Occupational Exposure Assessment on an FM Mast: Electric Field and SAR Values

Electric field strengths normally exceed the reference levels for occupational exposure in close vicinity to large frequency modulation (FM) transmitters. Thus, a detailed investigation on compliance with basic restrictions is needed before any administrative protection measures are applied. We prepared a detailed numerical model of a 20-kW FM transmitter on a 32-m mast. An electrically isolated anatomical human model was placed in 3 different positions inside the mast in the region where the values of the electric field were highest. The electric field strengths in this region were up to 700 V/m. The highest calculated whole-body specific absorption rate (SAR) was 0.48 W/kg, whereas the maximum 10-g average SAR in the head and trunk was 1.66 W/kg. The results show that the reference levels in the FM frequency range are very conservative for near field exposure. SAR values are not exceeded even for fields 10 times stronger than the reference levels

Simultaneous Occupational Exposure to FM and UHF Transmitters

Occupational exposure caused by large broadcasting transmitters exceeds current reference levels. As it is common for different radio and TV transmitters to share the location, we analysed combined exposure on a 40-m high mast. The frequency modulation (FM) transmitter, located between the 10th and 30th metre, had the power of 25 kW, whereas an ultra-high frequency (UHF) transmitter of 5 kW occupied the top 8 m of the mast. Measured and calculated values of the electric field strength exceeded the reference levels up to 10 times; however, the results for the specific absorption rate (SAR) values show that the reference levels are very conservative for FM exposure, i.e., basic restrictions are not exceeded even when the reference levels are exceeded 10 times. However, for UHF exposure the reference levels are not conservative; they give a good prediction of real exposure