[WEB4LIB] Re: More on Wireless Librarian

[Masters, Gary E]

There are good units that use light waves.

Gary


Gary E. Masters
Librarian (Systems)
CDRH - FDA
(301) 827-6893 

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Stacy Pober [SMTP:spober at manhattan.edu]
	Sent:	Wednesday, September 27, 2000 10:43 PM
	To:	Multiple recipients of list
	Subject:	[WEB4LIB] Re: More on Wireless Librarian

	Am I the only neo-Luddite in the bunch that is worried about the
	possible adverse health effects of the microwave radiation involved
with
	wireless networking?  

	Maybe the official story is that 'jury's still out' with regard to
the
	risks from both wireless LANs and cell phones, but there's already
	enough evidence to give me pause.  

	There's an article by Charles Moore discussing this issue.  It's
	available online at Macworld:
	http://macopinion.com/columns/roadwarrior/99/12/09/

	Here's a quote: 
	"Apple's new AirPort networking system operates in the 2.4 GHz
Frequency
	band at an output power of 15 dBm, while cellphones use the 800MHz
to
	1.9 GHz band. The power output level of cellular phones can range
from
	0.006 of a watt to 0.6 of a watt for handheld units and three to six
	watts for portable units. 2.4 GHz is even farther into microwave
	territory than the cellphone frequencies, and people will be exposed
to
	emissions from wireless LANs for much longer periods of time than
all
	but the most addicted cellphone users. Could the cumulative effect
	ultimately be as bad or worse? I'd like to know before I invest in
	wireless networking capability."

	Other info on health effects of non-ionizing radiation can be found
at
	Microwave News: 
	http://www.microwavenews.com

	I suspect this is one of those technologies where the health effects
	will not be known until after most of us have become the 'guinea
pigs'. 
	There's already plans for using wireless networking in one part of a
new
	library addition being constructed on our campus.  I am not happy
about
	this.  ("Do you need to talk to the librarian?  She's the one over
there
	wearing the tinfoil hat...")

	-- 
	Stacy Pober
	Information Alchemist
	Manhattan College Libraries
	spober at manhattan.edu
	http://www.manhattan.edu/library/