Characteristics of a reservoir are monitored during a casing drilling operation using a casing drilling assembly that includes a drill bit for drilling a borehole through an earth formation. A casing tubular is coupled with the casing drilling assembly and includes at least one station having at least one slot in the casing tubular. An antenna or sensor, adapted for signal transmission and/or reception, is disposed within the casing tubular and positioned such that the antenna or sensor is aligned with the at least one slotted station. The antenna or sensor is activated during a casing drilling operation to transmit and/or receive a signal.