To the editor:
In her letter to the editor of Feb. 6 (Keep Your Smart Meter Off My Townhome), Linda McGillvray clearly proved the old saying that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. She clearly is utterly ignorant of the technical facts behind smart meters, and wireless devices in general.
Smart meters transmit at a very low signal level, and they transit for only a minute or so per day. So much for the “dangers” of “long term” exposure.
In contrast, a cordless phone, and especially a cellphone, expose the user to far higher signal levels than a smart meter does. In fact, the signal level from a smart meter, is roughly similar to that which one is exposed to when one’s next door neighbour is using their cellphone.
McGillvray claims that installing a smart meter can be a fire risk. What rubbish. Any risk of fire is related to a damaged electrical connector in the meter base (mounted on the house), and has nothing to do with the meter itself. The risk of connector damage in the meter base is the same, whether one were to plug in an analog meter or a smart meter, since the connectors on the back of all meters (smart or analog) are identical.
It really is time to put this smart meter paranoia to rest. None of the wild claims of danger are technically valid, many violate common sense and have as much validity as recent claims that vaccinations are hazardous.
Robert Wilson,
Kelowna
