I've talked to enjoy being out among the public instead of cooped up in a booth behind glass.

[ron_newman]

You should be able to get it from a customer service agent at any subway station. If that doesn't work for you, let me know, as I now have four of them.

[fenway1912.livejournal.com]

Really? The ones I've talked to enjoy being out among the public instead of cooped up in a booth behind glass.

Oh no doubt some do. However I have talked to several at low traffic stations (Savin Hill for example) at night that are concerned for their safety.

Some of the former token sellers have now been assigned to be fare inspectors on the Green Line as of January 1.

[ron_newman]

They no longer have any money, so trying to rob one of them would accomplish nothing....

[fenway1912.livejournal.com]

They no longer have any money, so trying to rob one of them would accomplish nothing....

I know they have no money, you know they have no money. Problem is the 15 year old kid with a gun strung out on crack DOESN'T.

New York has kept some agents in booths as the MTA made a compromise with the union to allow the selling of single ride tickets for $2.00 with no transfer. Chicago has eliminated CTA workers at stations outside the Loop and Lincoln Park completly and uses workers from Securitas Security Services at most stations.

[autumnsshadow.livejournal.com]

i don't know if they're all identical or not, but the ones i've seen have had the chip in the bottom right corner.