RF Safety is a big concern in the Wireless / Electronics Industry. This page is intended to
help you understand the basic theory of RF Safety, check your designs for RF Safety,
analyze and determine trade-offs for different RF Safety levels, and review existing
standards and guidelines -- in general, to expose you to the major issues in RF Safety.
Please explore the links and topics below to gain a more complete understanding of this
important subject!
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RF Safety Regulations and Standards
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking dated June 6, 2003, proposing amendments to FCC rules
governing Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields, 47 CFR parts 1, 2, and 95.
Comments were due December 8, 2003, and reply comments were due by January 6, 2004. Various items
are still occasionally being submitted and no decisions have been reached as of the date of this page (July 14, 2006).
To see the comments, go to FCC's Comment Search page, and
enter "03-137" in the first space, Proceeding, then press "Retrieve Document List"
at the bottom of the form. This will give you a list of all the documents filed, and links to view
them.
FCC's Docket File ET93-62, information
on FCC Rules. Look particularly at the following documents within this link:
FCC RF Exposure Regulations News Release (Report and Order 96-326), August 1, 1996.
This is the FCC announcement for the rule revisions.
FCC RF Exposure Regulations First Memorandum Opinion and Order 96-487,
December 23, 1996. The FCC responds to several petitions for reconsideration and
extends the transition period for the Amateur Radio and commercial services.
FCC RF Exposure Regulations Second Memorandum Order and Opinion 97-303.
The FCC responds to all the Petitions for Partial Reconsideration, announces new changes
to the rule (FCC Second Memorandum and Order) and makes OET "Bulletin 65"
available for download.
FCC extends compliance transition
period (FCC report).
In response to a petition from the ARRL, the FCC extended the transition period and agreed
that the required questions for the Amateur Radio examinations for some classes of license
could be updated in their normal cycles.
A Freeware RF-exposure calculator program in Basic. The RFSAFETY program was written
by Wayne Overbeck, N6NB, and featured in the January,
1997 issue of CQ VHF, pg. 33.
RFSAFETY.BAS
- Basic source code. This link takes you to Wayne's RF Safety page, where you
can download the program through a link at the bottom of the page.
Download fmm210b.zip (458K). This program, titled "
FM Model for Windowsis", is a tool for predicting ground level power density from FM
antenna systems. The equation model was originally developed by the EPA.
PACEMAKERS -- ARRL's list of resources
and links on the potential for RF interference with pacemakers
Cell Phone Antennas
and Human Health - This FAQ addresses the issue of whether base station transmitter/antennas
for cellular phones, PCS phones, and other types of portable transceivers are a risk to
human health.
