I recognise this probably varies from country to country (I'm in Australia), but can someone tell me the safety limit of RF transmission power for a scenario with an operator standing next to the transmission antenna?

 

Can the voltage at the high impedance points (usually the antenna tips) reach out and touch you? If so, you are too close. A 100w radio connected to an inverted v antenna can put enough voltage on the end of that wire to free up a callsign!

Although I strongly disagree with the idea that RF signals (1-1000MHz anyhow) can affect a person, I would still say a safe bet would be staying out of the near field. In other words, stay a couple wavelengths away.

 

Let me be more specific. This is a low power transmission device operating in the ISM bands of 2.4 and 5.8GHz. The output is about 1W. I want to know the legal limit of transmission power from a RF exposure safety perspsective.

 

looks like 1.6w/kg tissue...

https://www.fcc.gov/general/radio-frequency-safety-0
https://www.fcc.gov/engineering-tec...ision/radio-frequency-safety/faq/rf-safety#Q9

 

The emission limits are frequency dependent as should be apparent from the FCC documents.

 

Sourced from an older ARRL Handbook. Much more discussion in the book!