Cell Phone CONTENT
- Step 1: Buy a cell phone with a low SAR rating.
- Step 2: Join the cell phone network with the best coverage in your area.
- Step 3: Only use your cell phone when you have a strong signal.
- Step 4: Don’t obstruct your cell phone’s antenna.
- Step 5: Use a land-line or a hands free kit for long conversations.
Research into cell phone safety has yet to establish any significant safety risks associated with cell phone use. All cell phones that are currently available fall within the safety limits that have been set by governments. However, it is widely recognised that cell phone use has increased so rapidly that research into its safety has been left lagging behind. Although cell phones have not yet been proven to endanger those who use them, neither have they been proven to be completely safe. Those who wish to minimise their risks while continuing to use their cell phones can do so by following these five steps to safer cell phone use.
Step 1: Buy a Cell Phone With a Low SAR Rating.
The SAR rating of a cell phone is a measure of the amount of radiation from the phone that is absorbed into the brain in normal use. The law now requires that all cell phones have their SAR displayed on their packaging. All cell phones that are commercially available fall within the prescribed safety standard of 1.6W/Kg in America and 2W/Kg in Europe and Japan. However, SAR ratings vary from over 1.5W/Kg for some phones to less than 0.5W/Kg for others. Buying a cell phone with a low SAR rating is a great way to significantly reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation.
Step 2: Join the Cell Phone Network With the Best Coverage in Your Area.
Modern cell phones use adaptive power control. This means that they use as little power as is necessary in order to communicate with the nearest base station. The less power your cell phone uses, the less radiation it will emit, and so the less radiation you will absorb. By joining the network with the best coverage in your local area you will reduce the power that your cell phone uses, extending its battery life and reducing your exposure to radiation. One way to check local coverage (in the U.S.) is by visiting the Cell Phone Reception Guide. http://www.cellreception.com/
Step 3: Only Use Your Cell Phone When You Have a Strong Signal.
The adaptive power control technology in modern cell phones means that the better your phone signal, the less power your phone uses, and so the less radiation you are exposed to. If you use your cell phone in areas where signal coverage is poor, then you are increasing your exposure to radiation, so before you use your cell phone make sure that the signal is strong. If it isn’t, check around. Signal strength can vary dramatically even from place to place within the same room. Just turning so that your head isn’t between your phone and the window, interfering with your call, can make a difference.
Step 4: Don’t Obstruct Your Cell Phone’s Antenna.
Obstructing the antenna of your cell phone during use increases the amount of radiation from it that is absorbed into the brain. This is because obstructing the antenna of your phone reduces its efficiency, causing your phone to use more power in order to maintain signal quality, and so to emit more radiation. It may also be that obstructing the antenna of your phone increases the proportion of the radiation from it that you absorb, reflecting some of it off your hand and back into your head. To minimise the risks of cell phone use, you should therefore always hold your phone at its base, causing minimum obstruction to the antenna.
Step 5: Use a Land-Line for Long Conversations.
Most of the safety concerns associated with cell phone use relate to the way that the radiation emitted by cell phones in normal use heats the brain. These concerns increase as exposure increases. For safest use, you can therefore restrict your use of cell phones to shorter conversations; if you’re going to talk to someone for hours, then wait until you get home. If you really want to use your cell phone for long conversations, then consider buying a Hands Free Kit in order to reduce your exposure to radiation.
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