Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Xerxes]

I have my T-Money money card (public transportation), Secom security card (work security entry card), apartment door card (automatic door card) sometimes all in my pocket. I noticed my credit card magnetic stripes not working or noticed my USB thumb drive go bad (not often, at least now that I don't put them together in the same pocket).

Was it mere coincidence or do the contactless smart cards all emit some low level RF signals that mess with the megnetic encryption on credit cards or thumb drives. Once I lost my thumb drive a few months back and my credit cards a few months back before that, I have separated them forever in my pockets, but I would rather them all dangling from my cell phone or all in one wallet (one pocket).

Was it all just coincidence? A Google search only says that the smart cards have inductors in them that use ambient RF signals to power their electronics. The logic is that since credit cards and USB drives don't emit such ambient RF signals, they wouldn't work up an inductor in a smart card. I was thinking that what if the inductor electricity decays at a slow rate or while it's working it emits enough electrical signals to mess up my credit cards or USB drives?

Again, paranoid? The electrical reasoning seems sound. Maybe this question is too technical for this board?

Thanks in advance. If you do have an opinion either way, could you give me some links that refer to this just than your "yes" or "no" opinion?

[geldedgoat]

I run with two transit cards (one for Daejeon, one for Seoul), a SECOM card to get into the English room at school, three Korean bank cards, and two American bank cards all in one wallet. I have yet to run into a problem with any card readers (except for having to separate the transit cards as the readers recognize both at the same time and error out). Maybe you're just too rough with your cards?