1991年，美国供水系统开始进行调查，以确定自动抄表（AMR）系统的成本效益。这导致了三家制造商对基于手持式射频（RF）通信系统的试验。试验的总体目标是证明和比较射频系统的技术和经济可行性。试验的具体目标是:从三家手持式射频抄表系统供应商那里选择并安装98台设备，并确定每个系统的实施程序和成本；每周收集电表读数，以确定读数成功率和完成电表读数路线所需的时间减少，并估计每个系统的维护成本；手动读取仪表，并将读数与使用RF手持系统获取的读数进行比较，以证明每个系统的准确性；通过在所有天气条件下获取仪表读数，证明每个系统的完整性； 并确定AMR系统是否具有经济合理性。讨论了试验的方法和结果。包括3个参考文献、表格。

In 1991, the American Water System began an investigation to determine the cost-effectiveness of automatic meter reading (AMR) systems. This led to a trial of hand-held radio-frequency (RF) communication-based systems from three manufacturers. The overall objective of the trial was to demonstrate and compare the technical and economic feasibility of the RF systems. The specific objectives of the trial were to: select and install 98 units from three suppliers of hand-held RF meter-reading systems and determine implementation procedures and costs for each system; collect weekly readings from the meters to determine the reading success rates and the reduction in time it takes to complete the meter-reading routes and to estimate the maintenance cost for each system; manually read the meters and compare the readings with those taken using the RF hand-held systems to demonstrate each system's accuracy; demonstrate the integrity of each system by obtaining meter readings in all weather conditions; and, determine whether the AMR systems are economically justified. The methods and results of the trial are discussed. Includes 3 references, tables.