is it safe to use a handheld tranceiver at 5W?

slipknot · Post by **slipknot** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:33 pm

hi all.
Im a little worried that becuase ive used a Handheld CB radio for about 3 years. does anyone know if its safe to use them?

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:09 pm

We teach on the comms course, Low power next to head, high power away from body Via external handpiece. The jury is still out on whether long term exposure causes problems hence better safe than sorry in later life.
Nick

slipknot · Post by **slipknot** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:20 pm

I guess its less then the exposure people get from using mobile phones i guess.

WPXZBP · Post by **WPXZBP** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:44 pm

More power, lower frequency from a UHF CB handheld.

As was noted, the jury is still out but from a basic physics standpoint, the higher the frequency, the greater the energy and the greater the damage the could be caused.

Post by **robbage** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:19 pm

Much like smoking, the people that have a vested interest in equipment that uses RF have a strong influence on the information that winds its way to the user. As a primary defence contractor, we are required to have RF exposure training. The information we get is a little more honest.
Wes is totally correct on the aspect of higher frequency=higher danger. Mobile phones are much less power than a 5w CB, but the freq is a lot higher and some people tend to spend a lot more time on a phone. Those hands-free earphone thingies are better but they also radiate. Why they don't have ferrite beads I'll never know. So to answer your question: How long is a piece of string? Get the mike/earpiece thingie.

slipknot · Post by **slipknot** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:05 pm

but then again, they dont use high gain antennas, they are only rubber duckie antennas, does this make it safer?

Post by **robbage** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:21 pm

slipknot wrote:but then again, they dont use high gain antennas, they are only rubber duckie antennas, does this make it safer?

It makes them safer than a hand-held with a full size Â¼ wave or a high gain, yes. It's wasted power, though. I guess this would have been on the F course but the rule of thumb is to use the least amount of power that's needed to get the job done. Also, wear a tinfoil hat

Post by **Bonez** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:30 pm

If you listen to a metro repeater channel and hear the all of the spastics on there you will quickly find out really how much damage 5W can do to you...

Just kidding

I've been using handhelds for years and to be honest I worry more about using my mobile phone than using a hand-held radio.

Post by **robbage** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:15 pm

Bonez wrote:If you listen to a metro repeater channel and hear the all of the spastics on there you will quickly find out really how much damage 5W can do to you...

Thanks for making me choke on my ice-cream

Post by **vk6hgr** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:24 pm

Well I dunno about CB but amateurs have had their heads in close proximity to high RF fields for a long time, and we're all perfectly normal...

Post by **Zebedee** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:14 pm

vk6hgr wrote:Well I dunno about CB but amateurs have had their heads in close proximity to high RF fields for a long time, and we're all perfectly normal...

Hmmmmmmmmm

Post by **jasonjag** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:30 pm

Zebedee wrote:
vk6hgr wrote:Well I dunno about CB but amateurs have had their heads in close proximity to high RF fields for a long time, and we're all perfectly normal...
Hmmmmmmmmm

Gavin says: quote: and we're all perfectly normal...[/quote]

Doug says: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I say : there is few that are not normal.. lol

Post by **playworth** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:49 pm

i wonder if he delete that and throw a book @ you for saying that hahahaa

Post by **Bonez** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:59 pm

vk6hgr wrote:Well I dunno about CB but amateurs have had their heads in close proximity to high RF fields for a long time, and we're all perfectly normal...

I really wanted to comment to this post but I don't think I can, without saying something that will offend anyone.

Some of us are normal, some others are not so normal!

But we are all here for one reason - to share a great hobby and to interact with others who share the same interests

Post by **robbage** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:52 pm

What's normal? If almost everybody is insane, then the sane person isn't normal. And they sure as hell don't belong in this forum either