Duty cycle
The fraction of time a transmitter is actually radiating — the reason a peak reading and a time-averaged exposure can differ by a factor of a hundred or more.
measurement
Last verified 12 August 2026.
- Category
- measurement
Definition
Most digital transmitters send bursts rather than a continuous carrier. A smart meter may transmit for well under one percent of the time, so its peak burst amplitude says little about exposure as regulatory limits define it, which is averaged over 6 or 30 minutes. Any comparison of a measurement to a limit is invalid unless both refer to the same averaging.
Sources
- fcc-1310 47 CFR § 1.1310 — Radiofrequency radiation exposure limits — U.S. Government Publishing Office (eCFR). regulation, link checked 2026-08-12.
- sbm-2024 Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024) — Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN), 2024. ngo, link checked 2026-08-12.
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