You probably have heard about how your smartphones emit harmful EMF radiation and also about a lot of mechanisms like airplane mode that can block EMF radiation.
There are many health advisors that advise people to turn off their phone or at least put it on airplane mode (when not using them) to block EMF radiations. Especially during air travel, passengers are asked to put their phones on airplane mode for safety purposes.
So What really is airplane mode and does airplane mode block EMF?
How does EMF make things work?
All smart electrically powered smart devices develop electromagnetic fields (EMF) that emit harmful radiations. On the other hand, all these devices also rely on EMF for work.
For example, a Wi-fi router is an EMF source that emits its signals using EMF and our cell phone is a receiver that receives these signals and registers EMF radiations.
A cell phone is also an EMF source as it emits EMF radiations of its own when making a call or using a 3G or 4G network.
So our daily use devices not only emit EMF but they also need it for work. Stopping these EMF radiations when using a cell phone is not possible but some settings can stop them when you are not using it.
How do cell phones work?
Cell phones were developed to make a voice calls from anywhere at any time. Cell phones remove the barrier of cord phones but the revolution does not stop there.
Initially, they had a microchip that converted the human voice into an electric signal and that signal was then transmitted in the form of radio waves. In a very similar manner, radio waves were received and converted into voice messages.
Cell phones are smart electronic devices now and their function is not limited to making voice calls only. Each phone today has a built-in function to receive a voice call, video call, sound system, video playing and sharing, direct sharing of media files, internet browsing, Wi-fi, 3G, 4G, and thousands of other applications and features.
Each of these functions works on a unique electric frequency and then emits a separate spectrum of EMF radiation.
Cell Phone functions that emit radiation
Radio Waves
Using FM on your cell phone seems old now but all the smart cell phones of today have this function installed. A cell phone can receive radio waves (EMF radiation) from your local area.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a function that allows the direct sharing of media files. Any media file is converted into an electric single that is transmitted in the form of radiation. Any cell phone can emit and receive this radiation.
Wi-Fi
Cell phones now have features to connect with a Wi-fi router through its Wi-fi signal. These signals are emitted in the form of EMF radiation. With Wi-fi enabled, your phone continuously receives these radiations from any nearby source.
3G and 4G network
3G and 4G are the networks that connect your phone to the internet. 3 and 4 define the category and G stands for generation. Both perform the same function but operate on very different technology. These networks emit and receive EMF radiation.
Cell Phone Radiation
The cell phone itself is a radiation source because it is an electrically operated device. Cell phones emit RF radiation whenever a current passes through their circuit (charging or regular operation), which causes an EMF to develop around it.
The intensity of EMF emitted by cell phone
Most of the EMFs emitted by the cell phone are radio waves. The intensity of an EMF depends on its frequency and strength. Frequency defines the nature of the source and strength defines the magnitude of the current or magnetic field.
Cell phones work with a frequency range of 0.7 to 4 GHz with the expected 5G technology to work with a frequency of 70-80 GHz maximum [1]. The strength of the EMF depends on the device’s power rating.
How to protect yourself from cell phone EMF?
The best and most effective way to protect yourself from cell phone EMF is by keeping the source away from your body. This can be very difficult now due to my current life and workstyle.
There are some other ways by which one can protect itself from cell EMF radiations. These include switching off the device when not used, keeping Wi-Fi off, keeping a cell phone in an EMF shielding pouch, and switching to airplane mode.
Does switching off Wi-Fi help?
Switching off Wi-Fi will disable the part of your phone that is responsible for receiving the Wi-Fi radiation. This will disable your phone from not only receiving your connected Wi-Fi signals but also from any nearby Wi-Fi source.
Keeping the Wi-Fi on but not connecting to any source will not protect you from your cell phone EMF as your phone will be continuously receiving Wi-Fi radiations from a nearby source. This will only limit the phone’s ability to send and use these Wi-Fi singles for internet browsing.
What is airplane mode?
There is a built-in feature of every phone that can disable the phone from responding to any type of radiofrequency. The reason why it is called airplane mode is that all airlines need to block the radio frequencies of cell phones while they are being used during flight.
There is a lot of debate about the ability of some cell phones to interrupt the radio frequency of a passenger jet or some of its electronic equipment. This interruption can lead to difficulty in delivering or receiving a different command or any serious accident.
How does airplane mode work?
Airplane mode is a default software feature of any cell phone. It has direct access to the phone’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular network. Switching on airplane mode will allow it to automatically switch off these functions that operate using radiofrequency.
The airplane does not have access to the phone’s GPS and it cannot automatically switch it off. If you need to switch off the GPS you have to do it manually.
What does airplane mode do?
Switching to airplane mode disables
- Wi-Fi
- Radio
- Bluetooth
- Data connection for the internet
- Cell ability to make or receive any voice and video call and even text messages
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth of some newly developed smartphones can now be switched on again manually after switching to airplane mode.
The explanation behind this is that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth do not operate on a radio frequency that can interrupt airplane radiofrequency.
How does airplane mode protect you from EMF?
In normal conditions with Wi-Fi-enabled mode, a cell phone continuously tries to search for Wi-Fi signals. This is because cell phone is designed to do this and their work efficiency depends on their ability to search and connect them with these signals.
Airplane mode can completely block a good portion of radio frequency signals by disabling the cell phone’s ability to search and connect with these radiations. The airplane mode will not allow your cell phone to even search for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile cellular network.
It will also stop your cell phone from emitting any radiation that is produced when you send a text message, voice call, or internet browsing.
How to turn on Airplane mode on an iPhone?
In iPhone, iPod and iPad, open up the control center and then tap the airplane mode button to enable airplane mode. This will activate airplane mode which in return turns off other related functions.
This can also be done by going to settings, then to airplane mode, and then tapping the slider to turn the airplane mode on.
How to turn on Airplane mode in Android?
- Turn on your phone
- Swipe down from the top of your phone screen
- Look for the airplane mode icon
- Press the symbol to activate the airplane mode
Or
- Open the setting
- Go to Connections
- Go to flight mode
- Turn on the flight mode
Does the airplane mode block all phone-related EMFs?
A phone in airplane mode does not block all RF radiation. Airplane mode cannot block radiations related to GPS, sound, visible light and cellphone own EMF due to the flow of current in its circuit.
A cell phone emits EMF radiations when you listen to music, watch a video or search for a location using GPS. The airplane mode cannot block these radiations as it is not designed to do so.
Conclusion
All electrically powered machines emit EMF radiation during work. Some of these electronic devices depend on EMF radiation to work, for example, cell phones. A standard cell phone can emit a variety of EMFs which entirely depends on what function it performs.
There is a built-in function called airplane mode in all standard cell phones that are designed to switch off all those functions that emit radio waves or radiation.
Switching to airplane mode will automatically turn off the cell phone’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, radio, and data connection for internet, text, and voice messages. So the answer to the question “does the airplane mode block EMF” is yes, airplane mode does block EMF radiation.
- GSMA (March 2021) 5 G spectrum link https://www.gsma.com/spectrum/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/5G-Spectrum-Positions.pdf