Generic UMTS test signal for RF bioelectromagnetic studies.
This report outlines the characteristics of universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) signals and discusses the signal parameters with respect to their possible biological relevance in order to define a generic UMTS test signal (GUS) for experiments aiming at the investigation of biological effects of weak electromagnetic fields. The GUS includes features of a real UMTS signal and especially the characteristics of UMTS, which differ from those of already applied second generation mobile communication systems (GSM 900, DCS1800, PCS1900, IS-95). It has been specified on the basis of the recommendations of a working group of the German Forschungsgemeinschaft Funk (FGF) with a focus on the mechanisms of UMTS which are responsible for slow term signal contributions, i.e., low frequency variations of the radio frequency (RF) envelope, since the hypothetical possibility of biological relevance of weak electromagnetic fields is often attributed to time variations of the RF envelope with frequencies close to those of natural processes. In this respect, it is also shown that the mandatory power control loop in UMTS gives rise to very strong 1.5 kHz variations on the air interface. Based upon the concept of the GUS, a UMTS test signal generator (GUS6960S) is described.
Ndoumbè Mbonjo Mbonjo
H
H
Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.
Streckert
J
J
Bitz
A
A
Hansen
V
V
Glasmachers
A
A
Gencol
S
S
Rozic
D
D
D040421:Cell Phone; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards*; D005858:Germany; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011846:Radio Waves; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D012015:Reference Standards