The ARRL Letter July 25, 2019 Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, Editor [Note: Clicking on the story links below will take you to the news article as it appears in The ARRL Letter on the ARRL website.] · ARRL Field Day 2019 Attracts Nearly 3,100 Entries · ARES Responds to Early July Earthquakes and Aftershocks in Southern California · Millions of AMPRNet Internet Addresses Sold to Fund Grants and Scholarships · So Now What? Podcast · ARRL’s 2018 Annual Report is Now Available · Amateur Radio Being Showcased at 2019 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin · IEEE Symposium Exhibit Displays the Breadth of Amateur Radio · The K7RA Solar Update · Just Ahead in Radiosport · Scouts Attending World Scout Jamboree Set to Talk with Space Station via Ham Radio · Some European Telecoms Regulators Keeping an Open Mind on French 2-Meter Proposal · In Brief... · Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions ARRL Field Day 2019 Attracts Nearly 3,100 Entries The 30-day deadline to submit ARRL Field Day entries via app upload and (timely postmarked) USPS mail is now past, and the ARRL Contest Branch reports 3,070 entries have been logged into the system. Last year saw 2,903 entries. ARRL Radiosport and Field Services Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, said the total does not include entries postmarked by July 23 and still in transit. A number of entries still show a status of “PENDING.” These include 280 incomplete entries that are missing the required list of call signs by band/mode (also known as a “Dupe Sheet”), or a Cabrillo file. “This requirement is to ensure that claimed contact totals do not include duplicate contacts on the same band and mode,” Jahnke said. “These entries, if not complete, may end up as check logs in the final listings.” An additional 191 entries are missing something other than Dupe Sheets. “These entries are complete,” Jahnke explained. “Their scores at present are not benefitting from certain bonuses, for which documentation is still outstanding,” he said. “Confirmation for entries submitted online using the web app include a link to update your entry. If ARRL generated the entry from paper, or if you are unable to update your entry, submitpending documentation via email, and the Contest Branch will update your entry, assuming that documentation/photos confirm the bonus points claimed.” Updates are permitted until August 23. After that, all entries as of that moment will be considered final. Results will appear in the December 2019 issue of QST. Jahnke encouraged groups to separately submit photos with captions for possible inclusion in QST. Individuals should be identified by names and call signs, and any subject younger than 18 years old will require a signed publication release. Photos should have a minimum resolution of 250 kB. ARES Responds to Early July Earthquakes and Aftershocks in Southern California On the morning of July 4, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked the California High Desert, with its epicenter near Trona in the Searles Valley, not far from Ridgecrest, population roughly 29,000. ARES volunteer Jerry Brooks, KK6PA, activated the Eastern Kern County ARES Net, and, as members assessed their own situations and were able to participate, activity grew on the Eastern Kern County ARES Emergency Net. Others filled in as Net Control Stations a the activation progressed. The Logistics Chief with the Ridgecrest Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Robert Oberfeld, contacted Eastern Kern County ARES to ask that a radio operator be assigned to the Ridgecrest Police Department mobile communications van at the EOC. Eastern Kern County ARES was able to relay information from mobile operators to the EOC regarding roadway conditions in the area, as several main highways — including Highway 178, the only route between Ridgecrest and Trona — had been rendered impassable. CalTrans was alerted, and repair crews had the route opened for limited traffic within a short time. As the aftershocks lessened and the extent of the damage by the first temblor had been assessed, the EOC requested that ARES stand down but remain on standby. The next day, Friday, July 5, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck in the early evening. This was followed over the next 2 hours nearly 2 dozen aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 4.5 to 5.5. When Eastern Kern County ARES activated again, significantly more damage had occurred, with the result that fewer operators were immediately available. More subsequently came on board to provide their observations to the EOC. In all, 57 operators were active at various times on the emergency net, providing status and updates. Eastern Kern County ARES stood down from active status at 9 PM on Sunday. “The ensuing days have brought thousands of aftershocks of generally small magnitude, but the threat of larger aftershocks remains, so Eastern Kern County ARES remains on stand by for now,” said Dennis Kidder, W6DQ. Aftershocks are expected to continue for a long time, he said. Read more. — Thanks to Dennis Kidder, W6DQ, Eastern Kern County ARES Millions of AMPRNet Internet Addresses Sold to Fund Grants and Scholarships The proceeds from this month’s sale of some 4 million unused consecutive AMPRNetTM internet addresses will fund operations of the nonprofit Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC). This will establish a program of grants and scholarships in support of communications and networking research — with a strong emphasis on Amateur Radio, an ARDC news release said. ARDC manages AMPRNet. While the sale fetched “several million dollars,” ARDC said that its Board of Directors had agreed to keep the exact figure confidential for now, “to avoid adversely influencing others buying and selling addresses.” The addresses sold came out of a block of some 16 million internet addresses obtained nearly 40 years ago and “devoted exclusively to Amateur Radio” for TCP/IP ham radio networking. Ownership of the addresses passed to an informal group of hams that included Phil Karn, KA9Q; Wally Lindstruth, WA6JPR (SK), and later, Brian Kantor, WB6CYT. Karn and Kantor remain on the ARDC Board. In its statement, ARDC said the sale decision was unanimous and that proceeds would be invested, in the hope that they will become “a perpetual endowment from which each year we will award grants and scholarships to qualified recipients who will use the funds to advance the state of the communications arts.” ARDC said it intends to grant funds “across all reaches of the educational, research, and development spectrum,” with awards going toward the support of qualified IRS 501(c)(3) organizations. No grants or scholarships have been granted as yet. ARDC said it is forming a committee to screen future candidate organizations. So Now What? Podcast “Tips on Using Coax Cable” will be the focus of the new (July 25) episode of the So Now What? podcast for Amateur Radio newcomers. If you’re a newly licensed Amateur Radio operator, chances are you have lots of questions. This biweekly podcast has answers! So Now What? offers insights from those who’ve been just where you are now. New episodes will be posted every other Thursday, alternating new-episode weeks with the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. So Now What? is sponsored by LDG Electronics, a family owned and operated business with laboratories in southern Maryland that offers a wide array of antenna tuners and other Amateur Radio products. ARRL Communications Content Producer Michelle Patnode, W3MVP, and ARRL Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, co-host the podcast. Presented as a lively conversation, with Patnode representing newer hams and Carcia the veteran operators, the podcast will explore questions that newer hams may have and the issues that keep participants from staying active in the hobby. Some episodes will feature guests to answer questions on specific topic areas. Listeners can find So Now What? on Apple iTunes, Blubrry, Stitcher(free registration required, or browse the site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android devices. Episodes will be archived on the ARRL website. ARRL’s 2018 Annual Report is Now Available ARRL has announced the release of its 2018 Annual Report to members. In his message to members, ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, said “new generation” hams engage with Amateur Radio in a very different way than hams of his generation. “Through extensive research, we’ve learned that they come to Amateur Radio hoping to learn how to use it in aid of their communities, and for enhancing the fun they’re already having while camping, hiking, or doing other outdoor activities,” President Roderick said. “We’ve also learned that they’ve been discouraged by the difficulty of finding information and help that would allow them to get involved.” He said ARRL has turned its attention toward those hams over the past year, and he directed readers to read about ARRL’s new Lifelong Learning Department, which, he said, “will create learning materials for Amateur Radio enthusiasts at all levels of knowledge — but especially for the beginners.” “I’m excited about the new ways in which the organization is preparing to fulfill its mission to advance the art, science, and enjoyment of Amateur Radio,” President Roderick concluded. “I hope you are, too.” In his message, Chief Executive Officer Howard Michel, WB2ITX, said ARRL is at a crossroads, “and we need to look seriously at what we are and what we do. For ARRL to remain relevant to Amateur Radio, it must evolve. That evolution, while swift, can’t be haphazard.” “We are about relationships and information. We are about creating, curating, and disseminating information about Amateur Radio,” Michel said. Members may download and read ARRL’s 2018 Annual Report on the ARRL website. Set Adobe Reader to its two-page viewing mode to better view the larger layout. Read more. Amateur Radio Being Showcased at 2019 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin ARRL member-volunteers are part of the excitement at the 2019 International Experimental Aircraft Association annual AirVenture show, which wraps up on July 29 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This year marks the 50th anniversary of EAA AirVenture, which drew more than 600,000 visitors and 10,000 aircraft last year. The ARRL exhibit highlights radio communications, encouraging pilots and aviation enthusiasts to discover the many facets of Amateur Radio and to expand their interest in technology. ARRL Product Development Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, organized the booth (#2152 in Hangar B) and all-volunteer team. “This is a great opportunity to show off Amateur Radio at such a large-scale event,” Inderbitzen said. “There’s a kinship among the aviation and Amateur Radio communities. In addition to introducing newcomers to ham radio, we met over 600 ham-pilots at last year’s AirVenture.” (See “Growing Amateur Radio, One Pilot at a Time,” January 2019, QST, pp. 77 – 80.) Icom America and EAA Warbirds of America have organized special event station W9W, which will be on the air all week from AirVenture. Look for W9W on 40 through 10 meters and on VHF and UHF. The station will be set up against the backdrop of the display of historic and vintage ex-military aircraft. Members of the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club (FCARC) are operating W9ZL from the nearby Pioneer Airport. The station is located within KidVenture, which is filled with activities for children and youth attending AirVenture. (See the ARRL Special Events database for further details about W9ZL and W9W.) Tying in with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, EAA AirVenture will host Apollo 11 crew member Michael Collins on Friday, July 26, as the event’s featured guest. IEEE Symposium Exhibit Displays the Breadth of Amateur Radio Amateur Radio received excellent exposure during the IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation July 7 – 12 in Atlanta, Georgia. Some 1,400 delegates from 23 countries attended, and many visited ARRL’s exhibit to learn more about Amateur Radio. Three active Amateur Radio stations were available via remote internet connections. “I wanted the booth to be inviting and get people’s attention,” said Wes Lamboley, W3WL, of the North Fulton Amateur Radio League, who headed up the team of booth volunteers. “The main objective was to engage people and find out what their interests were and then make them aware of aspects of ham radio that may be of interest.” That included Amateur Radio in space activities, including the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program and ham radio satellites. Lamboley estimated that up to 400 attendees visited the ARRL exhibit, and all received an “Ask Me About Amateur Radio” pin designed by Ward Silver, N0AX. “As this Symposium was about antennas, propagation and radio science, the most interest on the part of non-hams seemed to be the frequency allocations we have,” Lamboley observed. “It seemed that over 50% of the attendees were working in the 10 to 100 GHz range and engaged in many experimental/research endeavors in that range. This is being driven by 5G. There was much interest in Arduinos as well.” Several attendees sat for Amateur Radio examinations offered at the conference. The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: On Monday, July 22, a new sunspot appeared, but just for 1 day, and the magnetic signature showed it to be from the current Solar Cycle 24. Average daily solar flux increased insignificantly, from 67 to 67.3. Predicted solar flux is 67 for July 25 through September 7. Predicted planetary A index is 5 on July 25; 8 on July 26 – 27; 5 on July 28 – August 3; 8, 15, 15, and 8 on August 4 – 7; 5 on August 8 – 18; 8 on August 19 – 20; 5 on August 21; 8 on August 22 – 24; 5 on August 25 – 30; 8, 15, 15, and 8 on August 31 – September 3, and 5 on September 4 – 7. An article in EurekAlert, “‘Terminators’ on the Sun trigger plasma tsunamis and the start of new solar cycles,” discusses the end of the current cycle and beginning of the new one. A European Space Agency (ESA) article discusses the Solar Wind Composition Experiment during the Apollo 11 mission. Sunspot numbers for July 18 – 24 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, 0, and 0, with a mean of 1.6. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 67, 66.7, 67, 67.7, 67.3, 67.4, and 67.8, with a mean of 67.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 3, 4, 3, 8, 8, 6, and 5, with a mean of 5.3. Middle latitude A index was 4, 3, 5, 9, 11, 7, and 5, with a mean of 6.3. A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read ”What the Numbers Mean...,” and check out K9LA’s Propagation Page. A propagation bulletin archive is available. Monthly charts offer propagation projections between the US and a dozen DX locations. Share your reports and observations. Just Ahead in Radiosport · July 27 – 28 — RSGB IOTA Contest (CW, phone) · July 28 — ARS Flight of the Bumblebees (CW) · July 29 – 30 — QCX Challenge (CW) · August 1 — NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital) · August 1 — SKCC Sprint Europe (CW) See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL member profile email preferences Scouts Attending World Scout Jamboree Set to Talk with Space Station via Ham Radio Thousands of Scouts from some 160 countries attending the 24th World Scout Jamboree this summer in West Virginia will have the chance to witness an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact. The World Scout Jamboree opened on Monday, July 22. If all goes according to schedule, a group of 10 Scouts at Jamboree, chosen from among those who signed up for the opportunity, will gather at the World Scout Jamboree’s NA1WJ to pose questions to astronaut Drew Morgan, KI5AAA, at the helm of OR4ISS on the ISS. The contact is set to take place on Saturday, July 27, at 1827 UTC. Morgan is an assistant scoutmaster. The contact will be enabled via a “telebridge” between NA1SS and ON4ISS at AMSAT-Belgium. The event will be streamed live via Facebook. In its proposal for the ARISS contact, Jamboree officials said they wanted the ARISS contact to serve as “the pinnacle experience during the World Jamboree,” demonstrating to the more than 50,000 Scouts attending that “technology is a fascinating vocation as well as avocation and is a suitable area of pursuit within their Scouting program as well as at home when selecting an educational path for their lives and careers.” The Jamboree offers demonstrations of Amateur Radio on HF, VHF, UHF, and multiple satellite contacts. The Jamboree also will offer Amateur Radio direction finding (ARDF) — hidden-transmitter hunts (foxhunting) — on 80 meters and 2 meters. More than 3,000 Scouts are expected to take part in the Amateur Radio demonstrations over the 11 days of the Jamboree, Scout officials said. Some European Telecoms Regulators Keeping an Open Mind on French 2-Meter Proposal At least two European telecommunications regulators appear inclined to give serious consideration to a French proposal to allocate 146 – 148 MHz to the Aeronautical Mobile Service on a primary basis. Some International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 member-societies have written their governments’ regulators, expressing opposition to the proposal, aired at a June CEPT meeting. The matter remains a regional issue at this stage but could become an agenda item for World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23). In response to a letter from Switzerland’s IARU member-society USKA to telecommunications regulator BAKOM, the agency’s head of frequency planning assured USKA that this was not a matter of depriving radio amateurs of primary use, but said “so-called co-primary” usage of 144 – 146 MHz by both services could be examined. “We don’t see how the Amateur Radio Service...and the Aeronautical Service could co-exist without operating restrictions,” USKA said in a report that asks, “Is the 2 Meter Band Threatened?” The article’s author, Bernard Wehrli, HB9ALH, advised radio amateurs to keep using 2 meters and to avoid taking on the issue individually. Meanwhile the Netherlands IARU member-society VERON reports what it called a “disappointing response” from national regulator Agentschap Telecom to a call from Dutch radio amateurs that 144 – 146 MHz be protected. According to VERON, an initial Agentschap Telecom response indicated that the French proposal “fits in with Dutch frequency policy” that encourages joint and shared use of spectrum. VERON said Agentschap Telecom has indicated that it’s necessary to take a good look at actual use of the segment and to have insight into compatibility. “VERON shares the opinion that this proposal has no viability,” the organization asserts, pointing to remarks from IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, that said the proposal to share 144 – 146 MHz would require 4 years of studies and reach the same conclusion. Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) President Dave Wilson, M0OBW, also wrote to the UK’s telecoms regulator Ofcom, strongly expressing the RSGB’s concerns. Wilson said RSGB “views the French proposal as lacking a proper understanding of the implications of sharing an aeronautical application with weak-signal terrestrial and space communications services.” Ellam told ARRL this week that, at this point, he’s not concerned that some telecommunications regulators are giving serious consideration to the French proposal. “I think this is just part of the ongoing discussions,” he said. Read more. In Brief... The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has accepted the European Radio Amateurs’ Organization (EURAO) as a sector member. EURAO joins the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) in representing the Amateur Service at ITU conferences. IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, said his organization welcomes EURAO to ITU membership and hopes to work closely with its representatives in ITU Study Groups and Working Parties to protect Amateur and Amateur-Satellite spectrum. “IARU believes that a strong degree of cooperation between our two organizations into the future will be in the best interests of the Amateur Service and is committed to working to make that happen,” Ellam said. IARU has participated in ITU conferences since 1927 and has been an ITU sector member since 1932, playing an active role in the work of the ITU Radiocommunication and Development sectors. Online registration is now available for Microwave Update 2019. Sponsored by the North Texas Microwave Society, the event will take place October 3 – 5 at the Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center in Lewisville (Dallas), Texas. Microwave Update is the year’s premier microwave conference and an ideal place to meet fellow microwave enthusiasts to share ideas and techniques. Tom McDermott, N5EG, will lead a Thursday, October 3, workshop on GNU Radio. Friday, October 4, will feature antenna-gain measuring and phase noise analysis. The Saturday banquet speaker will be Rex Moncur, VK7MO, who activated more than 100 grid squares on 10 GHz Earth-Moon-Earth in both Australia and New Zealand. Kent Britain, WA5VJB, will coordinate the publishing of the proceedings by the ARRL, and additional papers are invited. Submit articles by September 3. ARRL’s Logbook of The World has been updated to embrace FT4 contacts for the Digital Worked All States award. This follows the WSJT-X Development Group’s July “general availability” release of WSJT-X 2.1.0. No other endorsements are under consideration at this time. LoTW users are currently able to upload all FT4 contacts they have made. While the FT4 Digital WAS Award Endorsement functions are now active, award processing and fulfilment remain pending the availability of the new endorsement sticker. Watch ARRL News for this and other updates. Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions · July 25 – 27 — Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska · July 26 – 27 — Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · August 2 – 3 — Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas · August 3 – 4 — Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest, Central City, Iowa · August 8 – 10 — Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah · August 9 – 11 — Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett, Washington · August 17 – 18 — Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention, Huntsville, Alabama · August 24 — Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention, Normal, Illinois · August 23 – 25 — West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West Virginia · September 6 – 7 — Arkansas State Convention, Mena, Arkansas · September 6 – 7 — Wyoming State Convention, Gillette, Wyoming · September 6 – 8 — New England Division Convention, Boxborough, Massachusetts · September 7 — Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach, Virginia · September 13 – 14 — W9DXCC 2019, St. Charles, Illinois · September 21 – 22 — New Mexico State Convention, Albuquerque, New Mexico · September 27 – 28 — Central Division Convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin · September 28 — Dakota Division Convention, West Fargo, North Dakota · September 28 — Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley, Washington Find conventions and hamfests in your area. ______________________________________ The ARRL Letter appreciates the support of these advertisers: C Crane Debco Electronics FlexRadio Harris Communication Systems Icom KF7P Metalwerks Low Loss PWRgate MFJ Nex-Gen Hot Spot Rigol __________________________________________ ARRL — Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information Join or Renew Today! 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Blog Papers/Publications View All The Swedish No Risk Project Books Links Contact Facebook Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Sleep Disruption: Evidence that both powerfrequency and radiofrequency magnetic fields may be a co-factor to investigate in treatments. Home Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Sleep Disruption: Evidence that both powerfrequency and radiofrequency magnetic fields may be a co-factor to investigate in treatments. 03 SEP 19 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Sleep Disruption: Evidence that both powerfrequency and radiofrequency magnetic fields may be a co-factor to investigate in treatments. Don Maisch PhD September 3, 2019 Power Frequency magnetic fields In 1994, Australian Democrat Senator Robert Bell (Tasmania) tabled a report in the Australian Senate that examined the evidence that the then current National and international exposure standards for human exposure to electromagnetic fields were insufficient to provide an assurance of safety. Part of this report examined the condition of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and suggested that prolonged exposure to 50 Hz power frequency fields may be one of the causative factors in the condition. [1] This hypothesis was later strengthened with a number of patient case studies compiled with the assistance of several doctors connected with the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (ACNEM) in January 1998. These case studies indicated that prolonged exposure to environmental level powerline frequency electromagnetic fields apparently were impairing immune system function resulting in CFS symptoms and insomnia.[2] In February 1999 a Victorian Workers Compensation Case from 1991-1992 was obtained by this writer from office manager at Ross House, located at 247-251 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. This case examined a number of workplace illness diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The workcare investigation found that excessive office building electromagnetic fields from a large electrical substation directly below the office building where the women worked was the common factor in all the symptoms reported by the women. The report also examined the work done to mitigate the EMFs in the area.[3] Some of the symptoms reported were: Chronic tiredness/fatigue; Insomnia: waking around 3 am with an inability to go back to sleep; Stress Inability to concentrate; Fluctuating hormone levels; Anaemia; facial rash, depression, severe premenstrual tension; a feeling of listlessness; light headedness ;”a permanent severe case of jet lag” Transmission lines and PID In 1991, as a result of public protests, media attention and a number of court cases over possible health hazards from twin 400 kV transmission lines built in close proximity to the French village of Coutiches, near Lille, the national power supplier, Electricite de France agreed to fund a regular medical check-up of a number residents who lived close to the lines. A total of 117 residents were involved in the medical tests. They were to have a check-up and blood analysis done every six months. The initial findings, presented at the Assemblee Nationale in 1994, reported the following symptoms being found in the group: tiredness; (chronic fatigue); headaches; insomnia – especially in children. [It was noted that the children’s insomnia would disappear when the power (and magnetic fields) was lower than usual and return when the power got back to full level. The children often could not sleep at all and often were sent to relatives’ homes, where they could sleep normally]; hypernervosity; hypotension; iron deficiency (later identified as pseudo iron deficiency – see below); 2 cases of severe anxiety/depression; 1 bone marrow cancer death in 1992; nausea and dizziness Similar symptoms were also found in a 2008 survey by the French organization Criirem. Taking a group of people living near two transmission lines and a control group living further away, they found that sleep disturbance, memory problems, headaches, irritability and depression were significantly more frequent amongst those living close to the lines.[4] In 1994-95 while working in a hospital in Lille, France, Dr. Eric Hachulla and colleagues noticed a number of patients who had come in for a blood analysis which turned out to have very unusual parameter, unknown in the medical literature. In addition all had addresses in one area – Coutiches, and they lived close to the controversial 400 kV transmission lines. A small-scale study was arranged consisting of 31 men, 34 women and 26 children, all living less than 200 metres from the lines. For the control group they used people who were recent blood donors at the Lille blood transfusion centre. The results found that most of the people living close to the lines with magnetic field exposures of 2.0 milliGauss (0.2 uT) or more, had a blood condition characterized by low iron levels, but no symptoms of anemia and no decrease of ferritin, which normally is associated with iron deficiency. Hachulla called this “pseudo iron deficiency” and felt that the findings were quite robust and that this enabled an objective, measureable bio-chemical effect clearly shown in people living near transmission lines. It was found that the abnormal blood parameters would return to normal levels when people moved away from the lines but that this took several months. The same effect (PID and EMF exposure) was seen in people living in another town, Bolezeele near similar transmission lines. As for a possible mechanism on how the magnetic field exposure was causing the biological effect, Hachulla concluded the following: We speculate that EMFs may modify iron metabolism in populations subjected to 0.2 microTeslas (2 mG) or more, with a high bone marrow incorporation of the iron (that would explain the low iron level) and a rapid utilization for the metabolism of haemoglobin, sometimes with non-incorporation of (39)Fe in the liver. [5] In early February 2002 a copy of the Hachulla paper and transcripts of conversations with Eric Hachulla were given to Analytical Reference Labatories Pty. Ltd, Melbourne Australia and a quote was received from them on February 25, 2005 for testing for PID at $29.90 per sample (in batches of 50). The laboratory said that it was a relatively simple test to conduct.[6] Implications: PID may be an easily verifiable biological marker for ELF magnetic field exposure down to a prolonged 2 mG exposure, a level found in many living and working environments. The symptoms of PID are similar to the symptoms reported by people with CFS, and insomnia. To date, no effort has been made to replicate, or follow up on, the original research made by Hachulla et al. The Australian CFS investigation In December 1998, a paper was published in the Journal of the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (JACNEM) which examined the possibility that impaired immune function, associated with CFS may, in some instances, be linked to chronic low-level exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs). The authors concluded that, although the link between ELF EMFs and cellular dysfunction were far from proven, sufficient evidence existed to suggest a causal link, which should be included in treatment options.[7] Following the above paper, the authors were successful in receiving funding to conduct a pilot study, the findings of which were published in the ACNEM Journal in April 2002. This study examined the power frequency magnetic field exposures of a group of 49 patients who were being treated by medical practitioners for the condition of CFS. None of the 47 participants had any identification with electrosensitivity and none felt that EMF was a possible factor with their illness. Using a 0.2 uT benchmark, the researchers identified 14 of the 49 subjects with prolonged home exposures over 0.2 uT (2 mG). After excluding three from analysis for failing to meet the study criteria, 11 were left with an average exposure level of 07.1 uT. (Group A: 7.1 mG) which was way above the benchmark level. 34 of the 49 subjects had a group EMF exposure of 0.067 uT. (Group B: 0.6 mG). This gave an exposed subject group “A” of 11 individuals and a ‘non-exposed’ control group”B” of 34 individuals. Action was taken to reduce group A exposures to under 0.2 uT. As Group B’s exposures were very low, no intervention was needed for group B. Both groups were followed for six months for their overall health status. It was found that 55% of the more highly exposed subjects (Group A) reported a definite improvement in their symptoms. These were the subjects who had been given advice and assistance on how to reduce their EMF exposure. Group B received no such advice as their exposure levels were far less than the benchmark level. and only 14% reported a definite improvement in health six months after initial contact. An unexpected finding in the CFS study was a significant 64% improvement in sleep quality in Group A with only 12 % reporting an improvement in Group B. Interestingly 4 subjects in Group A (36%) reported an end to tinnitus at night where their previous magnetic field exposure was at night (such as sleeping next to a meter box). This was not seen in Group B. [8], [9] Radiofrequency (RF) field exposures Study on Health Effects of the Shortwave Transmitter Station of Schwarzenburg, Berne, Switzerland (Major Report) Background: A short wave transmitter was installed at Schwarzenburg, near Berne, Switzerland, in 1939. Another antenna was added in 1954 with three 150 kW outputs (6.1-21.8Mhz). and a 250 kW antenna was added in 1971. Since the Seventies, health complaints have been reported by the population in the surroundings of the transmitter, and the effects have been associated with its activity. On the 2nd March 1990, a petition seeking a scientific evaluation of the health damage allegedly cause by the transmitter was handed by a group of inhabitants to the Swiss Federal Department of Traffic and Energy (SFDTE). In October 1990, the Head of SFDTE commissioned a study. It was carried out by 15 doctors and scientists, primarily from the University of Berne, but also from 4 other agencies. Their report was published in August 1995 and found significant changes in various indicators which increased with proximity to the mast (Zone A in the study) and which were significantly worse in elderly people. Symptoms included nervosity, inner restlessness, difficulty in falling asleep, difficulty in maintaining sleep, general weakness and tiredness and joint pains, Sleep difficulty was especially disturbing as this can lead on to increasing fatigue and reduced feelings of well-being. Observed nocturnal sleep changes occurred in association with increased nocturnal RF exposure levels. The study interim conclusion was as follows: “Insomnias and joint pains, especially in the elderly, were more frequently reported in Zone A than in Zones B and C. They showed a dose-response relationship with the logistic regression and they were not related to a health-worry personality. Further studies are of need to establish a biophysical mechanism…. “Our results indicate a higher frequency of disorders of a neurovegetative nature among residents up to about 1000 m from the transmitter, and are highly suggestive of a direct effect of the radio shortwave transmitter on sleep quality. The other complaints appear to be mediated by the sleep disorder.”[10] Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) also called smart meters As an essential part of its energy policy, in 2007 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in the National Reform Agenda recommended the gradual replacement of analogue electricity meters with advanced metering meters (smart meters) which have built-in wireless interconnectivity to connect to a new smart electricity grid. On December 1, 2017, the Australian Energy Market Commission’s (AEMC) final rule determination, titled: “Expanding competition in metering and related services” came into force in Tasmania, SA, NSW, the ACT and QLD. The rule states that this is a framework which is designed to, “promote innovation and lead to investment in advanced meters that deliver services valued by consumers at a price they are willing to pay. Improved access to the services enabled by advanced meters will provide consumers with opportunities to better understand and take control of their electricity consumption and the costs associated with their usage decisions.”[11] In 2006 the Victorian Government mandated the roll out of smart meters throughout the state and in late 2009 the rollout began, predominantly with a mesh network. Soon, newspaper articles started to appear in the Melbourne papers about people who were claiming that ever since a smart meter was installed on their home, they were having health problems, primarily insomnia and tinnitus, especially when the meter was located close to the person’s bedroom. In reply to these claims, the proponents of the rollout pointed out that the smart meter’s transmissions for power consumption were very brief, only 4-6 times a day, and therefore not capable of causing any health effects whatsoever. However, although the above was correct for measuring power usage, there can be thousands of other brief transmissions not related to electricity usage and these were not being mentioned in the reports and fact sheets extolling the many benefits of switching over to smart metering. The frequent nature of these transmissions was highlighted in a document from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (USA) where, for a smart meter network, running over a 24-hour period, up to 190,000 transmission pulses can occur.[12] In order to verify if this was the case with the smart meters being rolled out throughout Victoria, detailed measurements were then undertaken of a typical Melbourne home that had a smart meter recently installed. It was found that there are many brief but very frequent RF transmissions.[13] This contrasts with what occurs with an analogue electricity meter, which has no RF transmissions. The characteristics of the smart meter emissions therefore appears to be creating a new and unique human exposure situation where no research has yet been done on the possible impacts on health with prolonged close proximity exposure. A 92-case study report by Melbourne medical practitioner Dr. Federica Lamech was published in the Nov/Dec 2014 issue of the US clinical journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. The journal is a PubMed-listed, peer-reviewed publication. The Lamech paper, is titled “Self-Reporting of Symptom Development From Exposure to Radiofrequency Fields of Wireless Smart Meters in Victoria, Australia: A Case Series.” The paper reveals that the most commonly reported symptoms from exposure to wireless smart meters were, in this order: insomnia, headaches, tinnitus, fatigue, cognitive disturbances, dysesthesias (abnormal sensation), and dizziness. The case series also revealed that the effects of these symptoms on people’s lives were significant.[14] As part of an investigation into these reported symptoms, this writer conducted a number of interviews with people who claimed they were being affected by recently installed smart meters. Paramount in symptoms reported was insomnia.[15] (Appendix A) The irrelevance of the official Guidelines Claims that the above-mentioned RF exposures are below the official guidelines and therefore are ‘safe’ are disingenuous as this situation lies outside the parameters set in the guidelines recommended by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) for exposure to radio-frequency fields. In relation to radio-frequency exposure, ARPANSA follows the limits set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) which are only designed to provide protection (from excessive tissue heating for RF) from acute radio-frequency exposures and not against other biological effects not related to tissue heating. [16] Conclusion Considering the evidence examined in this report, for medical practitioners who deal with cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and intractable sleep disorders, an investigation of patient’s night-time exposure to both power-frequency magnetic fields and radio-frequency fields is warranted. Failure to do so, based on false assurances of safety coming from organisations such as ARPANSA and ICNIRP should itself be considered a potential risk to public health in Australia. Don Maisch PhD Appendix A (Interviews – anecdotal) Case 1 “My symptoms started the night the smart meter was installed (externally on the bedroom wall). Waking with heart palpitations and a racing heart and internal shakiness. A surging feeling that went right through my body now and then. Head pain and a burning pain on the left side of the head. Depleted immune system, leading to flu and cold. I am now getting nausea and maybe 2 -3 hours sleep a night.” Case 2 “Since installation, I wake up with headaches every single morning and go to bed with something very much like vertigo every night. I have had this ever since the smart meter was installed. It is also installed on my front porch which is right outside my bedroom, so I am very close to it.” Case 3 “Since my smart meter was installed, I have experienced shortness of breath, palpitations, and headaches mainly at the back of my head. Could it be because the position of the meter is on the other side of the wall where I sit every night while watching TV? What can I do about it? I have no room to change the position of the couch and my symptoms are getting worse by the day.” Case 4 “I experienced the same issues from my neighbour’s two smart meters located three metres from my bedroom. After complaining to Powercor, I found that they must have reconfigured them as they are not communicating as much (confirmed with an EMF meter). My heart palpitations/pain in my chest has gone but I still am waking up with headaches (although they are not as intense as before the meter was reconfigured).” Case 5 “I have developed ringing in my ears that would go away when I went to work. Now I have had two months off work, the ringing is constant. I have developed a thyroid problem since the smart meter was installed. I wake up aching. The meter is next to my bedroom wall.” Case 6 “Our smart meter was installed about two years ago. Our town in central Victoria was one of the earliest in the roll-out. Since its installation (outside my bedroom window), my health and the general health of my family has gone downhill rapidly…I suffer from severe headaches, memory loss, loss of motor skills. I feel as though I am walking around in a haze. I lie awake until daylight some nights, and others it is 1-2 pm when I wake up. There is also the high-pitched squeal that the smart meter emits constantly.” Case 7 “I came to Australia after a smart meter was fitted two metres below my bedroom window in NZ. I was not informed of the radiation danger. I subsequently experienced severe health problems and was at a loss to explain this. One of my students wrote a report about her own experiences with smart meters and I had to mark it. I began to put two and two together. The report probably saved me serious health problems.” Case 8 “A smart meter installed Aug 2012 unbeknownst to homeowner. A highpitched sound started that night, kept him awake. His inspection the next day found the new smart meter in his meter box. Ongoing insomnia, tinnitus and overall deterioration in health since then. Shielding has helped, but ongoing difficulty in sleep and tinnitus continues.” Case 9 “My son, aged 22, started work in a small graphic design studio in Fitzroy. After only being there a few weeks, he started to become quite unwell. He was getting severe dizziness, headaches, couldn’t see straight or concentrate and was getting heart palpitations and extreme kidney pain, so much so that he had to take several days off to recover. On returning to work, the same thing happened again and by lunchtime he had to leave. As it was a Friday, he was able to have the weekend away and started to improve. The next week, his problems recurred yet again and it was then that he discovered that there was a smart meter situated inside a wooden box only about two metres from his head. (Just to rule out any other cause, he underwent medical tests – ECG, blood test and kidney scan – which all came back clear.) Finding that he was only getting worse at work, he felt he had no alternative but to resign. He is now ‘sensitised’ to EMR and gets quite dizzy when exposed to it.” Case 10 “I’ve been trying to find the answers to the question of the nightmare of noise mostly at night emitting through the walls of my home , it all started when a smart meter was installed on the outside wall of our home in Sebastopol Victoria …It has taken a tremendous toll on my health as the noise is ongoing. Many people I have spoken to have the same story to tell. We also have a neighbors’ smart meter facing our bedroom window.” For details of the above see the Powerpoint presentation: Advanced Metering Infrastructure or The Smart Electricity Grid, Unintended consequences of smart meter placement https://www.emfacts.com/download/SM_case_studies.pdf References [1] Maisch D., Non-ionizing Electromagnetic Fields and Human Health: Are current standards safe?, Senate Hansard, Ocober 1994. [2] Maisch, D., A number of case histories that indicate prolonged exposure to environmental level powerline frequency electromagnetic fields can impair immune system function. https://www.emfacts.com/download/CaseHistoriesEMFacts.pdf [3] Workcare compensation case, Melbourne Victoria, 1991-1992. Workplace Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) symptoms attributed to exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) due to close proximity to an electrical substation, https://www.emfacts.com/download/The_Ross_House_Electrical_Substation.pdf [4] Associated Press, “The high voltage power lines are a “problem for health”, acknowledges NKM”. Mar. 21, 2008. https://www.emfacts.com/2008/03/871-french-admission-that-powerlines-are-a-problem-for-health/ [5] Hachulla E., et al, Pseudo-iron deficiency in a French population living near high-voltage transmission lines: a dilemma for clinicians, European Journal of Internal Medicine, vol. 11, no. 6, 2000, pp. 351-352. https://www.emfacts.com/download/pid_france.pdf [6] Maisch,D., Report on: Pseudo-iron deficiency in a French population living near high-voltage transmission lines: a dilemma for clinicians, March 2001, https://www.emfacts.com/download/pid_france.pdf [7] Maisch D, Podd J, Rapley B, Roland A. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) – Is prolonged exposure to environmental level powerline frequency electromagnetic fields a co-factor to consider in treatment?, ACNEM Journal, Vol. 17 No. 2, Dec. 1998. https://www.emfacts.com/download/cfs_emfs.pdf [8] Maisch, D., Rapley, R., Podd, J., Changes in Health Status in a Group of CFS and CF Patients Following Removal of Excessive 50 Hz Magnetic Field Exposure, Journal of Australian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine Vol. 21 No. 1; April 2002: pages 15-19 https://www.emfacts.com/download/cfs_changes.pdf [9] Reducing the Level of 50 Hz Magnetic Fields Lessens Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue and Improves Sleep.(Poster presentation), Podd J, Maisch D, 2nd International Workshop On Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, Rhodes, Greece, 7-11 October 2002. https://www.emfacts.com/download/Reducing50.pdf [10] Altpeter, E.S., Krebs, Th., Pfluger, D.H., von Kanel, J., Blattmann, R., et al., 1995: “Study of health effects of Shortwave Transmitter Station of Schwarzenburg, Berne, Switzerland”. University of Berne, Institute for Social and Preventative Medicine, August 1995. Also see: Cherry N., “Swiss shortwave transmitter study sounds warning” https://www.emfacts.com/download/Forum_2.pdf pp23-26 [11] AEMC, “Expanding competition in metering and related services” https://www.aemc.gov.au/rulechanges/expanding-competition-in-metering-and-related-serv [12] Pacific Gas and Electric Co. http://emfsafetynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/PGERFDataOptoutalternatives_11-1-11-3pm.pdf [13] Maisch D., Comments on the CONSULTATION PAPER, National Electricity Amendment (Demand Management Incentive Scheme) Rule 2015 [14] Lamech F., ‘Self-Reporting of Symptom Development From Exposure to Radiofrequency Fields of Wireless Smart Meters in Victoria, Australia: A Case Series’, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine , Nov. 2014. [15] Maisch D., Ten case histories of people in Melbourne who are suffering health problems after a smart meter was installed near their bedroom (or in one case their workstation). Sept 11, 2013, https://www.emfacts.com/download/SM_case_studies.pdf [16] Maisch D., A case study on ICNIRP harmonization and the Australian RF exposure standard, Chapter 5 in The Procrustean Approach, 2010, https://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/3148/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Insomnia **************************************************************************************************** Posted in -Mailing List, 50/60 Hz, Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, Smart Meters, appliances, technology and the Internet of Things Posted by EMFacts
