One of the perennial topics of debate which tends to receive a fair amount of sensationalized coverage in the press, is the effects of RF energy on living tissue. Although it is clear that prolonged exposure to high power levels (~200+ Watts) can produce detrimental effects, particularly at frequencies in the GHz range (e.g., microwave links), the many studies and legal battles that have proliferated around the subject of mild-to-moderate energy levels have so far provided little conclusive evidence of long-term effects of exposure at these moderate levels (e.g., <2 watts at 500 MHz). Since long-term effects imply a lengthy research cycle, it may take some time before any such effects, if any, are known. In the meantime, an element of prudent caution within reason seems in order. Unfortunately, the fear of the unknown, particularly where the term "radiation" is involved, remains a strong emotional element in the debate, and in certain cases has motivated some people beyond rational extremes.

There should be no confusion between the concepts of RF energy "radiating" out from its source, and "ionizing radiation" such as gamma, x-ray radiation, and alpha particles. This latter form of radiation is referred to as "ionizing radiation" due to its tendency to disassociate molecules into their constituent (ionized) fragments. Ionizing radiation impinging upon biological tissue effectively breaks the electron bonding in some of the molecules in the cells exposed and, in more severe cases, tends to damage the exposed cell's ability to undergo mitosis (cellular division), limiting...