RF Exposure Calculator
Estimate RF exposure conditions for a ham radio station setup.
Estimate RF exposure conditions
Enter transmitter power, frequency, antenna gain, and separation distance to estimate a conservative far-field power density and get a practical review recommendation.
Common setup examples
Load a realistic station profile to compare screening assumptions quickly.
RF exposure estimate
Exposure summary
| Item | Value | Why it matters |
|---|
Operator notes
Areas of concern
About RF exposure
Amateur operators may need to evaluate RF exposure depending on station power, antenna gain, duty cycle, and how close people can get to the antenna system. This is especially relevant for fixed stations, rooftop antennas, portable setups in public spaces, and higher-duty digital operation.
This calculator is meant as a practical planning screen, not an official compliance decision. It gives you a conservative starting estimate so you can decide whether a more detailed review is warranted before transmitting.
Safer and higher-risk operating conditions
Lower average power, lower antenna gain, greater separation distance, and lower-duty operating modes usually move conditions in a safer direction. Typical examples include modest-power portable work, receive-heavy operation, and setups where people cannot approach the antenna closely.
Conditions deserve more caution when average power stays high, duty cycle is high, directional gain is strong, or people can get close to the antenna or main lobe. Rooftop installations above occupied areas, fixed stations with limited separation, and sustained digital operation are common reasons to do a more careful review.
Common exposure reference levels
For a practical FCC-style screening reference, these general population / uncontrolled power-density limits are the ranges most amateur operators usually care about. They are not the whole compliance method, but they give you a benchmark for what the estimate is being compared against.
| Frequency range | Reference level | Operator takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| 1.34 to 30 MHz | 180 / f² mW/cm² | Lower HF limits tighten quickly as frequency drops, so 160m and 80m deserve more spacing. |
| 30 to 300 MHz | 0.2 mW/cm² | VHF uses a fixed screening level across this range. |
| 300 to 1500 MHz | f / 1500 mW/cm² | UHF limits scale upward with frequency, but higher antenna gain still matters a lot. |
| 1500 MHz and up | 1.0 mW/cm² | Microwave screening uses a fixed reference level in this range. |
These values are summarized from FCC general population / uncontrolled MPE guidance with 30-minute averaging. Other countries and some station types may use different limits or evaluation methods.