We have a GSM, and Bluetooth “walking” navigation device, can we apply EMF assessment per EN 62311 at the moment? It can be carried on the body or bundled on the arm.

Whether an EMF assessment should be carried out, depends on the intended use of the device. For example there are portable navigation devices which can operate while in a users pocket and for that type of use we would expect that the device is assessed for held to body configuration such as 0cm or 0.5cm.

If the device contains GSM or GPRS, then the EN 62311 harmonized standard would be applicable for the near body operation for the GSM transmitter. If the device is to be assessed in held to body configuration, then SAR testing per Annex B of EN 62311 and EN 62209-2 would be appropriate. The issue with an EMF assessment, is that if usage is going to be within a few cm of the body, the limit will normally be exceeded due to the output power level for GSM which is applied in the calculation, in which case SAR testing would be necessary.

For a Bluetooth portion, the EN 50371 standard or EN 62479 standard may apply if the average output power for the BT is less than 20mW. The Bluetooth transmitter would not be subject to SAR test and would also therefore be excluded from any simultaneous transmission assessment. If however, the BT transmitter average output is greater than 20mW, the EN 62311 and EN 62209-2 standard may be applied, and SAR tests can be carried out. For simultaneous transmission compliance for the device the GSM and BT maximum 10g SAR levels as obtained when each transmitter is assessed individually, can be summed in the respective configurations to obtain the 10g Sums for comparison to the limit.

Regardless of whether the BT transmitter is deemed to comply with or without tests there must be documentation in accordance to the appropriate standard which describes the compliance rationale. The standards provide the reporting requirements.

If the device is tested for SAR with a gap between the device and the SAR phantom, then the user instructions should provide guidance to the user on the distance at which they should operate the device from the body, so they are operating the device safely.

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