30 Years Ago: RF exposure question

[Paul W. Schleck]

This is from a web-site that is replaying Usenet, and
rec.radio.amateur.*, from 30 years ago (currently late spring/early
summer 1991). The site is:

http://www.olduse.net

If you prefer to use your own newsreader, the site also supports an NNTP
connection at:

nntp.olduse.net:119

From rec.radio.amateur.misc Tue May 25 12:43:41 2021
Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:19519 rec.radio.amateur.misc:1929
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!caen!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!bronze!bronze.ucs.indiana.edu!stigall
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: RF exposure question.
Date: 22 Apr 91 17:53:09 GMT
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington
Lines: 15

With all the recent talk about RF exposure, does anyone have a feel for
how much RF is too much for long term exposure at 525 MHz? What I have
been working on is consulting for a family that lives under a channel 23
T.V. station. Measured signal strength is +50 to +60 dBmv (+60 is 1 volt)
in and around the house and property. This was measured using a folded
dipole cut to frequency, on a Wavetek SAM I meter.

Thanks.

- --

John Stigall - Indiana University Computing Services Network | Waiting for
750 N. State Rd. 46 Bypass, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 | Amateur Radio

From rec.radio.amateur.misc Tue May 25 12:43:46 2021
Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:20008 rec.radio.amateur.misc:2437
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!emory!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,rec.radio.amateur.misc
Subject: Re: RF exposure question.
Date: 8 May 91 01:17:58 GMT
Followup-To: sci.electronics
Organization: Gannett Technologies Group
Lines: 23
With all the recent talk about RF exposure, does anyone have a feel for
how much RF is too much for long term exposure at 525 MHz? What I have
been working on is consulting for a family that lives under a channel 23
T.V. station. Measured signal strength is +50 to +60 dBmv (+60 is 1 volt)
in and around the house and property. This was measured using a folded
dipole cut to frequency, on a Wavetek SAM I meter.

The OSHA limit is 10 mw/cm^2 and the new ANSI limit is expected to be
1 mw/cm^2. The .0003 mw/cm^2 levels you are measuring are well within
both limits.

In the past, the primary concern has been with RF heating effects in
human tissue, especially the lens of the eye. The levels you are seeing
are completely safe in that respect. Current concerns about long term
exposure to low level RF fields center on the possible genetic effects
caused by the electric field potential across the cell nucleus. These
concerns deal chiefly with very low frequency fields such as the 60
cycle AC power grid. The levels you are measuring are well below the
expected AC field strengths found in typical homes.

Gary KE4ZV

[Jeff]

Post by Paul W. Schleck
With all the recent talk about RF exposure, does anyone have a feel for
how much RF is too much for long term exposure at 525 MHz? What I have
been working on is consulting for a family that lives under a channel 23
T.V. station. Measured signal strength is +50 to +60 dBmv (+60 is 1 volt)
in and around the house and property. This was measured using a folded
dipole cut to frequency, on a Wavetek SAM I meter.
Thanks.

Assuming that the quoted field strength of 60dBmV is actually 1V/m, (ie
allowing for the Antenna Factor of the dipole) then it is over 30 times
below the FCC limit for that frequency so I would feel that there would
be no effects at all. Considering that the FCC and ICNIRP limits for the
public allow something like a 50 times margin above what is considered
the real limit.

Jeff