Subelement Q: SAFETY— Topic 99: Radiation Exposure
Question 3-99Q2
Element 3 (GROL)Sites having multiple transmitting antennas must include antennas with more than _______% of the maximum permissible power density exposure limit when evaluating RF site exposure.
Explanation
When evaluating RF exposure at sites with multiple transmitting antennas, the FCC requires that all antennas contributing more than **5%** of the maximum permissible power density exposure (MPE) limit at a specific location must be included in the cumulative RF exposure calculations.
This **5%** threshold (Answer B) is a practical rule set by the FCC to ensure that significant contributors to the overall RF field are accounted for, while avoiding the overly complex and often negligible contributions of very low-power or distant sources. It balances safety by requiring analysis of all relevant emitters with the practicality of site evaluation.
* **A) Any:** Requiring "any" contribution would be impractical and overly burdensome, as even extremely distant or low-power sources would need analysis.
* **C) 1%:** While more conservative, the FCC has determined that 5% is a sufficient threshold for safety without undue complexity.
* **D) 12.5%:** This threshold would be too high, potentially omitting sources that could contribute meaningfully to the total cumulative exposure, thus potentially underestimating the overall RF field and compromising safety.
Related Questions
3-98P6 What is DGPS?3-99Q1 Compliance with MPE, or Maximum Permissible Exposure to RF levels (as defined in FCC Part 1, OET Bulletin 65) for “controlled” environments, are averaged over _______ minutes, while “uncontrolled” RF environments are averaged over ______ minutes.3-99Q3 RF exposure from portable radio transceivers may be harmful to the eyes because:3-99Q4 At what aggregate power level is an MPE (Maximum Permissible Exposure) study required?3-99Q5 Why must you never look directly into a fiber optic cable?