RF exposure from ten 5G beamforming cell towers (3.6 GHz band) in Germany

Abstract

RF exposure from ten 5G beamforming cell towers (3.6 GHz band) in Germany Kopacz T, Bornkessel C, Wuschek M. Consideration of current mobile phone antenna technology when determining HF-EMF exposure - project 3619S82463. Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Nov-2022. Report number(s): BfS-RESFOR-208/22. URN(s): urn:nbn:de:0221-2022112435660. (The report is in German with an English-language executive summary.) Abstract (Google translation) This research project deals with the metrological recording and analysis of immissions from 5G base stations with beamforming antennas in the 3.6 GHz band. As a basis, measurement methods for determining current, typical and maximum possible immissions were proposed, which suitably take into account the time-varying radiation behavior of the antennas. The maximum possible immissions can be determined either by extrapolation based on the difference in antenna gain between traffic and broadcast beams at the measuring point or by direct measurement when the maximum immission is provoked using a 5G terminal device. Immission measurements at 100 systematically selected measuring points in the vicinity of ten 5G beamforming base stations in the 3.6 GHz band resulted in maximum immissions between 0.2% (0.15 V/m) and 28.9% (17.6 V/m m) the field strength limit of the 26th BImSchV (median 4.7% or 2.9 V/m). The instantaneous immissions without provoked traffic were between 0.04% (0.03 V/m) and 1.1% (0.67 V/m) of the field strength limit value (median 0.08% or 0.05 V/m) and the emissions during typical use (ARD live stream) are only slightly higher, between 0.04% (0.03 V/m) and 1.3% (0.8 V/m) of the field strength limit value (median 0.2% or 0.12V/m). The visibility conditions between the place of immission and the 5G antenna have a major influence on the size of the immission, since significant attenuation also occurs in the 3.6 GHz band due to vegetation. The dependence on the vertical angle between the point of immission and the antenna observed in GSM, UMTS and LTE base stations has changed in the 5G beamforming base stations examined in such a way that the immissions are no longer highest at small but at larger vertical angles. len. If the beam does not act at the point of immission, but is shifted azimuthally or radially by a few tens of meters in the cell, the measurements carried out here showed an average immission reduction of 7.5 dB compared to a direct alignment of the beam to the point of immission. Long-term measurements showed that users were only active sporadically at the time of the measurements. Even with targeted provoked typical use, the 6-minute mean value of the field strength at most points could only be significantly raised above the detection limit of the measuring device by downloading a large file. Immission peaks were usually very limited in time. Open access paper: doris.bfs.de

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Measurements at 100 points near ten 5G beamforming base stations (3.6 GHz) found maximum immissions between 0.2% (0.15 V/m) and 28.9% (17.6 V/m) of the 26th BImSchV field strength limit (median 4.7% or 2.9 V/m). Instantaneous immissions without provoked traffic were 0.04% (0.03 V/m) to 1.1% (0.67 V/m) of the limit (median 0.08% or 0.05 V/m), and typical use (ARD live stream) was 0.04% (0.03 V/m) to 1.3% (0.8 V/m) (median 0.2% or 0.12 V/m). Visibility conditions (including vegetation) strongly influenced immissions; shifting the beam away from the measurement point reduced average immission by 7.5 dB compared with direct alignment, and immission peaks were usually brief.

Outcomes measured

• Electric field strength (V/m)
• Immission as % of German field strength limit (26th BImSchV)
• Maximum possible immissions (extrapolated or provoked)
• Instantaneous immissions (no provoked traffic)
• Typical-use immissions (ARD live stream)
• Effect of visibility/vegetation attenuation on immissions
• Effect of vertical angle on immissions
• Immission reduction when beam shifted azimuthally/radially
• Long-term measurement observations (user activity, peaks)

Limitations

• Report is in German with an English-language executive summary; abstract is a Google translation
• No health outcomes assessed; exposure/field measurements only
• Details on measurement instrumentation, calibration, and uncertainty are not provided in the abstract
• Sampling described as 'systematically selected' but selection criteria are not detailed in the abstract
• Results are specific to ten 5G beamforming base stations in Germany (3.6 GHz band)

Suggested hubs

• 5g-policy (0.78)
  Study measures RF immissions from 5G beamforming base stations in the 3.6 GHz band and references compliance with German regulation (26th BImSchV).
• who-icnirp (0.32)
  Exposure assessment framed around regulatory field strength limits; no explicit mention of WHO/ICNIRP in the provided text.

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    "study_type": "exposure_assessment",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "5G base station (beamforming cell towers)",
        "frequency_mhz": 3600,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": 100,
    "outcomes": [
        "Electric field strength (V/m)",
        "Immission as % of German field strength limit (26th BImSchV)",
        "Maximum possible immissions (extrapolated or provoked)",
        "Instantaneous immissions (no provoked traffic)",
        "Typical-use immissions (ARD live stream)",
        "Effect of visibility/vegetation attenuation on immissions",
        "Effect of vertical angle on immissions",
        "Immission reduction when beam shifted azimuthally/radially",
        "Long-term measurement observations (user activity, peaks)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Measurements at 100 points near ten 5G beamforming base stations (3.6 GHz) found maximum immissions between 0.2% (0.15 V/m) and 28.9% (17.6 V/m) of the 26th BImSchV field strength limit (median 4.7% or 2.9 V/m). Instantaneous immissions without provoked traffic were 0.04% (0.03 V/m) to 1.1% (0.67 V/m) of the limit (median 0.08% or 0.05 V/m), and typical use (ARD live stream) was 0.04% (0.03 V/m) to 1.3% (0.8 V/m) (median 0.2% or 0.12 V/m). Visibility conditions (including vegetation) strongly influenced immissions; shifting the beam away from the measurement point reduced average immission by 7.5 dB compared with direct alignment, and immission peaks were usually brief.",
    "effect_direction": "no_effect",
    "limitations": [
        "Report is in German with an English-language executive summary; abstract is a Google translation",
        "No health outcomes assessed; exposure/field measurements only",
        "Details on measurement instrumentation, calibration, and uncertainty are not provided in the abstract",
        "Sampling described as 'systematically selected' but selection criteria are not detailed in the abstract",
        "Results are specific to ten 5G beamforming base stations in Germany (3.6 GHz band)"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "moderate",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "no",
    "keywords": [
        "5G",
        "beamforming",
        "base station",
        "3.6 GHz",
        "RF exposure",
        "HF-EMF",
        "immission",
        "field strength",
        "Germany",
        "BfS",
        "26th BImSchV",
        "measurement methods",
        "vegetation attenuation",
        "vertical angle"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
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            "reason": "Study measures RF immissions from 5G beamforming base stations in the 3.6 GHz band and references compliance with German regulation (26th BImSchV)."
        },
        {
            "slug": "who-icnirp",
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            "reason": "Exposure assessment framed around regulatory field strength limits; no explicit mention of WHO/ICNIRP in the provided text."
        }
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}

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