Card reader terminal with external contactless antenna

A method, comprising:

• receiving, via a first short-distance communication antenna in an external contactless card reader, an electromagnetic signal that includes card data from a contactless payment card;
• converting, by the first short-distance communication antenna, the electromagnetic signal into an analog signal;
• transferring the analog signal from the external contactless card reader to a card reader terminal without digitizing the analog signal at any point between the first short-distance communication antenna and the card reader terminal, wherein the card reader terminal is connected to the external contactless card reader via a feed line, and wherein the card reader terminal includes:
• a secure controller, located in a secure area within the card reader terminal, configured to perform financial transactions;
• a short-distance receiver circuit, located in the secure area within the card reader terminal, wherein the short-distance receiver circuit includes an A/D converter configured to convert the analog signal to a digital signal that can be processed by the secure controller;
• a second short-distance communication antenna, wherein the first and second short-distance communication antennas are connected via separate paths to the short-distance receiver circuit;
• and
• a switch arrangement configured to select one of the first or second short-distance communication antennas for connection to the short-distance receiver circuit;
• and
• matching, by a first antenna matching circuit positioned between the first short-distance communication antenna and the A/D converter, one or more frequency characteristics of the first short-distance communication antenna with frequency characteristics of the feed line.