HAMs With Pacemakers

[hcpholder]

I have done a few searches on the forums and threads and can't find much information regarding hams who have a pacemaker and use various equipment. I have what is called an ICD, which is a pacemaker and defibrillator combined. I had only had my license for a couple of months and just purchased my first HT radio when my heart stopped while sitting in the car, waiting on my wife to come ot of the store. She stated that it took them awhile to get me back. When I finally came too about a week and a half later I had this ICD. I was informed that I could use my HT as long as I kept it 2 feet away from my ICD, which meant that I had to purchase a handmike for it and use it on my belt, on the opposite side of my body.

Now living in an apartment I can't have an "outside" antenna, so I am limited as to what equipment I can use. I ordered a "ladder type j-pole" for use indoors, to better my communications using my HT. I have a mobile that I just purchased, along with a power supply so I could connect it in the house. I'm just wondering if using my j-pole on a mobile inside the house, in close proxmity to the antenna would cause a problem with my ICD. I have contacted the supplier of the ICD, and monitor that I have to use for them to "download" information weekly from the ICD, to see if they can provide any information, but have not heard anything from them yet.

I guess I'm looking for hams who have pacemakers/defibrilators that operate equipment without any ill effects. It's kind of hard to thing I have studied so hard, just receiving my General ticket, and might not be able to really put things to use. Any information would be appreciated. 73's KJ4TVL

 

[wyomingmedic]

Let me start this off by saying that I DO NOT have a pacemaker. I would certainly side with caution and listen to your doc as they have a lot of experience in these matters.

But, I am a Paramedic and spend a lot of time around pacemakers. Gone are the days when convenience stores had signs saying "microwave in use". This was a caution to folks with pacemakers and was a lot of hooey IMO. I cannot find a single CONFIRMED case of problems around microwaves.

But now, pacemakers are a LOT different. They are extremely robust and are shielded better than they ever have been. I have defibrillated folks with pacemakers. This involves WAY MORE current than using an HT, applied directly to the body. And pacemakers don't fail from this. They don't mess up. I have seen 1 that the battery went VERY bad in (from defib) and actually burned the patient. But that is quite isolated.

Within a hospital setting, all of our telemetry is RF. We use 2 way radios and all sorts of electrical field generating stuff. Nowhere are there warnings or concerns posted. No doctor ever says anything about using VHF fire radios while standing next to somebody with a pacer. When you get on a bus, you never know who has a pacer so you use 2 way radios, cell phones and the like without concern. And nobody I have ever heard of has had a problem with that. Pacemaker folks still walk around commercial broadcast towers and stand in buildings with cell carrier towers and bay antennas directly overhead.

I guess what I am getting at is, if it were me, I wouldn't worry. I fell the risk is VERY VERY low. I would take precaution to abide by the doctors rules and listen to him (or her), but my guess is that they said "2 feet" because they have no idea and it sounded like a good answer.

WM

 

[kg4ojj]

Due to your specific needs, you won't likely find any information in the RR forum..........

As an amateur radio operator AND a field engineer for a major pacemaker company, I would strongly advise you to contact the Technical Services Department, which is part of every pacemaker/defibrillator company. There are specific guidelines as to the limit of RF energy, etc. The engineers can help you understand what these guidelines are and how they apply to you.

My advice is (on purpose) generalized here. Contact the manufacturer who made your defibrillator. Perform an internet search on the company to get their main number, if you don't already have it. Ask to speak to the technical services department responsible for implantable defibrillators. Explain to them your issue/question. There are 'standard technical letters' for a variety of electromagnetic interference (EMI) environments, including ham radio - ask them for a copy. Once you get their advice, talk to an experienced ham. He or she should help you understand the RF environment in your house and your equipment. Then, before you transmit with "big" watts, talk to your electrophysiologist. Bring in the letter or information given to you by the manufacturer.

Having an implanted defibrillator SHOULD NOT limit your life, your hobbies, or your work. However, there is a substantial risk involved for any patient with an ICD, when mixed with EMI sources. These risks include failure to shock when needed, shocking inappropriately, loss of pacing function, etc. The chance of these things occurring is small, but not zero. With proper planning, RF grounding/shielding, and routine maintenance, you should be able to safely play with RF for many years and in many modes.

Regardless of the advice you receive, good amateur radio practice tells us to keep RF away from ourselves and others. I don't have an ICD and I don't plan to put a VHF or UHF antenna in my antenna-restricted condo where it could cause bad things to happen to me or my family. Your handheld attached to a high-gain antenna (more than its rubber-ducky) may put too much RF in close proximity to your eyes, much less your ICD.

Because there are numerous health-related variables at play here, I won't discuss your case with you via PM, nor in specifics here in this forum. To do so isn't proper. Talk to the in-house engineers. They will talk to you. Many of them are hams, too. Ask when you get them on the phone....

@WYmedic..... Early microwave ovens were large, leaky power units that could easily interfere with the types of pacemakers and pacing leads (heart wires) used in the 1970s. Hence, the "Microwave Oven in Use: Pacemaker Wearers Beware" signs. Today, those (unipolar) pacemakers and/or lead types still exist, but are rarely seen. Inhibition of the pacemaker wasn't common, but did occur.

 

[n5ims]

Here are some links that may help you, although it's very good advice to check with the maker of your pacemaker and to follow their advice as well (although they'll probably lean more towards a stay away answer while the ham organizations would lean more towards a it'll be OK answer).

Pacemaker
RF Safety Background, page 1
Pacemaker Club: Support & Information For Pacemaker & Defibrillator Patients
Pacemaker and Ham Radio Questions
Understanding Pacemakers
Devices that may Interfere with Pacemakers
http://www.osuntech.com/PacemakerAndRadiation.aspx

 

[hcpholder]

Thanks so much for all of the information. I do have the contact information for the equipment provider and I will follow-up with someone on it. I was planning on connecting my mobile inside on the j-pole I just received, but think I will wait for more information. 73's to all! KJ4TVL

 

[hcpholder]

Got some great news and information regarding the use of ham equipment and my pacemaker/defibrillator.

I contacted Boston Scientific and informed the person I spoke with of my situation with the use of “amateur (Ham) radio” equipment in my apartment and that I had to use an inside antenna with my equipment. I asked if they could provide any “parameters” for the use of my equipment around my heart monitor and pacemaker/defibrillator. I received the following:

For AM operation at 1kw (1,000 watts) or less – I need to be at least 5 ft. from the antenna with my monitor and ICD.

For FM operation at 1kw (1,000 watts) or less – I need to be at least 10 ft. from the antenna with my monitor and ICD.

That is great news! ! ! ! !

 

[rescuecomm]

I guess what I am getting at is, if it were me, I wouldn't worry. I fell the risk is VERY VERY low. I would take precaution to abide by the doctors rules and listen to him (or her), but my guess is that they said "2 feet" because they have no idea and it sounded like a good answer

I am with WM on this. In 22 years as a first responder, I have never heard of a patient who lost pacing from a VHF/UHF radio being keyed close by.

Bob

 

[Daniel_Boone]

I think the key here is to put a outdoors antenna outside of your home.

There is a boy that received his license the same time I did who did not have a place for a home antenna and so he put a mobile antenna on a old Steel baking sheet outside of his home.

You will cause some RF issues with your neighbors - because of the antenna being so close to the ground. I have a 50 watt Yaesu 8900 and I can practically wipe out my local channel which is being broadcast on UHF ch 34. It will make the screen go blank and stop all audio.

Being in stealth mode - you might could even mount your antenna on the roof of your vehicle and run coax out to the antenna on the roof of the car at night and fetch it indoors in the daytime.
Sooner or later - who ever you rent off or which ever home association that banned the use of a outdoors antenna will rescind their mandate when you mess up there television enough times.

Truthfully, if you could disguise it as a television antenna, they cannot ban you from using it.
That is the law.
I'm not quite sure how transmitting fits into that equation.