On the harmfulness of microwaves

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I don't worry about +30dBm at 1.9GHz in my pocket from my phone.
I have no paticular insight into microwave safety but +10dBm out of
a waveguide dosn't worry me at all. There are still automatic
door sensors using 10GHz at somthing like +10dBm.

Many microwave ovens are unable to adequately shield a mobile phone so
the permitted leakage level cannot be exactly zero. Worth pointing out
here that your WiFi is at worst case producing around 100mW of 2.4GHz
or 200mW 5GHz (some can go upto 1W EIRP at 5.5GHz).

Putting a mobile phone in a microwave oven is not a good test.
Most current models of microwave oven make the side of
the door a quarter of a wavelength long at 2.4GHz.
The shielding is much less effective at 800/900/1900MHz mobile
phone frequencys. Also in an urban area it would not be
surprising for the phone signal strength to be 50dB above
the minimum level the phone needs so even if the signal is
reduced a lot the phone can still ring inside a microwave.

I used to have a phone with a fun hidden menu that showed
things like the received signal strength of the cells it could hear,
the phone could just about make a call at -110dBm,
At a few places standing down the street from a cell
the reading pegged at the maximum reading of -40dBm.

My wifi access point can supply a low resolution graph of
signal+noise level across the channels.
When I did a quick test the carrier from
the microwave oven downstairs with a mug of water in it was
much stronger than the level from couple of laptops
transfering a test file (UK spec laptops so probably 5-10mW)
so there is certainly some leakage.

Bob

 

[Charlie E.]

The thought had crossed our minds, but we never got that close. On the
other hand, it'd be a cheap substitute for a vasectomy if you're done
breeding, or if you're childfree by choice. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

Back when I worked for GTE, there was a microwave tower up on the
roof. On the ladder going up there, there was a big sign advising
about radiation danger (the tower was 60 feet high...)

One day, we had a window washing crew come in, and one of the guys
went up on the roof to get some of the windows from the top. When he
came down, there was a group of us at the bottom of the ladder,
looking solemn. We looked at him, said "Well, we won't charge you for
the vasecomy." and pointed at the sign.

Then we lost it...

Charlie