ROGATE village hall was packed and a further 50 people were in the car park listening to an external PA system as a scientist talked about the threats posed by TETRA, the terrestrial trunked radio system.

The system is now being installed across the country to provide the police and possibly other emergency services with a state-of-the-art digital telecommunications system.

Several planning applications have been made in the East Hampshire and Chichester District Council areas and, as reported in The Herald last week, some have already been granted.

Speaker, Ian Sharp, who lives in sight of a proposed Tetra transmitter in Sidlesham, is a physicist specialising in the research and development of medical electronics. He has spent the last two months researching the system.

Mr Sharp underlined that current government safety limits for electromagnetic radiation only take into account the heating effect on people. But, he pointed out, there was a huge amount of peer-reviewed scientific literature on the biological effects of microwave radiation, which identified serious health consequences for the human body. These problems occurred at levels far below the levels which cause heating.

The Tetra system pulses at 17.6 Hz, which is near the frequency of the human beta brain wave. The system's carrier has a wave length of 75 cm, which is about the height of children between the ages of three and six years. This, said Mr Sharp, meant children would act as aerials and absorb more of the radiation than adults.

He was equally concerned about the effect the system would have on the police who are or would be using it.

Mr Sharp answered many questions from the floor and encouraged people to research the system for themselves.

The audience was drawn from the villages between Rogate and Sidlesham, and from across the border in East Hampshire. Also present were West Sussex county councillor for Midhurst, Colin Waller, and several members of Rogate Parish Council but the Chichester district councillor for Rogate, Ann Janes, sent her apologies.

Mark Cooper, project manager for Airwave for Hampshire Constabulary, said: "The new digital radio communications service is being provided by mmO2 Airwave to all police forces, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2005. Hampshire Constabulary, based on current time scales, must be ready to receive the service by the end of November 2003, with the start of the roll out of the service expected in early 2004.

"The service will provide us with newer technology. We currently operate an analogue radio system, which, although effective in the main, is more than 16 years old and is therefore limited in its functionality.

"A number of studies have been carried out on TETRA and other mobile technologies in relation to their impact on health. These studies have found no direct link between the technology and adverse effects on the health of the user, however the government continues to monitor this and we of course continue to prioritise the safety of our officers and local communities."

Simon Hayes, chairman of Hampshire Police Authority, said: "The project team within the constabulary continues to keep us informed of developments as they get closer to being ready to receive the Airwave service, particularly in relation to officer and public safety."