Mark at a 1999 Congressional briefing, from video courtesy of the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT).Mark at a 1999 Congressional briefing, from video courtesy of the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

Mark F. Hutchins • Consulting Radiofrequency Engineer

"...A Nationally-Recognized Expert In The Field"

Numerous marketing associations with "magic" radio waves were part of Radio's "Golden Age": a New Orleans coffee, for instance, and the Radio Foods Corporation milk label shown here.

"Birds would fly around the tower and die, man, that's how powerful it was.  If you did the show from the radio station, the RF that drifted around the station, it was like you smoked a joint, you know."

Robert Weston Smith (Wolfman Jack) discussing Station XERF in a 1994 RADIO WORLD interview.

The late Wolfman's experience notwithstanding, the less sanguine reality is the danger posed by these waves and adoption of increasingly stringent standards, based primarily on thermal effects.  Additionally, a number of scientists and health experts feel the risk from the RF that "drifts" around - more accurately, biological effects from low-level non-ionizing radiation exposure - merits further study and caution.

"The participants agreed that biological effects from low-intensity exposures are scientifically established.  However, the current state of scientific consensus is inadequate to derive reliable exposure standards.  The existing evidence demands an increase in the research efforts on the possible health impact and on an adequate exposure and dose assessment."

October 25-28, 1998

Mobile Phones & Health Symposium Preamble

University of Vienna, Austria

"The intensity of radiation from a cellular telephone mast one would be exposed to is very low, mainly because of the distance from the mast. The intensity is generally considered to be harmless. However, some scientific studies have suggested that exposure to radiation similar in intensity to those from cellular telephone masts is not completely safe."

January 11, 1999

Henry Lai, Ph.D. - Research Professor

Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington

"Following its review of the currently available scientific literature, the panel has concluded that additional research is needed on the potential health effects of RF fields. While exposures to RF fields can cause certain biological effects, more research is also needed to understand how these changes occur. Additional research is also needed to examine whether certain population subgroups such as children are more susceptible to the effects of exposure to RF fields."

March 31, 1999

A Review of the Potential Health Risks of Radiofrequency Fields from Wireless Telecommunication Devices

The Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel Report

Mark F. Hutchins has the expertise to properly evaluate RFR safety in terms of current standards.  He has found hazards missed in safety studies by experts from MIT and Lucent Technologies / Bell Laboratories.  He assisted the 1997 FCC evaluation of the Mount Mansfield tower site, which corroborated his earlier determination of excessive levels near the Visitor Center.

Power density calculations may be adequate in many situations; municipal clients should note that measurements of a fully-populated cellular monopole will typically fall significantly below the FCC guidelines for Maximum Permissible Exposure.  However, measurements often prove more conclusive and less expensive, particularly at multiple-emitter sites, and Mark can properly determine compliance with the relevant guideline.  When necessary, he can explore effective RFR mitigation at problematic sites.  For example, the FCC granted a 1996 application to double the FM Effective Radiated Power on Vermont's Lincoln Peak, based on his report citing an antenna configuration that lowered exposure on the ground.

Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR) Exposure
Mark at a 1999 Congressional briefing, from video courtesy of the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT).Mark at a 1999 Congressional briefing, from video courtesy of the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT).Mark at a 1999 Congressional briefing, from video courtesy of the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT).