RF Safety

Every Amateur Radio Operator should be aware that there may be health risks associated with exposure to Radio Frequency (RF) energy. Normally, the levels of power, and antennas  used by Amateurs result in levels which are considered safe by government authorities, but if you run the legal power limit, or lower than average antennas, read on....

In Canada, the rules and guidelines covering the subject of RF Safety, are published by the Federal Government in a document entitled "Safety Code 6" It is a long and very technical document, but reading the material available at the following web sites should help to understand the significance. 

Industry Canada does not require that all Canadian amateurs evaluate their transmitting stations for compliance with Safety code 6, but Radio Amateurs of Canada provides the following information to help you decide what might be appropriate in your situation.

Canadian RF Safety Information

	Health Canada: About Safety Code 6
	Industry Canada: RSS-102 Radio Frequency Exposure Compliance of Radiocommunication Apparatus (All Frequency Bands)
	Industry Canada: GL-01 - Guidelines for the Measurement of Radio Frequency Fields at Frequencies from 3 kHz to 300 GHz
	Industry Canada: GL-02 - Guidelines for the Protection of the General Public in Compliance with Safety Code 6

USA RF Safety Information

The following links provide access to a great deal of information about RF Safety and Amateur Radio. The information is provided by the ARRL to help US amateurs understand and respond to the  FCC Regulations governing RF Safety. These rules are similar to but not necessarily the same as the Canadian regulations set out in Safety Code 6.

	Frequently Asked Questions about RF Safety
	ARRL RF Safety Publications
	RF Safety Handbook
	How Safe is Your Shack?
	RF Heating in the Ham Bands
	Is Amateur Radio Hazardous to our Health?
	How Dangerous is RF Radiation?
	Other RF Safety-Related Sites
	RF Exposure Regulations News
	ARRL RF Safety Committee
	N9GL's RF Safety Column
	RF Safety (QSL-Net)
	RSI RF Safety Terminology
	RF Safety Page

The following links to calculators and computer programs will allow you to estimate minimum safe distances from your antennas, based on the FCC regulations. (While Canadian regulations are similar, they are not necessarily exactly the same.)

	K1DWU's On-line  Amateur Radio RF Safety Calculator
	RFSAFETY.BAS

Other Useful Links

	Industry Canada Amateur Radio Service Centre
	(RIC-66) - Addresses and Telephone Numbers of Regional and District Offices
	RR - Radiocommunication Regulations