09/09/2022

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE SA) Awards and Recognition Committee has selected ARRL member Richard A. (Ric) Tell, K5UJU, as the recipient of the IEEE SA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tell has more than 50 years of outstanding contributions to the science and technology of non-ionizing radiation safety, and has developed standards for measurement methods, safety programs, and exposure limits. He is a member of the ARRL RF Safety Committee[1] (RFSC).

Tell also received a Founders' Trophy in 2022 from the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), recognizing his outstanding service to the Society. Along with other ARRL RFSC members, he helped form an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Oversight Group, which has been meeting since August 2020 to develop tools and procedures for compliance with the new RF exposure regulations for amateur radio operators in Great Britain. The new rules in the UK are similar to those already in effect in the US and will be phased into the UK over a 2-year period. They're currently only in effect for high-frequency bands.

RFSC member Greg Lapin, N9GL, praised Tell for his contributions. "The entire amateur radio community was fortunate when Ric Tell agreed to join the ARRL RF Safety Committee. Ric's long history with RF safety includes many years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency followed by a consultancy that evaluated RF fields at commercial installations to identify potential exposure issues. During that entire time, Ric donated his time and assumed a leadership role in the development of the IEEE RF Safety standards, which make up a large portion of the FCC's regulations related to exposure."

Tell received his amateur radio license in 1959 at the age of 15, and he used a homebrew transmitter operating at 7.5 W to work the world. His favorite area of ham radio is analysis and experimentation with antennas.

He holds a Bachelor of Science from Midwestern State University and a Master of Science from Rutgers University. Prior to entering a private consulting practice related to RF safety matters for the past 33 years, Tell served at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) for 20 years, where he led the Electromagnetics Branch in the Office of Radiation Programs.

Tell specializes in analysis and measurements of RF fields, RF exposure standards compliance, and RF safety programs. His background includes participation in a scientific exchange program with Russian scientists on biological effects of electromagnetic energy and numerous publications related to RF safety. He is Chair of the IEEE SA International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES) TC95 Subcommittee 2, which developed the IEEE SA Recommended Practice on RF Safety Programs, and he's Chair of the IEEE SA Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR).

Tell is also a Fellow of the IEEE SA and was the 2019 recipient of the Non-ionizing Radiation Distinguished Service Award from the Health Physics Society.

The IEEE SA Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented on Sunday, December 4, 2022, at The Imperia in Somerset, New Jersey.

 

 

 

 


[1] http://arrl.org/arrl-rf-safety-committee

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