Why does my mobile phone work in the microwave?

macquarie

(Microwave switched off obviously) , Microwave ovens operate at around 2.45ghz meaning the microwave door and walls need to block radiation at that level. My gsm mobile phone is 1.8ghz and works (I put it in the microwave, closed the door and rang it), newer 3G phones are 2.1ghz so maybe they don't work but can anyone explain why my mobile phone still has a perfect signal inside a closed microwave?

AlmightyCushion

Because it doesn't need to block anything below 2.4ish Ghz.

AlmightyCushion

Moved from After Hours. Hopefully this is the right place.

macquarie

So should the wireless on my laptop (2.4ghz also I believe) be disabled inside the closed microwave?

TeddyTedson

Would a microwave kill my pussy if I put it in for a dry off?

citizen_p

turn on the microwave... 30 seconds on high is recommended for the experiment

macquarie

Mousey- wrote: »

turn on the microwave... 30 seconds on high is recommended for the experiment

Cool I'll give it a go and report back to you :rolleyes:

Bruthal

macquarie wrote: »

(Microwave switched off obviously) , Microwave ovens operate at around 2.45ghz meaning the microwave door and walls need to block radiation at that level. My gsm mobile phone is 1.8ghz and works (I put it in the microwave, closed the door and rang it), newer 3G phones are 2.1ghz so maybe they don't work but can anyone explain why my mobile phone still has a perfect signal inside a closed microwave?

Microwaves will probably leak very small amounts of microwave radiation, they dont contain 100% of it but close to it. The amount that may leak is insignificant though. But a very small signal is all thats needed to get a mobile to ring, you would often answer it and then be able to hear a very broken up call.

The phone may not have a perfect signal in the microwave, the signal arriving at the microwave when you rang the phone is a good signal but mostly blocked by the metal casing. So if only 5 or 10 percent of the signal gets through the microwave casing that could ring the phone.

But if you dial out from the phone from inside the microwave and only 5 or 10 percent of signal is leaving the microwave then it will be very weak when it reaches the phone mast a few km`s away.

In other words radio receivers will work better inside a metal case that blocks most of the strong signal arriving at the metal casing (microwave)than a transmitter would work transmitting from inside the same casing as the signal is now severely weakened before it has travelled any distance.

The phone is a fair bit below the microwave frequency if its 1800mhz so the wavelength is a bit longer so the microwave would be expected to reduce its signal a fair bit.
Get the phone to dail out then put it in the microwave with a small radio beside it would be a good test to see how that works. Maybe it will be perfect:D

paddy147

This sounds like a job for the Mythbusters.:pac::pac:

Bruthal

paddy147 wrote: »

This sounds like a job for the Mythbusters.:pac::pac:

Yea it would be a good one alright.

Bruthal

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Would a microwave kill my pussy if I put it in for a dry off?

No will be safe enough once you dont turn it on

cojomo2

macquarie wrote: »

(Microwave switched off obviously) , Microwave ovens operate at around 2.45ghz meaning the microwave door and walls need to block radiation at that level. My gsm mobile phone is 1.8ghz and works (I put it in the microwave, closed the door and rang it), newer 3G phones are 2.1ghz so maybe they don't work but can anyone explain why my mobile phone still has a perfect signal inside a closed microwave?

Dude, get a job!

Bruthal

cojomo2 wrote: »

Dude, get a job!

Should you not be doing yours?

samhail

Might the call have come in on 2G instead of 3G.
2G works on 450 MHz frequency band (wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2G)

Bruthal

samhail wrote: »

Might the call have come in on 2G instead of 3G.
2G works on 450 MHz frequency band (wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2G)

Another good possibility alright. But the phone will ring even with a signal not good enough to have a conversation too.

Carlow52

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Would a microwave kill my pussy if I put it in for a dry off?

Is the OP male or female, or is cat missing?:D

paddy147

Carlow52 wrote: »

or female, or is cat missing?:D

And is it a brazilian??

Here pussy pussy pussy.....;):pac::pac:





Sorry,but I just couldnt resist.

TeddyTedson

But if I turn on said Microwave will my pussy be finished, or will it come out dried off and healthy?

Stoner

can I move this thread back please?:)

Solair

Microwaves are designed to contain ~2450 MHz
Your mobile phone will usually find a signal on 900Mhz (original GSM allocation) or on 1800Mhz.

You *might* have some issues with 3G coverage in a microwave oven as it uses a combination of around 2100Mhz for the downlink and 1900mhz for the uplink.

If you have 2 3G phones, make a video call to the other phone, then put it inside the microwave and close the door. If you lose the signal, you know it filters it

Bruthal

Solair wrote: »

Microwaves are designed to contain ~2450 MHz
Your mobile phone will usually find a signal on 900Mhz (original GSM allocation) or on 1800Mhz.

You *might* have some issues with 3G coverage in a microwave oven as it uses a combination of around 2100Mhz for the downlink and 1900mhz for the uplink.

If you have 2 3G phones, make a video call to the other phone, then put it inside the microwave and close the door. If you lose the signal, you know it filters it

They will block a fair amount of a radio signal a fair bit down from the 2.4ghz as well especially with the metal casing being earthed. The main design in the microwave to do with the 2.4ghx is the size of the holes in the door mesh. Higher frequencies will go through the holes in it.

Longer wavelengths probably go through the casing better than short ones alright when they get down to a ghz or lower in frequency.

A real test would be to get the phone in the microwave to dial out and see how it works.

Edit: Just noticed you suggest a video call from the phone inside the micro. An even better idea.