Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range?

Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by drivers99 on Monday January 08, 2024 @11:58PM (#38922516)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5SRH6Ac1LI&t=25s Love that movie. I didn't remember that so I found the scene. The character's joking / trying to mess with the other person. "You gotta put that thing to your chin. It makes your head into an antenna, so... I think it gives you cancer but you find your car faster. I mean, you don't live as long but you get where you're going quicker so it all evens out. Just a suggestion." At 5:15 in that video she tries it and it works.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by Buttons840 on Monday January 08, 2024 @11:08PM (#38922187)

Should we worry about a radio transmission powered by a 3 volt battery while taking on our phone?

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by zontorol on Monday January 08, 2024 @11:26PM (#38922310)

A phone battery is 3.8 volt. No worry, right?

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by Buttons840 on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @12:04AM (#38922550)

Good point. I don't know much about these things. Are the radio transmissions from a phone stronger? I would expect so, but don't know.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by farkanoid on Monday January 08, 2024 @11:38PM (#38922395)

But my remote contains a 12V battery /s

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by hutzlibu on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @03:37AM (#38923762)

Depends. There is lots of irrational fear with this and as far as I know, no solid proof for harm, but there is extra electricity flowing in your head, because of the transmission of your phone. I don't like talking on the phone that much anyway, so I do not care so much, but if I would talk for hours, I would use a headset (also for ergonomic reasons).

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by acomjean on Monday January 08, 2024 @10:31PM (#38921949)

I suspect not. Its a short burst of rf and not done very frequently. (I use this technque with an key fob near an open mouth probably 4 times a year.. Thanks Car talk.

https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-the-remote-entry-work-b...

Your phone is probably worse.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by buntz on Monday January 08, 2024 @10:42PM (#38922029)

During summer my bald head burns in the 5 minutes it takes to roll garbage to the curb.

Really doubt even phones are dosing us the way nature does.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by hammock on Monday January 08, 2024 @10:43PM (#38922039)

Why would the duration or frequency of the burst matter if RF is harmless?

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by initplus on Monday January 08, 2024 @11:22PM (#38922279)

RF is harmless below the point where it directly heats tissue.

Having a full strength cell tower transmitter inside your home is not safe due to the intensity of the transmission, it will directly heat tissue inside your body.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by Kirby64 on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @01:02AM (#38922926)

I think the distinction/point is that it's not harmful in the 'this might give you cancer' way that ionizing radiation sources will. Worst case, you get an RF burn... which is not great, but it's effects are immediate and obvious, unlike ionizing radiation which is much more insidious.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by coldtea on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @02:53AM (#38923524)

>RF is harmless below the point where it directly heats tissue.

Would it heat tissue anymore than the Sun (in warm places) or your heater or air-conditioner set to heat already does 10x stronger?

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by retrac on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @03:22AM (#38923673)

Microwave RF that is somewhat directional behaves a lot like laser light.

If you were to step into the beam carried by a waveguide for something like a powerful TV transmitter, it will cook you through like a death ray out of science fiction. Fortunately it's not actually collimated, so just a few feet away the energy is barely enough to cook your retinas faster than your blood supply can cool them (which can cause blindness). Otherwise, yes, it's much like infrared heating effects. If infrared penetrated a few centimetres deep, anyway.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by coldtea on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @03:33AM (#38923731)

>Microwave RF that is somewhat directional behaves a lot like laser light.

While fob frequency is microwave, isn't it also much lower energy compared to, say a microwave oven, powered by mains power to cook food?

And also the fob operating in the low 100s of Mhz, not GHz, wouldn't that make it less dangerous?

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by hammock on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @11:20AM (#38927870)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqljaKjKjd4

^ this guy literally does nothing more than lay a long wire out on the grass, and touching it instantly smokes and burns his skin

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by seba_dos1 on Monday January 08, 2024 @11:17PM (#38922246)

Why would the amount or the way it gets into your body matter if water is harmless?

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by userbinator on Monday January 08, 2024 @10:50PM (#38922075)

As true as the notion that cellphones and microwaves cause cancer.

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Re:Why does holding a key fob to your head increase its range? by havblue on Tuesday January 09, 2024 @08:46AM (#38926082)

I'm pretty sure that was a "neg".

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