New FCC RF safety standards effective January 1, 1997, could affect the way hams operate, especially while mobile. A Report and Order adopted by the FCC on August 1 (ET Docket No. 93-62, Guidelines for Evaluating the Environmental Effects of Radio frequency Radiation) will require hams running more than 50 W PEP to conduct routine RF radiation evaluations to determine if human exposure to RF radiation levels is in excess of those ANSI guidelines. “Measurements ... of several typical amateur stations in 1990 indicated that there may be some situations where excessive exposures could occur,” the FCC said in ending the blanket exemption for Amateur Radio. Operation at power levels of 50W PEP or less is “categorically excluded” from “routine evaluation” in most cases.
“Exactly what is involved in conducting a ‘routine evaluation’ is not yet clear,” observed ARRL Executive Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ. The FCC has promised to release a revised OST/OET Bulletin Number 65, “Evaluation Compliance with FCC- Specified Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio frequency Radiation.”
Sumner said that for high-power mobile, indoor antennas, and other situations where there is “uncontrolled exposure” to the public, “amateurs may well have to make changes in how they operate.” The ARRL will be evaluating the new requirements.
The regulations will also require five more questions on RF safety to examinations for Novice, Technician, and General-class elements 2, 3(A) and 4(B). Sumner noted that the Commission’s Report and Order does not take into account the practical problems associated with such a significant revision to the volunteer-administered amateur examinations, and that more time than the Commission has allowed will be required to do a good job.
The Commission acknowledged the updated guidelines generally are more stringent than the current rules but said that the new rules will protect the public and workers from strong RF emissions. Adoption of new rules by August 6 was required by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
In comments filed earlier with the FCC, the ARRL strongly opposed adoption of the new requirements. The ARRL said most Amateur Radio users do not possess the requisite equipment, technical skills, and/or financial resources to conduct an environmental analysis. The League has, for several years, recommended a policy of “prudent avoidance” of exposure to electromagnetic radiation as a common-sense approach to potential—but not yet proven—health hazards and against such practices as running high power to indoor antennas or to mobile antennas that might expose the vehicle’s occupants. The ARRL also argued that amateur stations, because of their intermittent operation, low duty cycles, and relatively low power levels, rarely exceed the 1992 ANSI/IEEE standard. Finally, the ARRL noted that unlike other radio services, RF safety questions already are included in amateur license examinations. But the FCC expressed concern that Amateur Radio operations “are likely to be located in residential neighborhoods and may expose persons to RF fields in excess of the guidelines.”
For now, the League advises hams not to panic and to read up on the subject. You can download the complete Report and Order by pointing to http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Orders/fcc96326.txt. It's 252KB.
Other resources are available on the ARRL page at http://www.arrl.org/news/rfsafety.
(Source: ARRL Bulletins 50,51-Aug 6, 1996)