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Answer to Question #3075 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"Category: Microwaves, Radar, and Radiofrequency — Microwaves and Radiofrequency The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field: Q
Is it safe to camp overnight (multiple nights) on the top of a large hill that also hosts a television antennae within about 100 feet horizontally from the base of the tower. The answer to this question would be of significant interest to the many hikers, campers, hunters, and visitors (for the view) to Cedar Mountain outside of Craig, Colorado, where the antenna is located.
A
Ambient radiofrequency fields in the areas surrounding broadcast antennas are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC adheres to the maximum permissible exposure guidelines published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in its C95.1 standard. Areas in which the ambient radiofrequency (RF) fields exceed the maximum permitted exposure (MPE) for unrestricted occupancy by the public are required to be posted and fenced or otherwise restricted. This being the case, one would generally assume that if there are no postings or access restrictions near a specific tower, then the RF fields in the area meet the MPE requirements of ANSI C95.1 and are safe for continuous occupancy. The specific tower you refer to is a low-power (0.1 kw = 100 watts effective radiation power) transmitter according to the data you provided. It would be very unlikely that any nearby areas at ground level would exceed the MPE at this low power level. The FCC Web site contains more-detailed information on its standards and methods to ensure compliance. I recommend in particular Bulletin 56 listed on the FCC Web site. Gary H. Zeman, CHP, ScD
Answer posted on 16 October 2003. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.
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