DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
http://www.arrl.org/news/updated-radio-frequency-exposure-rules-become-effective-on-may-3
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-19-126A1.pdf
The FCC published updates to their rules for evaluating RF exposure. Traditionally license holders such as commercial broadcasters have had to periodically analyze their stations for exposure to RF energy but amateur radio (along with some other users, such as commercial two-way users) have been exempt from doing them as a matter of record (e.g. legally). It's always been recommended an analysis be done but it's not been a requirement.
With this change everyone will have to do the analysis and the documentation be available to the FCC. There will still be exemptions (AFAIK the OET Bulletin 65 isn't being revised) but I suspect the main takeaway is now hams will have to start keeping better records and logs so that you can demonstrate you're exempt from doing one.
I made a reference to this in I think recently in a GMRS thread about power limits. There are practical implications here for both ham and GMRS. For example the power limits and length of time you can transmit with handheld or mobile radios and positioning of antennas with respect to yourself and other people.
If you really drill down the only complete safe limit for VHF and higher that requires nothing special is about 2 watts. Above this power you have to usually start thinking about ways to control exposure, give warnings, etc.
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-19-126A1.pdf
The FCC published updates to their rules for evaluating RF exposure. Traditionally license holders such as commercial broadcasters have had to periodically analyze their stations for exposure to RF energy but amateur radio (along with some other users, such as commercial two-way users) have been exempt from doing them as a matter of record (e.g. legally). It's always been recommended an analysis be done but it's not been a requirement.
With this change everyone will have to do the analysis and the documentation be available to the FCC. There will still be exemptions (AFAIK the OET Bulletin 65 isn't being revised) but I suspect the main takeaway is now hams will have to start keeping better records and logs so that you can demonstrate you're exempt from doing one.
I made a reference to this in I think recently in a GMRS thread about power limits. There are practical implications here for both ham and GMRS. For example the power limits and length of time you can transmit with handheld or mobile radios and positioning of antennas with respect to yourself and other people.
If you really drill down the only complete safe limit for VHF and higher that requires nothing special is about 2 watts. Above this power you have to usually start thinking about ways to control exposure, give warnings, etc.
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