EMF Exposure

Spectrum licences may include a condition requiring licensees to ensure compliance with the limits in the ICNIRP Guidelines on EMF exposure for the protection of the general public. However, this may only to be required with higher transmit power levels. For example, UK wireless regulator Ofcom state that this applies to licensees whose radio equipment is currently authorised to transmit at powers higher than 10 Watts EIRP or 6.1 Watts ERP. Whereas a lot of SDR-based equipment will be operating with an EIRP measured in the hundreds of milliwatts or possibly even less.

That said, this does not mean that such considerations should be ignored and those intending to operate networks should check licence conditions and/or the appropriate legislation.

EM field science is not the simplest and the ICNIRP Guidelines are pretty information dense. However, since the guidelines apply to many other radiocommunications users and notably radio amateurs (at least in the UK), there is a growing body of practical information available online.