Microwaves and wireless

[xwb]

When I use my laptop in the kitchen, if the microwave is on low, the connection is down to 5.5Mbps. If it is on defrost, medium or high, there is no problem: I get 54Mbps.

I've checked the microwave for leaks and can't find any.

Is it just that there is some frequency interference if I run the microwave on low? I don't really understand what is happening.

 

[Nelviticus]

Short answer: yes there is some frequency interference. Microwaves emit electromagnetic 'noise' in the same frequency range that domestic wi-fi and cordless phones use. It's normal.

Regards

Nelviticus

 

[stduc]

As Nelviticus says it will be interference. On Low the microwave will be switching the power on and off (more off than on) because Microwaves always run at full power they just use switching to control the level. I would guess that whatever circuit is controlling low power is noisy. I wouldn't worry about it and just not download large files when using the Microwave on Low!

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[xwb]

I was actually listening to internet radio when that happened.

 

[tf1]

Almost certainly because the microwave is switching, there are masses of harmonic components generated. On low power, these must be strong in the Wireless band.


Regards: Terry

 

[xwb]

If I'm about 2 metres away from the microwave, reception doesn't drop. It only drops if I'm one metre away. Guess I shouldn't sit so near the oven when waiting for my food.

 

[tf1]

Simply as a precaution, I never loiter around a microwave.

The emmissions are very harmful, so although they are suppose to be strictly regulated, as you can't see them (the emmissions) it seems prudent to be cautious.


Regards: Terry

 

[Sympology]

Simply as a precaution, I never loiter around a microwave.

Gah that old one again....

You could stick your head in a microwave and not die from radiation poisioning, granted your head may explode, but die from radiation you will not.


Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

 

[tf1]

Did I say radiation poisoning? Microwave radiation is nonionising EM radiation, so are unlike lethal X-rays, Gamma rays, etc.

However, the long-term effects of nonionising EM radiation, though still inconclusive, may be harmful. Perhaps I was exaggerating in using the word 'very'.

So I repeat that it is prudent to be cautious. I'm not suggesting that everyone throws away their microwaves because they are killing them.

See this article for some further information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave#Health_effects

Regards: Terry

 

[stduc]

You could stick your head in a microwave and not die from radiation poisioning, granted your head may explode, but die from radiation you will not.

Ignoring the fact that you would already be dead (At least I don't know of any microwaves that will operate with the door open!). It gives a whole new dimension to "go boil you head!" - LOL


[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[xwb]

I used to work in a place that maintained radar dishes. Once a year, they would switch off all the dishes and a man would go out to get all the fried bird corpses off the dishes.

 

[tf1]

RADAR is more powerful than a microwove oven by several orders of magnitutde.

A microwave oven is shrouded in a faraday cage to minimise radiation. The output of the magnetron is spreadout to heat food evenly.

RADAR is designed to radiate in a narrow-focused, concentrated pulsed beam.

It would take several lifetimes absorbing radiation from a microwave to equal a few moments in front of a Radar beam.


Regards: Terry

 

[G0AOZ]

Just as well he's not using his radio next to a radar dish.

I have one of those little receiver devices to check or sniff out WiFi signals. Go anywhere NEAR the kitchen when the microwave is on, and it lights up like a Christmas tree...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[stduc]

I was wandering around Heathrow once many many moons ago when my pager went insane then died. I guess I got caught briefly in the radar beam. Makes you wonder!

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]

 

[G0AOZ]

That'll teach you not to loiter on the runway.

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[madonnac]

Microwaves have a width that is close to a pencil - you only need to worry if your door/case is so loose you can stick a pencil through the hole.

Appiances have always generated interference on the 2.4 GHz frequency, so it has been guarenteed to generate interference a lot longer than the wireless cards/phones/etc.

 

[jurgen36]

Microwave dangers.

Guys I suggest you make a small experiment. Use some seed to start growing plants. Then divide the growing seed into two pots. One of them water with normal tap water, the other with water boiled in a microwave and then cooled down to normal temperature. Observe the results and be frightened. I did not believe it but now my Microwave went to the dump.

The ones using the microwave boiled water appear to be stunted and hardly growing. The ones using normal tap water are growing normally.

So much for microwave safety. There is no scientific explanation for the result.

Experiments by my former company also showed that cell phones and wifi seem to affect the DNA, again there is no reason for it. The results were disregarded as there could be a billion dollar industry affected.

Best regards

Jurgen

 

[xwb]

The billion dollar industry of cell phones and wifi may have side effects but, like smoking, people are now addicted to communications, so whatever the warnings, the addicts will ignore them. Many actually cease to function without their cell phones.

Maybe your plant experiment should also include water boiled with a kettle and distilled water. If that displays the same characteristics as microwave boiled water then it isn't the microwave: it is the boiled water. If it is the same as distilled water, I wouldn't know what to conclude.

 

[tf1]

That comparison essentially proves nothing other than boiling water removes some of the nutrients (and/or changes their composition) and kills off bacteria essential to plant life.

I am no great fan of microwave ovens: they are highly inefficient, horrible for cooking most raw foods and rubbish at cooking/heating many pre-cooked foods. But they are certainly not responsible for stunting your seedlings. (Compare microwaved pizza or jacket spuds to oven baked equivalents.)

The majority of seedlings/plants grow best using plain (FREE) rain water. By all means throw away your microwave but invest the cash saved in a water butt! Your plants will be great!



Regards: Terry

 

[stduc]

That'll teach you not to loiter on the runway.

Someone has to check the runway for debris

Looks like this thread is going down the paranoia route here - I wonder if there was an anti farming movement 10,1000 years ago? "If it isn't wild its unnatural and will kill you"

On a more serious not - Microwaves are effectively steamers. So if you wouldn't steam it, don't microwave it! I wouldn't cook Xmas pudding any other way!

[navy]When I married "Miss Right" I didn't realise her first name was 'always'. LOL[/navy]