Mast(er) Class

This article was submitted by a villager who wishes to share information on mobile phone mast technology and the effects of man-made electromagnetic radiation.

Mast Technology and Electromagnetic Radiation

As many Lindal and Marton villagers will now know, the village is threatened with the installation of a G3 mobile phone mast.   No!   This is not another message urging you to protest but an attempt to describe, to anyone who is interested, just a little of the technology and health hazards arising from such systems.

All connected power lines and radio transmitters radiate electromagnetic fields. In the case of power lines both magnetic (due to the current) and electric (due to the voltage) fields are produced. Radio transmitters generate only electric fields. The most spectacular natural example of these fields occurs prior to and during a lightning strike. The invisible electric fields between clouds or between clouds and earth become so great that the air is no longer able to prevent the massive release of energy which we see as lightning. Where, at first, there was only an electric field, a magnetic field is also generated around the lightning strike due to the highly visible current flow.

The nature of man-made electromagnetic radiation is dependent upon its frequency measured in Hertz (cycles per second) and ranges from very low to extremely high frequencies and includes infra red, visible light, ultra violet, X-rays and Gamma rays. To give an idea of the vast range of typical frequencies involved, here are some examples:

This enormous frequency range illustrates how different the effects of electromagnetic radiation can be when it comes to the possibility of damage to human and animal tissues. Prolonged exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields has been found to cause a small increase in the incidence of childhood leukemia.   

Dutch Government sponsored research has just shown that radiation from G3 mobile phone masts has caused physical effects after short term exposure.

Intense light can damage eyesight.

Excessive infra-red exposure can result in burning of the skin due to the heating effect.

We should all be aware of the risks of skin cancer arising from damage caused by ultra violet radiation from the sun.

The dosage of medical X-rays is carefully controlled since they have sufficient energy to break down atoms and damage human cells causing genetic defects and cancer.

Gamma rays, also used under strict control in medical diagnosis and treatment, are potentially even more damaging than X-rays.