EME/EMR/EMF Compliant or just confused?

Topic	EME/EMR/EMF Compliant or just confused?
Subtopic	Calculating/Measuring EME or EMR
Equipment Required	Computer + Internet and a tape measure
Costs	Nil unless you need to relocated your Antenna’s or improving security regarding public access.
Document last reviewed and updated (reviewed each year)	Archived original document on 20th December 2025 and updated recommendations.

I do recommend that you read what the WIA Education Committee has provided

Article update : 20th December 2025

NOTE : Information about EMR compliance for amateur radio stations can be confusing, particularly for Foundation and Standard operators. Clarification and improved guidance are currently being considered and may become available in the future. All qualified amateur radio operators are required to have an awareness of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and its potential effects, and to operate their stations safely. Practical tools and guidance are available on the Wireless Institute of Australia Education website: https://www.wia-education.com.au/resources-for-clubs Operators are encouraged to work through the process using these tools to gain an understanding of whether their station is likely to comply with EMR exposure limits, and to see what results they obtain for their own installation.

Introduction

The current ACMA Foundation Syllabus contains the following key items in relation to EMR.

And this follows through to the Advanced Syllabus as well

In simple terms, all qualified Amateur Operators are required to have an awareness of EMR and its effects and their responsibilities. This is also clear on the ACMA website.

Useful Site Links

Lets cover the names, websites and abbreviations of the organisations that relate or have relevant information relating to Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)

• Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)
• International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)
• Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
• Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB)
• Federal Register of Legislation
• Wireless Institute of Australia – (WIA) – Primary site
• Wireless Institute of Australia Education Committee site (EME under Club Resources)

To meet your requirements as an Amateur Radio Operator

1. Review the flow chart on the WIA Education Website
2. If you meet the requirements as a station that is Compliance Level 1 – basically just print off the flow chart and maintain this as your record confirming your have reviewed your obligations.
3. If your station is Compliance Level 2 – follow the guidance that the WIA has provided which means using the RSGB Calculator and the documentation you need to maintain.

The RSGB Calculator

RSGB – https://rsgb.services/public/software/emccalculator/
As previously recommended before the WIA Education committee made it their recommendation as well. A nice calculator that provides confidence that all parameters have been entered and considered in the calculation. However, as you will see below in the examples, there is one area of the calculator parameters relating to the mode (where FT8 is a always on mode and not the 42% it preselects for you) and duty cycle hint that is confusing. However on the whole if you use the custom mode and set to 100%, at least this provides the confidence that you have performed the calculations correctly (at least to meet the Australia legislation requirements)

These documents are also very good to read through and provide a little more detail and background on the RSGB Calculator and the parameters used.
https://rsgb.org/main/files/2022/10/RSGB-EMF-Guidance-EMF-2-v2-.pdf –
https://rsgb.org/main/files/2022/07/RSGB-EMF-Guidance-July-22.pdf

The Bonus kicker

The RSGB Calculator is also a great tool to quickly look at a impacts of changes to your station, such as Feeder line type, changes in cable length, type of Antenna, other losses (e.g Baluns), what your EIRP is, with various changes. Its a great little visualisation tool

For the exercise lets look at an example of an Advanced Amateur Station that did not fall under compliance Level 1 and how they would complete the documentation and needed to complete their documentation

You can save to a PDF and download which will provide the following document which you will add to the other documentation that the WIA Education flow chart has mentioned.

Now that calculation is complete, you just need to do a “rinse and repeat” with the various Antenna’s, maximum power settings, and Modes (e.g. FT8, AM, FM etc) that you will use or are capable of.

It may sound onerous, but as the data is persistent, you only go back into the calculator, update for that mode or power, and print the document again. A typical station can be completed in less than 20 minutes for all modes, and you have met your obligations.

Just remember, that your Antenna needs to be unaccessible to the general public, which means that it needs to be enclosed (enclosed meaning a perimeter fence, and locked gates). In effect, you are making sure that an “unaware public” which will include your next door neighbour cannot easily walk into your property, or be within the compliance distance.

You might be thinking about POTA/SOTA. Well generally you are not running high power when portable. So in many cases you are under Compliance Level 1, and in these cases, you are very much aware of whether the general public is within the vicinity, and you can easily meet the condition:

(1)  A person must not operate an amateur station if the radiofrequency field produced by the station exceeds the reference levels for general public exposure at a place accessible to a member of the general public.

by not transmitting – simple. However, when in public areas (e.g. POTA), I have a set of 6 hazard cones placed at the required separation distance (and they do not have to be the heavy duty traffic cones – the very lightweight cheap plastic ones will do the job), and there is no reason why you can’t display a sign as well.

Final Thoughts

Even if your station is Compliance level 1, I recommend to you, as an Amateur Operator, no matter what the qualification you hold, you complete the calculations (they are not hard), even as an exercise. It will provide you with an understanding or what is required, especially if you purchase that 400W amp you that you have been promising yourself, or if legislation changes in the future, or if they make changes to ARPANSA standards.