Another RFI Question... Cell Tower

I've looked up and read that cell towers probably won't affect the latest pacemakers. Yet, I haven't heard of any experience with close proximity to them (hours of exposure at a time).

Going on vacation shortly. And the hotel we usually stay at has a cell tower right in the parking lot. The antenna array is well above the parking lot and the hotel. The most I've found through google is that the power from these towers is quite low, compared to radio or TV towers. Yet, the possibility of being so close (200 feet) I've wondered if we should just say heck with it and stay at the next closest place a couple miles away that we aren't familiar with.

So, my question is, has anyone been in close proximity to a cell tower and if so, was there any ill effects?

3 Comments

Not to worry

by Theknotguy - 2015-03-15 09:03:41

Fortunately I go by two twin TV towers broadcasting at a 60 mile radius. No problems. While the intensity (wattage) is high enough to cause problems, the frequency isn't. Unlike the old CB radios where there could be bleed over in frequency from one channel to another, the TV frequency isn't even close to the frequency used by the PM's. So I could sit in the parking lot next to the TV towers all day with no problems.

Same for the cell phone tower. It's at the wrong frequency. And, unlike the old CB radios there isn't any bleed over to bother the PM's. Not to mention it's a low intensity.

In a previous post I pointed out an experiment at the University of Michigan found out that an EXTERNAL pacemaker had to be within 8 to 10 feet of a transmitter antenna before anything would happen. An INTERNAL pacemaker had to be within 2 INCHES of a transmitter before anything would happen. The transmitter had to be at the right frequency and also have enough power. The cell towers have neither.

Enjoy your vacation. Of course, you could use your PM as an excuse to upgrade to a better room at no charge.

I was volunteering at the charity. They wanted me to go over to the other warehouse and do work on some furniture there. But I'd be working by myself. So they got to thinking that if I'd get hurt the bad publicity of having a guy with a PM working in an unheated warehouse by himself wouldn't do them any good. So they changed their mind and had me stay at the main workshop. I didn't mind as the main workshop was heated.

So you could point out you have a PM and it wouldn't do any good for them if something happened. We know the cell tower won't cause any problems but they won't. Might not work but hey, it's worth a try. Wink, wink.

Have a good vacation.

Wink Wink...

by wxman - 2015-03-16 11:03:43

Thanks, and good idea. Could also use it as a reason to go stay at the luxury place down the road. "Honest dear, it's the safe thing to do." ;)

No Problems From Cell Tower

by wxman - 2015-04-08 07:04:17

Just a followup comment on my question in case anyone else searches this subject:

I did stay at the hotel with the cell tower in the parking lot. The base of the tower was about 100 feet from my room. Absolutely no problem with the pacemaker. No effects at all from the antenna. I checked throughout to be sure the pacer was indeed pacing properly (with a pulse meter). And felt no ill effects either.

Cell tower didn't affect the pacer.

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