12/18/2015

Basics in RF and EMF screening and shielding

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Position:Home Basics Basics-Shielding-Measurement Shielding-Basics

Basics in RF and EMF screening and shielding:

PREFACE & WARNING:

Please note that for professional RF screening (i.e., against mobile phone transmission towers, mobile
phones, DECT portable phones, radar etc.), a hermetically sealed enclosure, a so-called "Faraday cage",
MUST be constructed. Various dubious suppliers do not inform their customers about this fact for making
quick money with the nescience of their customers. For example, canopies WITHOUT proper grounding
and inferior screening material is being offered in heaps.

Often, suppliers even claim that screening a small part of a wall or a window in direction of the radiation
source (for example, a transmission tower) is always enough to provide protection. This is total nonsense
and WRONG and its only purpose is making the supplier some quick money. These claims.

CONCLUSION: Be SURE to get are often additionally supported with misleading animations on the
suppliers' homepages. Don't get fooled! In the worst case, such a partial screening installation can even
WORSEN the situation due to reflections, which will give you an even HIGHER exposure than before!
Don't get fooled either by the popular, yet nonsensical claims that a Faraday cage protects completely
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against "natural" radiation. This claim is also pure rubbish and its only purpose is to support sales of inferior
screening material!

Examples of equally useless products are stickers, ICs, salt crystals, or even ELECTRICAL appliances (how
foolish can it get?) of any kind. Various lawsuits for fraud have been targetted against these suppliersour
professional and FREE advice before you pour your money down the drain! Your health and that of your
family, and also your money should be enough reason.

You should also read: The "99% lie" or why a good screening performance is so important

Electric and electromagnetic waves are everywhere in our modern environment. They form in any place
where electrical energy is being produced, distributed or consumed. CONSIDERABLE exposure by LOWFREQUENCY (LF) alternating fields in your home and at work is omnipresent. They are mostly caused by
"invisible" power cables in walls and ceilings of any building, but also by appliances connected to those,
like lamps, computers, TVs, fridges etc.. Also, regular power lines (high-voltage lines) can cause
EXTREMELY HIGH exposures even when hundreds of metres away. In addition to the mentioned LF
radiation, exposure to pulsed RADIO- (RF) or HIGH-FREQUENCY fields is getting more severe in recent
years. This is, among others, one of the consequences of our modern communications technology. For
example, the meanwhile almost 30000 mobile phone transmission towers provide service for more than 20
million users of mobile phones throughout Germany. 40000 more are already planned when the new UMTS
standard (in the 2GHz band) goes online.
Leading to, of course, an even higher exposure to pulsed RF radiation.
The downside of this development is, of course, the fact that the well-being of an ever-increasing number of
people is being affected by this phaenomenon commonly known as "Electrosmog". Even though possible
health risks represented by RF and LF fields are not fully known and subject to controversial discussions
even among scientists, it makes sense to minimize the exposure to Electrosmog radiation as a precaution especially in homes and there particularly in bedrooms and childrens' bedrooms.
The various currently available screening systems all differ vastly in their screening and cost efficiency.
They are made especially for the novice, but also for professional customers, and most of the time they are
far too sophisticated and thus far too expensive.
Furthermore, customers currently often need TWO seperate screening products as products against RF fields
mostly do not offer hardly any protection against LF fields and vice-versa.
Consequently, Aaronia has developed highly-efficient, very cost-effective and, particularly for the novice,
easy-to-install screening products. In contrast to many solutions from other suppliers, Aaronia only offers
REAL solutions:

1.) Aaronia screening products always offer the highest possible screening performance. Many supplies try
to fool their customers with percentage figures. Specifications like "90% (10dB) or 99% (20dB) screening"
try to impress with an alledgedly high screening performance. Serious architecture-biological exposure
limits are mostly not even remotely met by such a screening performance, depending on the intensity of the
existing radiation! But: Conformance with exposure limits or recommendations should always be the
primary aim of any screening effort! Mostly, only with screening performances of 99,999% (50dB) or
higher!, these requirements can be fulfilled. Though, often screening of more than 100dB, like with Aaronia
X-Dream, is required. The number of '9's after the decimal point is of SIGNIFICANT importance if
screening performance (damping) is specified as a percentage! Do not get fooled here, either!
You should rather consider the figures shown in dB, as these are much more meaningful and "neutral" than
allegedly impressive percentage figures. Also, it is much easier to calculate the efficiency of a screening
product using the dB figure.
The following example demonstrates the importance of a high screening efficiency, using the probably wellknown dB(A) table:
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Table 1: Volume table in dB(A)

Example:
dB(A)reading:
Perception/impact:
Screeningexample:
Jetplane
130dB(A)
Hearingdamage
Jackhammer
120dB(A)
VERYPAINFUL
Rockband,Disco
110dB(A)
PAINFUL
Soupedupcar
100dB(A)
UNBEARABLE
Assumedcommonelectrosmogexposure
Circularsaw
90dB(A)
UNBEARABLE
10dBscreening(90%)
Hightrafficmotorway,daytime
80dB(A)
Hearingdamagefrom85dB
20dBscreening(99%)
Mainroad,daytime
70dB(A)
Circulatorydiseases
30dBscreening(99,9%)
Mainroadatnight
60dB(A)
VERYLOUD
40dBscreening(99,99%)
Quietresidentialarea,daytime
50dB(A)
Communicationproblems.
50dBscreening(99,999%)
Quietresidentialareaatnight
40dB(A)
Issueswithconcentratingandlearning
60dBscreening(99,999.9%)
Tickingalarmclock
30dB(A)
Sleepingdisorders
70dBscreening(99,999.99%)
Whisperingleaves
20dB(A)
Quiet
80dBscreening(99,999.999%)
Normalbreathing
10dB(A)
Veryquiet
90dBscreening(99,999.999.9%)
Silence
0dB(A)
Unnoticableto1dB(A)
100dBscreening(99,999.999.99%)
Notice:WhenworkingwithdB(A)figures,10dBmeanachangebyafactorof10.Examples:100dB(A)noiseis10timesstrongerthan90dB(A)or
ahundredtimesstrongerthan80dB(A)etc.
dBasadampingunitmeansatenfoldincreaseat10dB,20dBbeingtentimesasmuchas10dB,30dBbeing100timesasmuchas10dB,etc.
AaroniaAG,D54597Euscheid,www.spectran.com,Phone:++49(0)655693033

In our example, we will relate a common level of exposure to electrosmog with the noise level of a "soupedup" car perceived as unbearable at 100dB(A) (See table 1). So, if our screenings were made for damping
noise instead of electrosmog, the following sample calculation would apply:
Using a screening with 99% (20dB) efficiency, there would still be a noise level of 80dB(A). This would
still be roughly equivalent to causing hearing damage (caused by 85dB(A)).
Even when using a screening of 99,9% (30dB) efficiency, a noise level of 70dB(A) would still be present.
This would be equivalent to traffic noise next to a main road which would cause circulatory diseases.
In contrast, using a screening product with 99,999% efficiency (50dB as with Aaronia-Shield), a noise level
of only 50dB(A) would remain. This would "only" be equivalent to the noise exposure next to a quiet road
in a residential area. Even more, a 100dB screening efficiency, like Aaronia X-Dream offers, would actually
give you a "perfect" screening. Using our example, the following situations could be derived:

Screening canopies:
Would you like to be exposed to the noise level of a motorway or main traffic road when using a regular 2030dB (99% to 99,9%) screening canopy, or maybe rather tolerate a quiet residential road using an Aaronia
high-performance screening canopy with 50dB damping (99,999%) made from Aaronia-Shield?

Room screenings:
Would you like to be exposed to the noise level of a motorway or main traffic road when using a regular 2030dB (99% to 99,9%) screening canopy, or maybe rather enjoy the "absolute silence" using a highperformance 100dB screening product like Aaronia X-Dream? We think that your answer is obvious in both
cases...

2.) Aaronia AG's screening products always offer protection both against EMF E-fields AND RF radiation.
All Aaronia screenings can (and should) always be grounded and thus also offer optimal protection against
EMF, IN ADDITION to RF screening.

3.) Aaronia screening products always offer, especially in the higher GHz ranges, outstanding screening
performance, while other products have severe problems giving any noteworthy performance at all.
Screening in the higher GHz ranges is particularly important because current wireless networks (WLan)
already use these frequency ranges and are being installed at a dramatically fast pace (for example, 5,8GHz
WLan). Also, future mobile phones and their transmission towers etc. will use ever higher frequencies.
Thus, Aaronia screening products are future-proof already today and do not need troublesome and costly
replacement by new products in the future.

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The secret behind the high screening performance of Aaronia products is our utilisation of state-of-the-art
materials and processing procedures, utilizing the newest research of leading institutes and of Aaronia's own
laboratories.
The following table impressively demonstrates the results of our efforts to offer cost-effective highperformance screening products, which even fulfill military standards, for almost any application
imaginable:

Damping specifications for Aaronia highperformance shielding products

Product:

Frequency:

Damping
factor:
100
10

Dampingin%:

Applicationexamples:

Indoorandoutdoorshielding
Lowexposure
Textileapplications(Canopies,clothing,curtains
1GHz
50dB
100.000
99,999%
AaroniaShield
etc.)
10GHz
45dB
30.000
99,992%
Lowandhighexposure
AaroniaX
1GHz
100dB
10.000.000.000 99,999.999.99%
Indoorshielding,measurementchambers
Dream
10GHz
80dB
100.000.000
99,999.999%
Hightohighestexposure
Notice:whenusingthedBunit,anincreaseof10dBisequivalenttoa10foldincreaseinstrength.Forexample,100dBis
10timesasstrongas90dB,or100timesasstrongas80dB,etc.
AaroniaAG,DE54597Euscheid,www.spectran.com,Tel.++49(0)655693033
A2000+

1GHz
10GHz

Dampingin
dB:
20dB
10dB

99,0%
90%

Damping specifications for Aaronia highperformance magnetic shielding:

Damping Damping Damping
Applicationexamples:
indB:
factor:
in%:
Aaronia
Creatingsmall,self
78dB
57fach 5070%
MagnoShieldFLEX
supportingscreeningcases
Selfscreeningforsmall
Aaronia
areas,orhousingunits.
MagnoShieldFLEX
78dB
57fach 5070%
Shieldingplatecollisions
PLUS
andtransitions.
Largescalescreeningand
Aaronia
highfrequencyfieldsby
MagnoShield
78dB
57fach 5070%
combinationofmaterials
VERBUND
(compositesystem)
Largescalescreeningof
buildings,measuring
Aaronia
chambers,transformer
1014db 1013fach 9093%
MagnoShieldDUR
stations.
Forhightohighest
exposure.
Notice:whenusingthedBunit,anincreaseof10dB
isequivalenttoa10foldincreaseinstrength.For

example,100dBis10timesasstrongas90dB,or
100timesasstrongas80dB,etc.

AaroniaAG,DE54597Euscheid,
Product:

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www.spectran.com,Tel.++49(0)655693033
For low exposure, we offer Aaronia A2000+ screening tissue. It offers an average damping of 20dB while
being very cost-effective, though it should only be used with really low exposures (for high exposures, see
Aaronia X-Dream). It is based on a fabric with interwoven stainless steel fibres and a special conductive
coating. The tissue is easy to handle and to lay. No damage is taken by folding this tissue. Further it is
immune to freezing temperatures, strong, does not decay or rot and can even be put inside walls or concrete.
As such it is also applicable for outdoor use and can replace regular reinforcement fabric, thus saving
additional cost.

Again for low exposures, but also high exposures, Aaronia-Shield screening fabric has been developped. It
offers an amazing screening efficiency of approx. 50dB while still being highly transparent. Especially in
the higher GHz ranges (future mobile phones, radar, military radio), Aaronia-Shield still offers
exceptional screening performance while several other "solutions" fail dramatically. Aaronia-Shield is
based on an extremely thin polyamid fibre which is inseperably adjoined to a highly efficient silver coating
using a patented processing procedure. It can even be washed without losing its screening characteristics. In
conjunction with a specialized, highly efficient weaving technique, a true high-efficiency screening fabric is
formed, which can be processed like regular fabric and still offers high transparency and air permeability.
Due to its high content in silver (20%), Aaronia-Shield is, thanks to the so-called oligodynamic effect,
even anti-bacteriological, reduces body odours and even cigarette smell in no time. Additionally, AaroniaShield is extremely transparent, permeable to light and air, and anti-static. Aaronia-Shield can be used to
manufacture curtains, fly screens, canopies, protective garments (for clinical, industrial or aerospace use),
etc. We offer complete canopy solutions made from Aaronia-Shield. Hence you can furnish beds with a
highly efficient screening which, depending on the level of exposure, can even conform with the rigorous
Aaronia exposure limits.

If a high screening performance for rooms or buildings is needed or extremely strong exposures are present,
Aaronia X-Dream high-performance screening fleece is the appropriate solution. Aaronia X-Dream can
be applied like Aaronia A2000+, but offers, depending on frequency, an up to 10.000.000 times!!! better
screening of approx. 100dB. Thus, Aaronia X-Dream is the intelligent screening solution and offers a
degree of protection against RF AND EMF radiation otherwise only available to professionals in the
industry, at an affordable price. Hence, it is even possible to construct bug-proof environments or highgrade metering chambers. Also, Aaronia X-Dream is probably the best solution to conform to rigorous
Aaronia exposure limits. Due to its extremely high screening performance in the high GHz range, rooms
screened with Aaronia X-Dream are also future-proof for the coming exposures from 5,8GHz WLan etc.
Next Topic

Handheld Spectrum Analyzer

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USB Spectrum Analyzer

Outdoor Spectrum Analyzer

Remote Spectrum Analyzer

Directional Antenna LPDA

EMI & EMC Test-Antenna

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Near Field Probe Sets & Sniffer

Omnidirectional Antennas

Magnetic Antennas

Horn Antennas

Broadband Amplifier

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Magnetic field Screening

RF & EMC Screening

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