In the scientific literature, real-world cellular and Wi-Fi signals are often described as radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). However, this classification only partially captures the physical reality. All wireless communication signals (cellular, Wi-Fi, DECT, and Bluetooth) are transmitted in the form of discontinuous on/off pulses, also known as “frames,” “multiframes,” and “subframes,” etc. The actual radiofrequency carrier signal is emitted in combination with extremely low frequency (ELF: 3–3000 Hz) or very low frequency (VLF: 3–30 kHz) repetition rates. In addition, signal amplitude varies greatly in the ultra low frequency range (ULF: 0–3 Hz). Mounting evidence suggests that this modulation with low frequency signals is crucial for the biological effects of real-world wireless communication technologies. Nevertheless, the current risk assessment of health authorities completely ignores this connection. This publication charts the ELF pulses of commercially available wireless devices, Wi-Fi routers, and mobile phones with LTE (4G) and New Radio (5G) technology over time.
Study design and implementation:
The scientists used a broadband UWB (ultra wideband) spiral antenna connected to an RF spectrum analyzer that was calibrated to the respective carrier frequencies: 2.45 GHz for Wi-Fi, 840 MHz for 4G, and 1876 MHz for 5G. In "zero span" mode, the spectrum analyzer operated as an oscilloscope, displaying the transmitted power as a function of time. The emission sources were a commercial Wi-Fi router (TP-Link, Wi-Fi 6) with active video streaming and a commercial mobile phone (Apple iPhone 15) in either 4G or 5G mode during a phone call. The distance between the antenna and the Wi-Fi router was 1 m, and the distance to the mobile phone was 10 cm. Ten recordings were made for each set of measurement conditions. A background measurement was performed with the emission sources turned off.
Results:
The Wi-Fi router's carrier frequency pulsed at a rate of around 10 Hz (5–20 Hz), and the pulse amplitude was around 20 dB above background noise levels. The iPhone’s 4G signal exhibited a "hierarchical" pulse structure. "Subframes" (approx. 500 Hz) were contained within "frames" (approx. 100 Hz), which were then grouped into "multiframes" (approx. 3 Hz). The pulse amplitudes were 40 to 53 dB above background noise levels. The iPhone’s 5G signal exhibited a similar pattern. It had subframes at around 500 Hz within frames at around 100 Hz, which were grouped into multiframes at around 13 Hz. The amplitudes were 40 to 45 dB above background noise levels. Variability in the amplitude, duration, and repetition frequency of the pulses was observed in all measured signals. Similar measurements were performed using both a Vivaldi horn antenna and the aforementioned UWB spiral antenna, and the results were comparable.
Conclusions:
This study clearly demonstrates through measurement that all examined communication signals contain ELF pulse components that vary greatly in terms of amplitude, repetition frequency, duration, waveform, etc. According to the authors, the high variability of real-world communication signals in the ELF range, combined with being fully polarized and coherent, significantly contributes to the biological activity of wireless communication technologies. Living organisms cannot adapt to highly variable, polarized, and coherent stressors. The scientists identify ion-forced oscillation at voltage-gated ion channels as the mediating mechanism. They argue that this oscillation is responsible for the non-thermal biological effects of cellular and Wi-Fi signals rather than the unmodulated radiofrequency carrier wave.
Editor’s note:
This publication presents direct, time-domain measurements of the ELF pulse structures of commercially available Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G devices. These measurements are methodologically transparent and reproducible. The strength of the testing method lies in its use of zero span mode as an oscilloscope to measure ELF signals. One limitation of this method is the resolution bandwidth of the spectrum analyzer, which can reduce the signal's amplitude. Although the frequency ranges are clearly defined, the authors do not use the ITU nomenclature. According to ITU, ULF is defined as the range from 300 to 3000 Hz, and TLF is defined as the range from 0.3 to 3 Hz. The range from 3 to 300 Hz is subdivided into ELF (3–30 Hz) and SLF (30–300 Hz). Identifying ELF components as mediators of biological potency is consistent with the studies of Jangid et al. [1, 2] in this issue of the ElektrosmogReport (EREP, 02/2026), which show that real-world wireless communication signals are more effective than generic, unmodulated radiofrequency waves. Another publication in this issue of EREP by Kim et al. [3] identifies the molecular mechanism by which ELF fields can alter gene expression rates. Though the mechanistic relationships differ between Kim's experiment and Panagopoulos's model, ion-forced oscillations and voltage-gated ion channels play a key role in both. The regulatory implications are clear. Exposure limits based on thermal effects and the specific absorption rate (SAR) are unsuitable for risk assessments of pulsed fields. A risk assessment that explicitly considers the identified mechanism of action is necessary. (RH)
- Jangid P, Rai U, Sevak JK, Ranjan R, Singh S, Singh R (2026). Radiofrequency radiation-induced changes in Leydig cell function. Scientific Reports, 16, 14999. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-39244-6
- Cellular redox disruption and apoptosis: Differential effects of RFR frequencies on Leydig cells. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 511, 117807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2026.117807
- Kim J, Hwang Y, Kim S, Kwon D, Park J, Cho B et al. (2026): Electromagnetic field-inducible in vivo gene switch for remote spatiotemporal control of gene expression. Cell, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2026.03.029