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Magnetic stripe cards, or MagCards as they’re sometimes called, have been a staple of financial transactions for decades. These cards contain embedded information on magnetic tracks, which store crucial data about the card and its holder. In this article, we’ll dissect the structure of these tracks to provide a clearer understanding of their functionality.

The Basics of Magnetic Tracks

Magnetic stripe cards typically feature three tracks. These tracks, aptly named Track 1, Track 2, and Track 3, carry different sets of information:

1. Track 1: Contains the highest bit density at 210 bits per inch and is the sole track that can store alphanumeric characters, including the cardholder’s name.

2. Track 2: Introduced by the banking industry, this track is encoded with a 5-bit scheme and mostly holds numerical data.

3. Track 3: Less commonly used by prominent global networks like Visa, many cards often omit this track entirely.

Most Point of Sale (POS) card readers focus on reading Tracks 1 and 2. In instances where one track might be unreadable, the other serves as a backup.

A Closer Look at Track 1

Track 1, with its higher bit density, stands out from the rest. Its format comprises:

• Start sentinel: Often represented by ‘%’
• Format code: The character ‘B’
• Primary Account Number (PAN): Up to 19 characters, generally corresponding to the credit card number on the card’s face.
• Field separators: ‘^’ characters
• Name: Spanning 2 to 26 characters
• Expiry date: Formatted as YYMM
• Service code: Three characters detailing service specifics
• Discretionary data: May include PIN verification details and Card Verification Values (CVV or CVC).
• End sentinel: Typically, the ‘?’ character
• Longitudinal redundancy check (LRC): A character derived from the track’s data, usually hidden from POS displays.

Details of Track 2

Track 2, developed by the American Bankers Association, contains:

• Start sentinel: Often ‘;’
• Primary account number (PAN): Up to 19 characters
• Separator: Typically the ‘=’ character
• Expiry date: Noted as YYMM
• Service code: A trio of digits detailing card services
• Discretionary data: Similar to Track 1
• End sentinel: Mostly ‘?’
• Longitudinal redundancy check (LRC): As in Track 1, it remains hidden from standard reader displays.

Things to Note

• Exposure to powerful Neodymium magnets can erase the information on these magnetic stripes.
• Some commercial encoders use unique characters like ‘~’ for start sentinels and ‘;’ as separators.
• Example code might appear as: ‘~#;data?’.

Conclusion

Magnetic stripe cards, though progressively being replaced by chip-based systems and digital payment methods, still play a role in today’s financial world. Understanding the intricacies of their tracks is vital for those dealing with card-based transactions and system designs. So, the next time you swipe a card, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the technology running it.

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