I can just barely remember in High School Physics class learning about the “Wave-Particle Duality of Nature” and thinking how cool it would be to calculate my own frequency and wavelength. Studying RF is a lot like that. There is a whole world around us that makes much of what we do possible that we never see or even think about. Waves. Without them, we wouldn’t see, our muscles would not move, we would not hear, and we certainly would not be able to nuke some Mac n’ Cheese. Waves, whether electrical, radiation, sound, or light, waves make it all possible.
I find it somewhat amusing whenever people talk about worrying about the amount of RF that people are now being exposed to by wireless. When you look at the entire amount of waveforms that our bodies are subjected to on a daily basis even if we run out into the wilderness away from all technology in a cellular dead zone where we can’t get TV signals or a decent radio station, the amount of RF that we are exposed to by wireless networks seems pretty small. Much more dangerous are the light waves, particularly in the Ultra-violet spectrum, that we so willingly subject ourselves to in pursuit of a tan or the concentrated sound waves that we ram into our eardrums when we plug our earbuds into our ipods for the latest track from our favorite artist.
One of the things you quickly learn dealing with RF as it pertains to wireless networks, is how easily these waves are actually disrupted. Basically anything that could muffle sound waves will absorb RF waves as well, wreaking havoc with the coverage you are trying to achieve. Even worse, since the frequencies used for wireless networks are unlicensed, there’s already many, many devices that transmit in those frequencies and they will interfere with your signals. Bluetooth interferes…microwaves…cordless phones…the goodyear blimp, even. (It interferes with b/g frequencies, in case you’re curious.) It’s like there are enemies to your signals lurking behind every corner. Then there’s the building itself. Carpet and walls absorb the signals, glass, mirrors, and shiny floors reflect the signals, even dust and humidity can and do wreak havoc. It’s just not a friendly world for wireless.
Considering how wimpy these RF waves are and how easily they are blocked, absorbed, and reflected, I don’t think we’ll see much harm come from having them around…particularly since we have been using the same unlicensed frequencies for other uses pretty much since they were opened up for use.
Back to the books I go! I bought a cool new tea infuser for work which came with 5 free little tins of different types of tea, so I’ve had my own little zen cube thing going this week. Sipping green tea or chamomile certainly helps take the edge off studying and working! 
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