Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Tanner Lovelace <lovelace AT wayfarer.org>]

Mark Turner wrote:

> Not to mention dangerous.
>
> True story:
> I was on a phone call at the office a few weeks ago when a HVAC 
> contractor working here got a call on his Nextel. My phone call 
> instantly got bombarded with a loud buzzing sound which didn't stop 
> until the contractor was out of the room, over FIFTY feet away. I've 
> worked with radio for years and I'd never seen anything like that.
>
> Imagine what all that RF energy is doing to his brain. I don't think 
> I'll be using my mobile phone exclusively any time soon!
>
> Cheers,
> --
> Mark Turner (N4JMT)
> www.markturner.net

Well, it depends on what frequencies Nextel uses and what type of
modulation too.  As I'm sure you know Mark, cell phones put out
far less than most ham radio handhelds (which generally can transmit
5 watts of power).  I'd be surprised if Nextel's phones were putting
out even 1 watt.  Instead, it was probably just

a) some weird harmonic relation with the frequency his cell was transmitting 
on
   and your phone (wired or wireless?)
b) something weird with the structure of our office building that
   caused the radio signal to be amplified into your phone.

There's no proof one way or another that radio waves affect adult
brains (behaviour of people with cellphones notwithstanding) ,
so while being cautious, you probably shouldn't throw it out
right away.  There is some research that says it can affect young
kids brains (unfortunately, I don't remember how young), so
keeping the cell away from Hallie would probably be a good idea, though.

Another true story involving radio waves:

Everyone has heard about receiving radio on your braces, or fillings or
what not, and generally discounted it as an urban legend, right?  Well,
I'm here to tell you that it is possible.  My wife, Janell, while needing
a filling replaced (don't remember if it had dropped out or what) actually
received radio signals in her head.  It wasn't like anything you've heard
were people could turn their head and get different channels.  In fact,
it couldn't really be understood at all, since it was quite muffled, but it
was definitely a signal of some sort.  We figured out that it was most
likely something in the CB range rather than broadcast FM, though.  And, it
only did it a couple of times.  Of course, then she went and got the filling
replaced and that stopped it for good, so unfortuantely we couldn't experiment
more with it, but it definitely makes a good story. :-)

Cheers,
Tanner
--
Tanner Lovelace | lovelace(at)wayfarer.org | http://wtl.wayfarer.org/
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