If you've been licensed long enough to remember the last round of RF exposure rule changes, this one will sound familiar. Two federal agencies have just opened parallel proceedings on RF safety, and while nothing changes for amateurs today, it's worth knowing what's on the table.

ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio®, is tracking two new proceedings launched on 17th September 2026, when the FCC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) each opened comment periods on RF safety issues. Neither inquiry alters the current FCC RF exposure rules that apply to all radio amateurs. They could, however, lead to changes in later proceedings if the existing rules are found to be deficient.

Two Inquiries, Two Different Scopes

The FCC's Public Notice is narrowly focused on specific RF exposure issues that were remanded to the Commission in 2021 by the U.S. Court of Appeals. The Commission has said it will give particular weight to submissions that reflect specialised expertise in health and safety matters.

The HHS Request for Information, by contrast, casts a much wider net. It seeks evidence and information on the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), RF radiation, and wireless technologies more broadly.

Key Dates

21st October — comments due on the HHS inquiry
22nd October — comments due on the FCC issues

Staying Compliant in the Meantime

The current RF exposure rules took effect on 3rd May 2021, and were covered in the September 2021 and May 2023 issues of QST. ARRL's website carries a range of supporting resources, including an RF exposure calculator, the RF Safety section from the 100th Edition of The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications, an explanatory video, FAQs, and more. These are available to the whole amateur radio community, regardless of ARRL membership.

ARRL's message to licensees is simple: stay compliant and stay safe. If you haven't run the numbers on your own station recently, now's a good time.

More Information - http://www.arrl.org/news/view/fcc-and-hhs-initiate-new-proceedings-on-rf-exposure