KA BAND OUTDOOR TWT AMPLIFIER
z)
Maintain a healthy respect for any kind of live circuit. Complacency can hurt or kill
you.
Your continued wariness is your best insurance against injury or death.
S.3 Microwave Radiation
S.3.1
Personnel Operating Guidelines
This guideline presents operating practices appropriate for operators and technicians who work
with equipment involving microwave radiation. Keep in mind that levels of microwave radiation
that do not induce immediate physical discomfort in most individuals can be sufficiently high to
induce long term effects.
CPI Satcom Division equipment usually is related to amplification of a RF signal from an external
source. Even if a source is not connected to the amplifier you are working with, there are
situations where the amplifier can go into a self-induced mode and generate high levels of RF
energy. This condition can exist if the unit is operated with high voltage ON and without proper
termination on the input and output of the amplifier.
ELECTRICAL HAZARD! PROTECT YOURSELF AND THOSE
AROUND YOU FROM UNWANTED RF EXPOSURE. ALWAYS
TERMINATE THE AMPLIFIER INPUT AND OUTPUT WITH A RF
DUMMY LOAD BEFORE YOU TURN THE HIGH VOLTAGE ON.
THIS WILL REDUCE THE CHANCES OF OSCILLATION DUE TO
INTERNAL AMPLIFIER NOISE.
S.3.2 Microwave
Discussion
Limit exposure to microwave radiation to prevent unwanted biological effects. There are other
effects that can lead to problems if you are careless in operating or servicing microwave
equipment. The permissible levels are quite low in comparison to the power levels of the
amplifiers built by CPI (e.g., less than 10 mW vs. 20 to 10,000 Watts delivered by different units)
Local radiation levels can be detected with the proper equipment. The permissible levels are
currently being studied by a number of organizations. In the past the U.S. Safety Codes
established a dosage rate of 10mW/Cm
2
. Recently the permissible level has been reduced to 1
mW/Cm
2
. in the United States, as has been the case in several European countries.
D
OC
.01031492 R
EV
.3
S-5