|
How to Use A Guass
Meter and Tri-Field Meter
Meters are not uniform from manufacturer to manufacturer in
their readout screens, and it may take a little time to
figure out how to read yours. One milligauss on some digital
meters reads 001. On most it reads 1.0 when the meter is
switched to the milligauss setting. On those meters that
also measure a tenth of a milligauss, it will look like 0.1.
(For those wanting extremely accurate assessments, those
tenths of a milliŽgauss can add up and become important in
the measurements.) Anything reaching the gauss range, which
is a thousand times higher, or 1,000 milligauss, will look
like 1.00 and up when the meter is switched to the gauss
setting.
It is best to move slowly when using a gaussmeter and rotate
it often in several directions. Be careful around power
lines and always be aware of your surroundings, as you may
be in a dangerŽous area. Sometimes the numbers on the meter
change radically within inches of the last measurement. And
sometimes — if the batteries are going dead, or if you are
moving too fast, or if you are in the presence of a strong
RF field that the meter is not shielded against—they may
fluctuate wildly. Under normal circumŽstances, however, the
highest number you get while standing still is the accurate
one.
When you first get a meter, play with it to get a sense of
what is around you. Measure all over the surface of
individual appliŽances, turned on and turned off. You will
quickly discover that the highest fields are near the motors
and control panels. Measure space in between different
appliances when they are switched on to measure their EMF
interactions. In a high-use room like the bathroom or
kitchen, make measurements in a real-life scenario in which
everything is turned on at the same time. Make room-by-room
measurements. Pay attention to the wall on the other side of
an appliance when it is on; magnetic fields can easily
peneŽtrate walls. Is there a bed opposite a TV in the next
room?
A chair opposite a computer? Measure dimmer switches and
switches that control one light from two locations. Measure
both sides of hallways at various heights where wiring might
run behind the walls. Measure floors. Measure the basement
and the electrical boxes. Write the measurements down in a
log. Make sure to note the time of day that you take
measurements, since they can flucŽtuate throughout the day
depending on peak electrical loads. Measure three different
times during the day. Pay special attenŽtion to areas where
you or your children spend a lot of time, espeŽcially
bedrooms. Measure all around the area where your head is
placed in bed, as well as about eight inches above the bed
itself.
Later, make measurements outside, all along the perimeter of
your property and especially where the electrical wires come
into the house. Be careful when doing this not to touch a
live conductor and form a ground for the current with your
body.
A gaussmeter will give you an excellent sense of how sharply
even some of the strongest 60-hertz fields drop off with
distance from an appliance. The general rule of thumb for a
safe distance is about three feet from any generating
source. Practice the habit of switching on an appliance and
stepping back from it by a yard, instead of standing over
the stove waiting for something to boil or lingering over
the to'aster waiting for it to pop. You can measure the
length of your arm and use your arm's length as a guide.
Some parents mark a six- or eight-foot distance from the TVs
with tape on the floor, to keep the children back, but even
a three-foot stay-behind line will help.
When measuring computers or other office equipment, meaŽsure
the equipment itself, and then slowly move the gaussmeter
back to where you normally sit or stand. Measure at the
level of your head, neck, chest, and groin. (This is where a
two-unit model comes in handy.) Try to measure between
various operating maŽchines to determine cross-fields. And
remember to measure any walls in common with another office
or an elevator shaft.
|
