05/06/2021

The IEEE Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR) has issued an invitation to its
webinar, "RF Exposure in the Time of Conspiracies." The 1-hour event is set to
get under way at 1800 UTC on Wednesday, May 12. COMAR is a group of experts on
health and safety issues related to electromagnetic fields, from power line
through microwave frequency ranges. Its primary focus is on biological effects
of non-ionizing electromagnetic¡radiation.

"The real idea behind the webinar is to highlight some of the...news articles,
comments, etc. that purport to declare the hazardous nature of exposure to weak
RF fields, such as those posed by new 5G wireless communications base stations,
explain how they are not scientifically based and, possibly, some ideas on how
to better communicate what we really know about potential health effects," said
COMAR chair Ric Tell, K5UJU.

Presenters are professional engineer Matt Butcher, KC3WD, and Jerrold Bushberg,
a clinical professor of radiology and radiation oncology at the University of
California-Davis School of Medicine. He is an expert on the biological effects,
safety, and interactions of ionizing and nonionizing radiation; a specialist in
risk communication, he holds multiple radiation detection technology patents.
Both are COMAR members. Butcher and Tell are also members of the ARRL RF Safety
Committee.

Tell said that Webex, the platform on which the webinar will be held, imposes a
limit of 1,000 simultaneous connections. Those interested may check in[1] at
1730 UTC, a half-hour before the webinar is scheduled to start.

ARRL RF Safety Committee Chair Greg Lapin, N9GL, said the committee devotes a
lot of time examining the science to help keep people safe, but, he added,
"there remains considerable fear in our society about that exposure. It would
be to our benefit to understand what people are thinking."

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, said radio amateurs are often asked by
neighbors about their stations - either out of curiosity, or concern that the
antennas may pose a safety hazard. "This webinar will help amateurs and the
public understand why radio energy at exposure levels found in standards and
regulations is safe," Hare said. "I look forward to watching this to learn more
about the best ways that we can answer those questions."

Topics on the COMAR webinar agenda include "What is RF?" and "What are the
applicable exposure standards," as well as discussing how to address concerns
on the part of the general public, and how to improve communication.

COMAR is a technical committee of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology
Society. The webinar is free.

[1] https://ieeesa.webex.com/ieeesa/j.php?MTID=mfb635179277b903d7e890c511c06fc91

---
■ Synchronet ■ Whiskey Lover's Amateur Radio BBS