Roles:

Charlie – Collect/manage data, location scouting, manage materials, research information

Richard – Collect/manage data, presentation editing work, file management, research information

Equipment/Supplies:

• TES-593 electrosmog meter

• Cell phone (with application for displaying dBm reading)

• Wood blocks

• Router

• Laptop computers (used for documentation and data organization/presentation)

Science/Technology involved:

We will be examining the nature of a specific wireless communication technology known as Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is a technology used in every almost personal device that accesses the Internet. It uses radio technologies called 802.11, and occupies specific bands of the radio spectrum: 2.4gHz and 5gHz. (Reference)

Radio power levels are measured in decibels (dB), which Cisco Systems defines as “the power of a signal as a function of its ratio to another standardized value.” Our consumer devices often give a reading of the signal strength as (dBm), which is a value compared with milliwatts. (Reference)

Activity Plan

We will be utilizing a TES-593 electrosmog meter. The meter is capable of measuring radio frequency (mV/m,V/m), magnetic fields (µA/m, mA/m), and power density (µW/m², mW/m², W/m², µW/cm², or mW/cm²). The frequency range for the ElectroSmog Meter is 10MHz to 8GHz. With the electrosmog meter, we will be measuring power field density.

To measure electrical power, we will be using a cell phone or laptop, which will provide readings in dBm

First, we will find a location where there is minimal outside interference.

Before we record our data, we will take a control value that accounts for ambient RF activity, since there will most likely be some sort of RF activity present in any locations on campus, due to the high concentrations of RF-emitting devices on campus (wireless networks, cell phones, radio towers, etc…).

When a test location is found, we can set up our experiment.

The router will be placed on one side of the room and powered on to broadcast a network that we will be connecting to in order to gauge its strength.

On the opposite side of the room, we will set up our receiving/measuring devices, which we will use to record data. Our laptops and our cell phones will be used along with a program that will allow us to measure the dBm readings. We will increase the volume of the wood blocks in front of the router and in front of the device, and record the changes in data.

Project Dates:

9/23, 2-4PM; 9/26, 4-6PM; 9/27, 5-7PM; 10/1, 4-6PM

Outcomes:

We believe the general trend will be a decrease in power field density (mW/m2) and a decrease in power level (dBm) that is related to an increase in the volume of the wood— a variable we will be altering and observing.