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Subject:Re: Monitors and radiation From:"Dimock, Dick" <red -at- ELSEGUNDOCA -dot- ATTGIS -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 15 Nov 1995 15:44:00 PST
KWatkins mentions other types of monitor radiation.
I originally intentionally mentioned only X Rays, which our
Richard Wollt effectively debunked, to my own joy.
Right, KWatkins!
We got Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) radiation
coming at us from these monitors. Monochrome or
color, big or little. I've read quite a bit about this
ELF radiation, also called "Power Line Radiation",
and other terms. It is hard to tie a good name to this stuff.
I bought a little field strength meter that measures the
ELF field intensity. When I went to the computer
supermarket to buy my home monitor, I found there was
quite a wide range of ELF output from the various store
demo samples. I bought one that measured low and
looked crisp.
Now with my huge 20-inch color monitor bearing down
on me, I figure I'd better bring my field strength meter
to work and measure this critter's output.
Invariably, the ELF field goes out the sides and top
and bottom, and less to the front (me) and back (my
through-the-wall-neighbor). Usually 2 to 2.5 feet
from the screen is OK. I try for three feet. Remember
the field goes DOWN through the desk, too!
So if you really give a shucks, stay away from the
sides of your monitor, or the monitor next to you in
a sweat shop!
Use a laptop. At least the ELF field is mostly confined
to the area of the outboard power supply adapter thingy.
Stay away from them, too! And keep them away from
your hard disk and floppies.
Also stay WELL away from any mocrowave oven while
it is running. The ELF field is huge! I mean, get 10 or
15 feet away from it in any direction! Damn ELF field
goes through walls, concrete, cast iron, just about
anything but the special alloy shielding metal these
manufacturers SHOULD have used.
Email direct if you have any questions about this stuff.
Sliding away from the Off Topic Outer Limits,
I remain humbly yours,
Dick Dimock
ATT GIS
El Segundo, CA
richard -dot- dimock -at- elsegundoca -dot- attgis -dot- com
