Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!netsys!vector!telecom-gateway From: ron@ron.rutgers.edu (Ron Natalie) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Possible Cancer Risk from Cellular Phones? Message-ID: Date: 23 Mar 89 15:24:45 GMT Sender: news@vector.UUCP Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 19 Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 106, message 6 of 7 Carcinogenic? Not quite. There are serious problems that result from microwave exposure. The most widely known fo these is the increased risk of cataracts. There was quite a scare on this subject in the ham radio community, more so than in the cellular field, since hams were frequently using walkie talkies. When you hold the thing up to talk into it the antenna is sitting right there at your forehead. The frequencies and powers are approximately the same. Nothing conclusive was established about the effects of these relatively low power levels (3 watts for cellular, 1-5 watts for ham radios), but the ARRL (the largest association of ham radio operators in the US) suggests that you try to keep the antenna away from your head. Notice that this would only correspond to hand held portable cellular telephones. Most mobile units have the antennas (and for that matter the radio transmitter itself) mounted away from the car occupants. My personal opinion is that there is more of threat from people being inattentive to their driving while operating their telephones than there are from microwave radiation. -Ron