In one embodiment, an RFID reader and active tag (RAT) includes: a first antenna; a second antenna orthogonally aligned with the first antenna; an RFID interface operable to generate RF transmissions to the interrogate RFID tags; a fixed phase variable gain beam forming interface coupled to the first and second antennas and to the RFID interface, the variable gain beam forming interface being operable to independently adjust a set of gains for the RF transmissions from the RFID interface to the antennas so as to steer an interrogating RF transmission throughout the space to obtain RFID data from the RFID tags within the space; a third antenna; and a wireless interface configured to communicate through the third antenna with an access point, the wireless interface being operable to transmit the RFID data to the access point.