Update on Radio Frequency Radiation; Standards and Homeland Security
J.A. Leonowich (Pacific NW National Laboratory)
Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR) continues to be of concern to the general public, particularly with the proliferation of wireless communications devices. This paper will review the status of the update of the IEEE International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES) standard of RFR from 3 kHz to 300 GHz. This document is in the final phases of an extensive revision from the 1998 document. RFR has also become of interest in the area of Homeland Security. There is a potential that RFR sources can be used in malicious ways to interfere with electronic equipment. Pacific NW National Laboratory has been testing ionizing radiation personal radiation detectors as well as survey meters for susceptibility to interference by RFR fields up to 1 GHz. Future work extending the range of testing to 3 GHz will commence this year. The testing will be described, as well as other Homeland Security related issues associated with RFR, such as interference with electrical systems and other critical infrastructures.
