Safe Speed Forums

Hi all

I was wondering if there has ever been a study into the health effects of the radar used in GATSO's. My radar detector picks up the GATSO near where i live from about 500 yards away so it must be transmitting a fair amount of radiation to have that range.

As far as im aware they work at a frequency near mobile phones and seeing as schools are always complaining when a mobile mast is put up nearby i wonder if they realise that having a speed camera outside the school gates is probably just as bad.

Just a thought, let me know your views.

Andy

Have a look at this:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs226/en/

Gatso's use 24Ghz.

Gareth

Weren't microwave ovens a direct developement from radar. I seem to remember it was a scientist walked past a radar emitter with a bar of chocolate in his pocket, when he came to eat it, he found it had melted.

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Semper in excreta, nur quantitat variat.

I used to work for a company that made components for microwave radar and apart from glowing in the dark it's had no ill effects

24GHz @ 2-800 milliwatts isn't penetrating, so doesn't cause (much of) a thermal effect. by comparison microwave ovens operate at 1.1GHz @ 800 watts. 1.1GHz is the best (most efficient) frequency for getting water to boil.

Personally I'd worry about mobile phones GSM - 900MHz (0.9GHz) (O2 & Vodaphone), PCN 1.8GHz (1800MHz) (Orange, TMobile & Virgin) or 1.9GHZ if you go to the states.

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Gordon Brown saying I got the country into it's current economic mess so I'll get us out of it is the same as Bomber Harris nipping over to Dresden and offering to repair a few windows.

Chaos, panic and disorder - my work here is done.

http://www.wildcrafts.co.uk

Which is nastier - 0.9GHz or 1.8GHz?

0.9GHz (900MHz) will produce a better thermal effect in the human body as it is the closest to the 1.1GHz frequency for boiling water and seeing as we are approx 70% water.... There is the so called 'non-thermal' effect which is thought to be the effect that any electromagnetic field has on the electrical field that the human body has.

For what it's worth, I still use a mobile phone. I just keep the calls short and use a headset with a shielded cable if it's going to be a long call (Plantronics are about the best as they include a noise cancelling chip that filters out the bulk of outside noise) (swapping ears also helps), Bluetooth I avoid like the plague - just personal preference, if you haven't got it switched on, the phone can't be hacked and it's one less device emitting rf in close proximity to your body.

_________________
Gordon Brown saying I got the country into it's current economic mess so I'll get us out of it is the same as Bomber Harris nipping over to Dresden and offering to repair a few windows.

Chaos, panic and disorder - my work here is done.

http://www.wildcrafts.co.uk