Ask HN: Can you recommend a radiometer to measure phone radiation?

7 points by kekebo ↗ HN

6 comments

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(or RF radiation in general, wether related to wifi, gsm or other sources)
I believe that what you’re looking for is called a “spectrum analyzer”. You’ll need a calibrated antenna, too.

I’m guessing that SAR (specific absorption rate) is usually measured with a block of soggy flesh-imitating goo that’s set up as a calorimeter, though. You could look up how the FCC defines SAR, perhaps.

The consensus standard for this sort of test is IEEE 1528, and you are absolutely correct. The test uses a gel phantom (the standard provides a few formulations for different frequencies but most are a mixture of water, salt, sugar, and a thickener) and it is poked at with a sensitive probe to measure local temperature rise.
thanks to both of you for the specific info
Wrong sort of radiation. A mobile phone emits radio waves not ionizing atomic particles. No ionizing radiation of any kind in fact.

Which is why mobile phones are completely harmless (from a radiation perspective anyway).

Careful not to go out in the sunshine though.