Narrative:

The company has installed cellular phones in our cargo aircraft to communication with operations while on the ramp. We still use arinc when airborne. The problem is the units were mounted under the flight engineer's table with the antenna in close proximity (and sometimes touching) the flight engineer's 'private parts.' these units put out up to 10 watts of power in the UHF band (not much lower than your microwave). A cellular phone is also transmitting anytime it is on, unlike VHF communication, which is keyed on. There is much evidence that high frequency radiation may cause certain cancers. Although this is not a safety of flight directly, it causes me great concern that we are put at this risk for the convenience of the company. The cost and effort to relocate that antenna are minor compared to the problems the flcs, and flight engineer's especially, could be facing in future yrs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies for a 'third level,' non-union cargo air carrier. He states that crew members are routinely fired for minor infractions, hence he has not complained to the air carrier regarding his concern with the cellular telephone. Other crew men have complained, but the air carrier seems to be unsympathetic. The reporter's concerns come from a warning in the operating manual for the telephone that warns operators about radiation hazards from the antenna. As the system is installed in the cockpit, it is surrounded by metal and uses up to 10 watts to 'blast' its way to the outside world. The reporter will facsimile to the ASRS a copy of the warning in the owner's manual. He is now aware of the FAA aviation safety hotline and will consider contacting osha. As the phone installation is 'temporary,' it has not been approved by the FAA, nor does it need FAA approval.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FE BELIEVES THAT A CELLULAR PHONE MAY BE EXPOSING HIM TO DAMAGING RF RADIATION.

Narrative: THE COMPANY HAS INSTALLED CELLULAR PHONES IN OUR CARGO ACFT TO COM WITH OPS WHILE ON THE RAMP. WE STILL USE ARINC WHEN AIRBORNE. THE PROB IS THE UNITS WERE MOUNTED UNDER THE FE'S TABLE WITH THE ANTENNA IN CLOSE PROX (AND SOMETIMES TOUCHING) THE FE'S 'PVT PARTS.' THESE UNITS PUT OUT UP TO 10 WATTS OF PWR IN THE UHF BAND (NOT MUCH LOWER THAN YOUR MICROWAVE). A CELLULAR PHONE IS ALSO XMITTING ANYTIME IT IS ON, UNLIKE VHF COM, WHICH IS KEYED ON. THERE IS MUCH EVIDENCE THAT HIGH FREQ RADIATION MAY CAUSE CERTAIN CANCERS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A SAFETY OF FLT DIRECTLY, IT CAUSES ME GREAT CONCERN THAT WE ARE PUT AT THIS RISK FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE COMPANY. THE COST AND EFFORT TO RELOCATE THAT ANTENNA ARE MINOR COMPARED TO THE PROBS THE FLCS, AND FE'S ESPECIALLY, COULD BE FACING IN FUTURE YRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES FOR A 'THIRD LEVEL,' NON-UNION CARGO ACR. HE STATES THAT CREW MEMBERS ARE ROUTINELY FIRED FOR MINOR INFRACTIONS, HENCE HE HAS NOT COMPLAINED TO THE ACR REGARDING HIS CONCERN WITH THE CELLULAR TELEPHONE. OTHER CREW MEN HAVE COMPLAINED, BUT THE ACR SEEMS TO BE UNSYMPATHETIC. THE RPTR'S CONCERNS COME FROM A WARNING IN THE OPERATING MANUAL FOR THE TELEPHONE THAT WARNS OPERATORS ABOUT RADIATION HAZARDS FROM THE ANTENNA. AS THE SYS IS INSTALLED IN THE COCKPIT, IT IS SURROUNDED BY METAL AND USES UP TO 10 WATTS TO 'BLAST' ITS WAY TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. THE RPTR WILL FAX TO THE ASRS A COPY OF THE WARNING IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. HE IS NOW AWARE OF THE FAA AVIATION SAFETY HOTLINE AND WILL CONSIDER CONTACTING OSHA. AS THE PHONE INSTALLATION IS 'TEMPORARY,' IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THE FAA, NOR DOES IT NEED FAA APPROVAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.