This page is to help people have a better understanding about Radio Frequency Electro Magnetic Radiation (RF and EMR) and the known health risks in relation to Wireless Networking Equipment.



This page is not to try and put forward my own opinions on the subject, but rather to point to as much information I could find to help people come to their own conclusions.



If further information is found by others, please feel free to add or ammend links.



!!! General Research on EMR Health Risks



One good place for publication on general research on this subject is (http://www.emrnetwork.org/research/research.htm EMR Network RF Research)



!!! Wireless Networking Industry Opinion

* (http://wlana.com/learn/health.htm WLANA-Wireless Networking Industry)

* (http://www.enterasys.com/technologies/wireless/health-wpaper0499.html Enterasys Networks Whitepaper)

* (http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/witc/ao340ap/prodlit/rfhr_wi.htm Cisco Systems)



One of the best places to find documents, and opinion on this subject is of course (http://www.google.com/search?q=802.11+health+safety+2.4 Google).



Conclusions:



On reading some of the articles mentioned above, it could be said the risks of health problems being caused by Wireless Networking Equipment that you can buy off the shelf would be much lower than that posed by Mobile Phones for instance.

One article I have read suggests to find a safe distance, a good guide is to give an inch of space for every watt of power used.



Of course, as others have raised it is not possible to look at this issue in such simple terms and neither should it be when it concerns people's health.



Other articles make reference to the World Health Organisation still reserving judgement on this issue and suggesting another four years of research before conclusions can be reached.



It would be prudent for people to look at the information that is freely available on this subject and make their own conclusions.  Please do not be restricted to those areas listed on this page.  They are only meant to be a place to start.



Steven Anderson



!!! Other Links of interest



* (http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,49842,00.html Wired article)

* (http://www.webreslist.com/opf/stories/4020.shtml A story)



!!! Comments

* just the fact that the guide is 1" for every Watt (max eirp in oz - 4W = 4") makes this kind of a non-issue unless you wear your antenna on your head.



* Take care also with "point contact" RF burns...although not really an issue, if you touch the inner conductor of the coax lead that is live with RF, then you can get a localised RF burn.