Measuring Microwave Output From A Laptop? 108
bethorphil asks: "I was shopping online for a laptop today, and as I was choosing my processor speed, I noticed that the clock frequency of a decent CPU (2.4 GHz) was about the same frequency as the radiation used in a microwave oven. This got me thinking about recent headlines of laptop heat causing male infertility. If the heat alone is a threat, It would make sense that holding a 40-watt microwave emitter in your lap could cause even more serious problems down the road. I assume (optimistically, perhaps) that laptops are designed to shield the user from radiation, and not just to protect the system from interference. , but what I'd really like is a way to test for myself how much microwave radiation actually comes from my laptop. So far, the most interesting thing my searches have come up with is this quack-tastic low emission PC, but actual tools for an amateur to measure this stuff seem hard to come by. What's the best way to find out if my laptop is nuking the family jewels?"
40 watt microwave? (Score:5, Interesting)
As for how to measure the amount of microwave radiation a laptop emits, that would require special equipment that you are not likely to have at home. But the FCC does put serious limits on the RF that it's allowed to emit. I'll bet the actual microwave RF emitted is under a watt. Probably less than 1/10th of a watt.
Now, if you have WiFi, that will emit about 250 mW of power when it's actively transmitting. Which is a small percentage of the time. But your WiFi card probably does emit more microwave radiation than the rest of the laptop combined ...
As for microwaves causing infertility, that has yet to be really shown.
The microwave stays in the chip (Score:4, Interesting)
Microwave test (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:40 watt microwave? (Score:3, Interesting)
>that it's allowed to emit. I'll bet the actual
>microwave RF emitted is under a watt.
>Probably less than 1/10th of a watt.
Hmmmm... Perhaps you might want to look at CISPR22 or CFR 47 Part 15 (FCC limits on conducted and emitted radiation from (currently) 150kHz to only 1 GHz. Even if below Class A limits, you will be radiating more than 10mW.
>Now, if you have WiFi, that will emit about
>250 mW of power when it's actively
>transmitting. Which is a small percentage
>of the time. But your WiFi card probably
>does emit more microwave radiation than
>the rest of the laptop combined
I have tested some USB units that were blessed by some major labs as conforming to EN55022. But I found some test configurations that were twice Class A limits (and that was on a log scale).
Re:I won't worry about the laptop (Score:1, Interesting)
Good article on microwaves and food (Score:1, Interesting)
This was in the "Nutrition Action Health Letter" from the Center for Science in the Public Interest a few months ago. Its a very reputable publication (I recommend a subscription for anyone that tries to eat healthy).
Zapchecker (Score:3, Interesting)
Mine shows some radiation form my computer.