FAQs

How long does the battery last in a portable radio?

As the drain from the battery is very low in standby mode and low when actively receiving, the determining factor is therefore how often does the operator transmit. 

Industry standard tests on a 90/5/5 cycle, with 90% on standby, 5% receiving and 5% transmitting. We would expect 8-10 hours under these conditions.

How far do the radio signals go?

Radio waves are subject to physical laws which limit practical range with standard radio equipment. In free space, (no intervennig material) the inverse square law applies, double the distance reduces the signal by a factor of four. 

The good news is radio waves bounce off most conductive materials and the signal required to receive is very small. The limit being around 1000th of a millionth of a millionth (not a typo) of a watt!

Am I harmed by my radio transmissions?

Specifically, radios waves are the lowest energy part or the electromagnetic spectrum and 

Radio waves impingeing on your body are indeed partially absorbed, their energy being converted to heat. As we live at around 293 deg Kelvin anyway, and all are molecules are in  constant flux this little bit of extra energy is negligible.

Google the ultraviolet paradox if you are into quantum mechanics, or, have a look at Brownian Motion to see the way particles move at room temperature.

NB. This does not apply to your kitchen microwave which is very powerful and tuned to the
resonant frequency of water molecules. Radio energy is converted to heat, lots of it!