If you have followed this website for very long you might have noticed that I have tended to focus on the HF-35C High Frequency Analyzer and the Graham-Stetzer Microsurge Meter. They have been my two main go to meters. However I have been looking for a meter that also measured electric fields and magnetic fields. I now believe I have found a really really good one.
I decided to pick up the TriField EMF Meter Model TF2. It is fairly new to the market and measures all three forms of EMF radiation, Electric Fields, Magnetic Fields and RF Radiation. In this article I am going to break down the good, the bad and the ugly as I see it; what I like and don’t like about it. I will also explain to you how to use it. You can check out the price of the meter here on Amazon.com.
There are basically four different types of electromagnetic radiation in our homes that are harmful to us. They are 1. RF Radiation, 2. Dirty Electricity, 3. Electric Fields and 4. Magnetic Fields. Electric current flowing through any kind of electrical wiring create electric fields and magnetic fields. When devices or appliances plugged in to that wiring tries to manipulate the current in any way, such as converting AC to DC power, high frequency spikes and surges are produced which is called “Dirty Electricity”. As AC Electric Fields and AC Magnetic Fields approach higher frequencies, the fields become airborne becoming Radio Waves or RF Radiation.
The TriField EMF Meter Model TF2 will measure 3 of the above four types of harmful electromagnetic radiation. The only thing it will not measure is Dirty Electricity on the circuits in your home. To learn more about this please see my article called “How “Electromagnetic Smog” Or “Dirty Electricity” Is Created“. In that article I show you exactly what meter you need to measure Dirty Electricity and how to identify and correct any Dirty Electricity in your home.
My Video Review
In the video below I use the meter to measure the three types of electromagnetic radiation that it measures. I also show you how to use it and discuss it’s pro’s and con’s in my opinion. (I like almost everything better about the TriField EMF Meter Model TF2 than other meters. But there is one feature I wish it had. I talk about these things in the video.) The video is short but very much worth watching. I highly recommend you taking a look.
Meter Comparison
As I mentioned above, the meter that I have been using to measure RF Radiation is the HF 35C High Frequency Analyzer. It is a great meter, and I really like it. However it only measures RF Radiation. And it does not measure the power range or the frequency range that the TriField EMF Meter Model TF2 does. Below I am going to do a quick comparison between the TriField EMF Meter Model TF2 and the HF-35C High Frequency Analyzer:
Power Flux Density Range
The HF 35C High Frequency Analyzer has a power measurement range of 0.1 to 1999 micro-watts per meter squared. The TriField EMF Meter Model TF2 has a power measurement range of 0.1 to 19999 micro-watts per meter squared. The TriField will read an emission that is 10 times as powerful as will the HF 35C. When I got the TriField TF2 and started reading the specifications, I was really surprised by that.
Frequency Range
The HF 35C measures a frequency range of between 800 MHz to 2.7 GHz. The TriField measures a frequency range of between 20 MHz to 6 GHz. So the TriField measures a much broader range of frequencies as well. Not all devices are at the same frequency. And so the broader the range picked up, the more useful the meter. I think this actually surprised me more that the power range; pleasantly surprised.
Price
The HF 35C only measures RF Radiation and it costs roughly $325 to $360 depending on where you get it. But you can buy the TriField here on Amazon.com for $168. The TriField is not only two meters in one, but it is also half the price! You can’t beat that!
How The TriField TF2 Works
How The TriField TF2 WorksHolding The Meter
If you look at the image on the right it shows how the company recommends that you hold the meter. You can see also where each of the sensors and antenna are located on the device. The main thing that you want to be careful of when holding the meter is not to cover any of the sensors with your hand or fingers. I figured this out the by trail and error first, then I read the instructions.
The Electric Field sensor is particularly sensitive to your touch. It can pick up the Electric Field in your body. We are all made of water and we are conductive. If you hand is too close to the sensor when trying to measure an Electric Field your body will interfere with the reading. So it helps if you can keep your hand towards the bottom of the meter when taking that reading.
The Knob
Notice that the knob can be used both to switch between measurement modes as well as to turn the meter on and off. For normal Electric Field or Magnetic Field measurement use the settings in the light blue “Standard” area. The “Weighted” dark blue area is more sensitive to frequencies above 60 Hz. It is used to measure the effect of EMF fields on your body, or other conductive bodies. Again for most purposes you want to use the two standard settings.
Turn the knob as far to the right as possible to the red “RF” setting to measure RF Radiation. Since this is not a directional meter you can tell which device RF Radiation is coming from if the reading increases as you move closer to it. As you move away from an RF Radiation source the reading will get weaker.
The Warmer-Colder Game
This reminds me, when you were a kid did you ever play The Warmer-Colder Game? That is the game where you hide something and another person then looks for it. As they get closer to the item you say “you are getting warmer”, and as they go the wrong direction you say “you are getting colder”. Do you remember that game?
Well that is kind of how I felt using the TriField meter for RF Radiation the first time. I am used to a directional meter where you know wherever the meter is pointing, that is where the RF Radiation is coming from. But as long as you pay attention to the levels of radiation you can tell which direction to go anyway.
Like I said above, as you move if the RF Radiation is getting stronger you are moving toward the source. If it is getting weaker you are moving away. This may be like a no brainer for everyone else. I might just be a little bit slow on that point.
Battery – Back Light & Audio
Battery – Back Light & AudioAs you can see from the image on the left, to remove or replace the battery there is a panel that opens up in the back. The unit just takes a normal 9 volt battery. And you can tell the battery level by the bar reader in the top right hand corner of the screen. (See image above right).
Under the panel that you remove to replace the battery is where they have a button that turns the back light on and off. There is also a button that turns the audio feature on and off. Most people like these settings one way or the other, so the idea is set them once and forget about them. That way the meter gives the impression of simplicity of use in its day to day functions.
I have to say that I really like the fact that the meter has an audio function and a back light. It really makes the use of the meter easier and an overall better experience. I love both of those features.
Reading The LCD
Reading The LCDOkay first let’s talk about the digital numbers listed on the display screen. This is the only thing I do not like about this meter. The large number at the bottom of the display is called the “Field Measurement”. This is an average reading in order to show according to the manufacturer “the most accurate reading”. I don’t think this is the most accurate reading, at least not for my purposes. I will explain what I mean.
My Only Complaint
The very small digital number in the top left of the screen is called the “Peak Measurement”. This shows the highest peak that has been measured and holds that value for 3 seconds, or until a higher peak is measured. For people like us who are measuring devices to see how much radiation they emit, we don’t need to know the average.
Electronic devices are always varying their emissions, especially when it comes to RF Radiation. We need to know how high the spikes are going. You don’t get that information if you are looking at an average number. So for me the number I am interested is the peak reading. I wish the peak reading was the bigger number, and the average or “Field” number was the smaller number. For my purposes I don’t really need to know the field reading.
The whole field and peak measurement uses make a lot more sense when you look at the big curved band that goes across the middle of the display screen. This part of the screen simulates the old needle meters, which I think is really helpful. Well if you look at the above right image you can see that the bottom part they get from the field measurement, and the top comes from the peak measurement.
So I get it, and I like the needle affect, I just would like to see the peak number be the bigger of the two digital numbers so it is easier to read. If that is the only thing I can find to complain about this meter, that is saying a lot. Other than that the meter works wonderfully. My hat is off to the manufacturer.
Audio On & Battery Display
The only other two things shown on the display is the audio on image and the picture of a battery showing how much battery you have left. I kind of take both of these display items for granted. But if you did not have them it would be very inconvenient. So I am glad that they included them on this unit.
TriField TF2 Specifications
AC Magnetic Field:
- 3 Axis Sensor – allows it to pick up reading in multiple directions
- Frequency Range is 40 Hz to 100 kHz
- Accuracy is ±4% @ 50 / 60 Hz
- Maximum Range is 100.0 mG
- Resolution 0.1 mG
- Frequency Response is See plot below
AC Electric Field:
- 1 – Axis Sensor
- Frequency Range is 40 Hz – 100 kHz
- Accuracy is ±5% @ 50/60 Hz
- Maximum Range is 1000 V/m
- Resolution is 1 V/m
- Frequency Response is See plot below
RF/Microwave:
- 1 – Axis Sensor
- Frequency Range is 20 MHz – 6 GHz
- Accuracy is ±20% @ 1 GHz
- Maximum Range is 19.999 mW/m2
- Resolution is 0.001 mW/m2
- Frequency Response is See plot below
Battery:
- 9V alkaline battery
- Battery Life Backlight Off > 20 hrs
- Battery Life Backlight On > 12 hrs
The below image is the “plot” mentioned above:
Why Measuring Electric & Magnetic Fields Is Important
We all use electronic devices every day. I am typing on my laptop as we speak. Even though I have my WiFi turned off, since my computer is hard wired to the internet, some might think that I am not being exposed to harmful electromagnetic radiation. But nothing could be further from the truth. My laptop, as I showed in the video at the beginning of this article, emits quite powerful magnetic and electric fields.
Electric and magnetic fields are a form of EMF radiation. In this article entitled “Yes, magnetic fields do cause cancer” by C. J. Brown, it describes the differences between two similar studies where one showed a link to certain types of cancer (such as leukemia) and magnetic fields, and the other study didn’t. In this article Mr. Brown explains why the study that did show links to cancer was more accurate, having better procedures than the other. He shows that really both studies would have shown links to cancer had they both been conducted equally well.
There are hundreds of other studies that link the various types of electromagnetic radiation emitted by many of our modern devices cause cancer. See the “Scientific Studies” page of this website for links to some of these studies. It is also linked to things like DNA damage, especially to fetuses, crib death and male infertility.
Where To Purchase A TriField Model TF2
In preparing to write this article I contacted the manufacturer of this meter. They are based in Salt Lake City Utah. They do not sell directly to the public. They sell to various distributors around the country. However you can order the meter online at about the best price available here at this link on Amazon.com.
The manufacturer is the supplier when you order them on Amazon, so they are never out of stock. Also they ship them out right away so you get them very quickly. Since the manufacturer does not sell directly to the public Amazon is probably the best bet. They already have many customer reviews and a four and a half star rating. So I recommend buying your meter from Amazon.
Some Final Thoughts
Hopefully this review has been a benefit to you. I try to be real and tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly (when there is some ugly). I also try to give you the information that I would want to know; information that will be useful as well. I mean when it is all said and done that is the whole point of a “review” anyway. People read reviews to get real objective assessments. At least that is the way it is supposed to be.
Oh and one other note now that I have had a bit of time to use the TriField EMF Meter Model TF2. The 9 volt battery that comes with the unit is not a very high quality battery. I also wonder if it has been sitting in the warehouse too long. The reason I say this is because it ran out of juice way fast; noticeably fast. Other meters that I have purchased years earlier are still going strong. I might have just gotten a lemon as far as the battery is concerned.
Other than that though I could not be more pleased. It has performed just like it was supposed to in all respects. I am very happy with the meter.
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