PART 5 RF WAVES

11.11.2009

ANNEX -

ANNEX:

1

Exposure of the general public to radiofrequency fields

1. Introduction

This document presents typical exposure of the general public to radiofrequency (RF) radiation in

every-day situations. The lists of RF source technologies/devices (see Table 1 & 2) and exposure

scenarios are not complete since there are many applications that can emit radiofrequencies and new

sources appear regularly. It is however unlikely, due to general rules governing the design of radio

systems, that any new technology will cause significantly higher exposures to the general public in

the foreseeable future than the examples introduced here.

Table 1. An overview of the properties of commonly used RF emitting devices that are used close to

the individual. The general public’s exposure limit for local specific absorption rate (SAR

head and trunk regions is 2 W/kg. The limit for occupational exposure (e.g. police radio) is 10 W/kg.

The given values are for maximum exposure i.e. direct contact between RF transmitter and affected

tissue.

*) for the

Technology Related acronyms Frequency

(MHz)

Maximum

(time averaged)

output power (mW)

Maximum

SAR

(W/kg)

GSM 900 900 250 1.4

GSM 1800 (formerly

DCS 1800)

1800 125 1

Mobile phones

UMTS (also 3G) 1950 125

1

WLAN (also WiFi) 2450 100 1

3G 1950

WiMAX 3500 160 1

Wireless internet

terminals of the

computers

(For base stations,

see Table 2)

Flash-OFDM (@450

in Finland)

450 200

0.5

Cordless phones DECT 1900 10

<0.1

Cordless mouses

and keyboards

Bluetooth 2450 1 or 2.5

<0.01

Cordless hands free

sets

Bluetooth 2450 1 or 2.5

<0.01

PMR446 446 500 0.4

DECT 1900 10 0.03

Baby monitors

+ others 27 (typical) 10

<0.01

Professional mobile

radio (police etc.)

TETRA 400 250

(750 also)

1

(3)

† 125 1

*

radiofrequency electromagnetic field. It is defined as the power absorbed per mass of tissue and has units of watts per

kilogram. SAR is usually averaged either over the whole body, or over a smaller sample volume. Recommended

exposure limits are set by the International Commission Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

Specific absorption rate (SAR) is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body when exposed to a† also other mobile phone bands, if 3G not available