Geolocation system with controllable tags enabled by wireless communications to the tags

An auxiliary wireless communication mechanism is incorporated into a system that geolocates tagged objects within a monitored environment, using random, repetitive spread spectrum emissions from the tags. The emissions are detected at tag emission readers, and processed by an object location processor to geolocate the tagged objects. The auxiliary wireless communication mechanism transmits a return spread spectrum signal containing information intended for a tag immediately in response to the object location processor geolocating the tag. This immediately returned spread spectrum transmission allows a reduced complexity spread spectrum receiver within the tag to despread the return signal without having to determine the timing of the clock signal used to produce it.