RF Meters - Cross posted

Peter,

the "Radman" (brand name) is the personal RF exposure monitor that is commonly used by RF workers. See

and follow the links. The radman is set up to match the international guidelines for acceptable RF exposure limits.

If you only want a simple on/off indicator, then a microwave oven leakage detector or even a CB radio field strength indicator would probably do. It's your choice and your body - how much do you reckon you are worth?

Keith G Malcolm

21 June 2007

Enough to worry about but how far do we go? I don't work with transmission towers but sometimes come across them, hence my concern. UV radiation would be more of a hazard for my line of work though I do consider RF radiation to be a hazard and take it seriously. I don't see the point in myself having a $2000 unit telling me the flavour and frequency when I am not trained to understand all that information and it would make very little difference to me. I would like to be able to confirm if the towers are at an acceptable level (or off) and even have some sort of warning in case there are RF hazards that I am not aware about. Also the device needs to be durable otherwise it may not work after 1 week. The link you provided me wasn't much help though I think I looked at the radman and found that they were a little high end for me and the price matched this. I'm not saying that it is not a good device or good value for money as I don't know but I feel that it is more than what I need. Thanks for trying though..

:-P

"Peter"

** You do what ??

** Why ?

You sound like some kind of anti EM radiation, paranoid freak head.

........ Phil

"Peter"

** Just as mad a thing to say as the first time you dribbled it out.

Just what sort of NUT CASE are you ?

** RF hazard = Big Brother transmitted on VHF 10.

Deadly.

....... Phil

Why do you need to get them switched off or powered down ? And are you suggesting that "some tech" is lying or might do so ? Why ? If you don't want to accept expertise, perhaps it's time you gained some yourself ?

Peter,

your comments are inconsistent.

The Radman is intended to do exactly as you indicate your need - it is designed to warn the user if RF field levels are "safe" (that is, below the established exposure guideline limits or not) or "not safe" (that is, above the guideline limits). You don't need specialised knowledge to use the device - it "squarks" if it detects excess levels.

I don't understand your comment "I don't work with transmission towers but sometimes come across them, hence my concern." Either you work within the potential hazard zone or you don't and the exposure guideline standards are quite explicit in this regard. If you get "up close and personal" to transmitting antennas (whether active or not) you need a monitor to be compliant with the exposure guidelines and OH&S legislation. As a very rough guide, if you are within about 10 metres of a typical VHF or UHF antenna or anywhere within the antenna field/farm of an HF/MF site, you need to be actively monitoring exposure levels.

Simple, straight-forward, and that's part of the cost of working in such situations.

I have no financial interest, just a few years experience in the field.

Keith G Malcolm

22 June 2007

Isn't that obvious?

Perhaps mistaken, not lying. Or incompetent - there's plenty of that around.

Peter

Because at times I am working in front of them.

This has been suggested to me, hence my concern.

To gain expertise it helps if you start with asking a question.

Can you/anyone provide an answer?

:-P

The Nardalert XT or Radman XT is what you want, don't dick around with anything else.

If you don't use it that often, you can even hire one:

I am assuming that this is part of your employment? If so then the company should pay whatever is needed to ensure your personal safety on site. Talk to the OH&S people and kick up a stink saying you are at personal risk and you need this device, money should not be an issue here.

Dave.

If this is 'play' then you can find a gadget and mess round with it, but if it's for real then you're asking the wrong questions. What are the standards for the situation that's involved? What are the isolation procedures, and how are they enforced? It's more likely to be about being able to ensure that the right switch is off, and remain off until it can be turned back on.

I wish that thank ALL that have replied. Let me try to paint a clearer picture for you all. I work as a window cleaner and often find myself having to pass in front of these towers and also rig my ropes past them. I do not work with the towers but have been an industry leader in trying to raise the awareness of the hazards from RF transmission. On the 25th of October 2004 I published an open letter highlighting a number of areas where our industry association (that I no longer have anything to do with) have put people in my industry at risk and one of these subjects was RF transmission hazards. I had raised this issue a few years earlier with the same association when it was known by a different name. They are now called the Australian Rope Access Association or ARAA for short. I have also informed worksafe by this attitude within the industry. I am now self employed and have taught myself a lot. I now know how to get rcsmb documentation and have a great list of contacts in regards to getting towers switched off or powered down but have been informed that it is wise to have a personal meter to be sure. This is why I have asked my question.

The device needs to be durable otherwise it wont last, it needs to be cheap otherwise others within my industry will not touch it. It has come to my attention that association committee members are still placing their workers at risk by failing to get these towers switched off or powered down. I can tell you with over 15 years industry experience I have never seen anybody in my industry with a RF meter and when I talk about this people look at me like I am silly. The sad thing is it costs nothing to get these towers switched off or powered down, it is just laziness.

Every carrier has been quite willing to power down or turn of transmitters and allow myself and others to work in front of them with out a RF meter. I see it that I take my personal safety a lot more seriously than others do by actually giving this issue time and enquiring about a personal meter for my own protection.

I will check out both the Nardalert XT and the Radman XT and will keep the link handy for the hire of such devices.

Once again I wish to thank everybody that has tried to help and anybody else that may offer some information about this subject.

:-P

"Peter"

** What do you imagine office workers on the other side of the windows you clean are exposed to ?

For how much longer per day than you?

Maybe you think glass is an effective EM shield ?

Snip rest of your impossibly paranoid, pseudo scientific, rabid claptrap.

YAWN...... .

....... Phil

No wonder! I have never read such a load of ill-informed twaddle in all my life.

Your health is probably more jeopardised by the diesel fumes rising from the street below.

Goodbye.

--
Walt Davidson                               Email: g3nyy @despammed.com

This is true and this is also a good example of the attitude I get from a lot of people in the communication industry.

So long!

:-P

Indeed...

So... You're an "industry leader in trying to raise the awareness of the hazards from RF transmission" and yet here you are asking very basic questions to which you must surely already know the answers to if you are indeed an 'industry leader'. How can you possibly be advising anyone on this subject within your industry if you don't even know the facts, or have direct access to solid and verifable information?

anybody > in my industry with a RF meter and when I talk about this people look at me like I am silly.

The same thing has happened here, hasnt it?

Fair enough, you're concerned about RF - but maybe you need to think twice about what you say... or perhaps how you say it.

FWIW, I don't know of any cheap, reliable and accurate RF meter.

Give the guy a break, at least he's making an effort to do the right thing. I'd suggest a microwave oven leakage detector would probably do the job, since you're looking at similar frequencies. Farnell or Jaycar probably have a very cheap kit available which wouldn't be too hard to build.

Friday

shows how slow my industry is. doesn't hurt to ask.

Yes, sad isn't it.

Why? I may not get an answer from you but someone else may help.

Well your no help.

Thanks

Give the guy a break. That appears to be exactly what he's trying to do.

Dan

So you ARE related to Rod Speed.

Dan