Introduction
Wireless radiation is EMF radiation. Another denotation for EMF radiation is RF, radio frequency. I personally prefer using RF inclusively. The term wireless arose when the first radios were used for communication instead of telegraph lines. The current usage of the term wireless refers more specifically to BlueTooth, ZigBee, Z-Wave, WiFi and cell phones, forgetting its origins. The first radios were spark-gap transceivers and the first telephones were audio over telegraph lines which had been using Morse Code. The RF spectrum usage has evolved considerably since those days. Some of the EMF irradiating humans is generated within their own homes and from their own cell phones. There are numerous articles on the Internet instructing people on how to deal with this. I am focused primarily upon EMF radiation generated from outside the home. There is a growing hysteria surrounding 5G telephones by those who would prohibit all cell phone communications. [6] I will discuss an option they do not consider, whether or not there are any health issues believed to be associated with any form of RF.
Wireless Regulation
The FCC has very strict regulations regarding electromagnetic interference or radiated and conducted electromagnetic fields of electronic devices as well as all RF communication devices. This is to prevent electronic devices from interfering with each other. This does not protect people from their own stupidity. Clearly no one sticks their fingers into an electrical wall outlet or sticks their head into a microwave oven and turns it on. There is some minimal amount of common sense required to survive modern technologically based civilization. Neither should anyone stand near any kind of high powered RF transmitter antenna, which are usually fenced off to prevent any unfortunate mishaps. EMF strengths tolerable by human physiology are the subject of numerous Internet articles and not specifically addressed here.
I took post graduate courses in EMC and have personal experience designing and testing electronic devices, notably switch mode power supplies (SMPS) and electronically commutated motor drivers. This involved using anechoic chambers to screen out background EMF and various forms of RF pollution. It is quite remarkable to stand inside one of those chambers with the door one quarter of and inch open and still receive signal on an AM/FM portable radio. Electronic devices under development, not specifically designed to transmit RF, need to meet either Class A or Class B radiated and conducted emissions standards over a broad spectrum. These requirements can be difficult to achieve when even small amounts of power are involved.
Telephone technology evolved into wireless devices, such as the ubiquitous cell phone and smart phone as opposed to RF transceivers, such as Ham radios, walkie-talkies, Citizens Band radios and transceivers over a wide RF spectrum. Much controversy has emerged regarding human health issues surrounding the RF radiation transmitted by these devices.
The RF spectrum usage was originally regulated by the FCC, but is now also regulated by International Treaties through the International Telecommunication Union. [1] [2] Any device that transmits RF falls under those regulations.
Cell Phone Spectrum
Cell phone RF covers several cell phone generations. [3] Cell phones have gone from 2G to 3G to 4G and are poised to go to 5G Each has their own frequency range. [4] At each higher frequency band, the data bandwidth also increases significantly. The next generation of 5G cell phone technology will revolutionize wireless data transfer to the extent that nations are fighting over whose technology will survive in an attempt to dominate the field by at least one of the players.
RF Radiation Proliferation
All RF radiation is essentially line of sight. Some longer waves, such as those in the Ham Radio bandwidth achieve their range by bouncing off of the ionosphere. Microwave transmitter dishes can often be seen on mountain tops as transceivers, called repeaters. They receive from line of sight and transmit to another line of sight receiver that is below the horizon of the original transmitter. Many of you have seen microwave dishes high up on antennas located on mountain tops and other high elevation locations. The concept that microwave radiation will spread out like a wave in a pond is childish. Most microwave antennas are directional, such as the frequently seen satellite TV dish. The higher the frequency, the tighter the beam becomes, such as a flash light beam in a fog; what you see is called back scatter.
The field strength of RF from omni-directional antennas falls off as an inverse square. This is a problem at cell phone microwave frequencies. The range is increased as the beam becomes more directional or focused. There are specialized virtual prototype engines that calculate the radiation patterns of antennas. Cell phone antennas on building tops only cover narrow areas within a certain range or conic section. This is one reason you might see several antennas of the same shape and size on a building top all pointing in different directions. Cell radius in urban environments is on the order of 200 m. [5]
Clearly, most RF radiation is concentrated in cities and urban areas. [5] The easiest way to get an idea of the RF radiation patterns around you is to look for RF antennas, whether they are AM/FM radio antennas or cell phone towers. Before cable TV, you might not be able to receive TV signals, if there was a hill or mountain between you and the TV station antenna. If you were still able to receive, but had ghosting, you were receiving reflections, not line of sight.
If you travel away from populated areas into wilderness areas, you may have noticed that there is no AM/FM radio, TV, cell phone reception or anything else. Out in the woods, there may be general stores along the roads at strategic locations. If those general stores have telephones, they are all land lines. Likewise, there are no satellite signals either. Why point an expensive orbiting satellite antenna towards large uninhabited areas? And, the signal strength from any satellite is so low that it requires a microwave dish lens pointed right at the satellite to focus enough of the received RF to detect it. The point is that the planet is not swimming in RF radiation: there are areas of concentration and very large areas where there is no RF at all.
5G Radiation
There has been some recent hysteria regarding 5G RF. [6] Take a look at the frequency range of this RF communications system:
“The ITU IMT-2020 specification demands speeds up to 20 gigabits per second, achievable with millimeter waves of 15 gigahertz and higher frequency. 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is going to submit 5G NR (New Radio) as its 5G communication standard proposal. 5G NR can include lower frequencies, from 600 MHz to 6 GHz. However, the speeds in early deployments, using 5G NR software on 4G hardware, are only slightly higher than new 4G systems, estimated at 15% to 50% faster. Simulation of standalone eMBB deployments showed improved throughput by 2.5x below 6 GHz and by nearly 20x at millimeter waves.” [7]
RF at 15 GHz to 20 GHz has limited range due to transmitter design and other technical factors, roughly a 200 meter radius. [5] These 5G networks only operate satisfactorily in well designed radiation network patterns designed by specialized computer programs.
Options
The opponents of wireless are not being realistic. They suggest only two alternatives, allow or prohibit. Banning all EMF, RF or wireless would take humanity back to the Stone Age. However, there is a third option, shield your environment. You should keep in mind that the International Telecommunication Union and the FCC already regulate the RF spectrum to the benefit of humanity and avoid chaos. However, there are no guide lines or regulations regarding shielding your personal environment.
Shielding
Imagine standing at the low end of a swimming pool. Waves are impinging upon you from all directions. Stand inside a very large doughnut shape plastic floating tube. The waves are diminished or attenuated, except maybe some very low frequency stuff. If you fix the floating tube to rods attached to the swimming pool floor, the tube in now effectively grounded and nearly nothing gets through. You have shielded yourself. This analogy is basically the principal behind RF shielding, except RF physics is a bit more complicated than water waves. However, you do not need a degree in physics to get the idea.
Conclusion
Prohibiting Wireless, EMF radiation or RF is insane. It would send humanity immediately back to the Stone Age. No one is ever going to do that. It would be like a very large meteor hitting the earth, similar to an extinction event. RF is not everywhere such as the atmosphere spread around the planet. It is generally localized around cities and urban areas and generally diminishes in intensity with distance from the source unless it is focused into a narrow beam pointed at another antenna. The idea that the planet is submerged in a bath of RF demonstrates a complete lack of comprehension. If you want to eliminate RF in your personal environment, then shield it out. I personally fail to see the hysteria. It is a very simple engineering problem.
Reference
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Telecommunication_Union
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_management
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_phone_generations
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies
[5] https://www.politesi.polimi.it/bitstream/10589/.../2018_07_Albergoni_Anghileri.pdf
