A transponder has a resonant RLC circuit with one or more electromagnetic energy storage components that vary in response to an externally applied modulating energy field. In addition to the externally modulating energy field, a base station transmits a carrier signal with a frequency essentially the same as the quiescent resonant frequency of the RLC circuit. As the component(s) vary, the resonant frequency of the RLC circuit changes, modulating the carrier signal with the external modulating energy field. Effects of the modulation are detected by the base station. Information (e.g., the presence of a tag) is obtained by receiving and demodulating the modulated signal at the base station. One or more or the circuit elements (e.g, different preferred embodiments of one or more capacitors, inductors, and resistors) can be varied (e.g. mechanically) to modulate the carrier signal. This allows the resonant circuit to modulate the carrier signal with multiple modulation frequencies to encode multiple bits of information on the carrier.