MADEIRA BEACH, FL—
In a modest workshop overlooking the sun-scorched beaches of Florida’s Gulf Coast, John Coates, 54, tinkers with what might be humanity’s most urgent frontier of science. Surrounded by circuit boards and shielding fabrics, Coates is on a mission to overturn decades of telecommunications policy that he says cost him his daughter’s life—and could be quietly endangering millions of others around the world.
His story and call to action exploded onto the national scene this week through a small but fiercely independent broadcast, Spirit for City Limits, hosted by John Dale in Spiritfor, South Dakota. What began as a local podcast interview has rapidly drawn attention from lawmakers, tech leaders, and grassroots activists alike, fueling a growing public outcry over the safety—or lack thereof—of modern wireless technology.
“I founded RF Safe in 1998 because my wife was working in front of powerful microwave radios,” Coates said, his voice unsteady with emotion. “Our daughter, Angel, was born with a neural tube defect and lived only a short time. Then a study came out showing the same frequencies Tamara was exposed to were linked to a 300% increase in these disorders. That was it. I knew I had to do something.”
Coates’ tragic loss propelled him into a life of research and invention. Now he’s campaigning to repeal Section 704 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act—a piece of federal legislation that, he contends, strips away the public’s right to oppose cell tower placements on health grounds. In a wide-ranging interview, Coates outlined the evidence, described his personal journey, and showcased cutting-edge alternatives to Wi-Fi and 5G that he believes could reshape how the world communicates.
A Law That ‘Outlaws Dissent’
At the heart of Coates’s crusade is Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act (TCA), signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton in 1996. Critics say this little-known provision has broad implications:
- Local Censorship: Municipalities are barred from rejecting cell towers based on “environmental effects,” which in legal terms includes health concerns.
- One-Sided Legal Battles: Even if parents suspect a nearby tower is making their children sick, courts routinely dismiss health-related challenges, citing Section 704.
- Industry Capture: The same year the TCA was signed, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted what Coates calls “fraudulent” safety guidelines. He points to decades-old studies—funded by the U.S. Air Force, the telecommunications industry itself, and university researchers—that documented non-thermal biological risks of RF (radiofrequency) radiation.
“We lost our right to protest,” Coates said. “If you can’t even question a cell tower 400 feet from your child’s school—if you can’t bring science into the courtroom—what kind of freedom do we really have?”
Coates’s stance is bolstered by a 2021 legal victory in which a U.S. appeals court found the FCC’s wireless safety guidelines failed to adequately address non-cancer risks from RF exposure. Although the FCC was ordered to revisit its regulations, no major reforms have been implemented. Coates, like many in the EMF safety community, sees this as a critical turning point—one that demands urgent action from lawmakers and the public.
‘A Bioelectric Disaster Waiting to Happen’
Coates’s background is as unconventional as it is technical. He studied engineering starting at age 15, ran a thriving automotive shop and limo service in Aspen, Colorado, and later developed a groundbreaking “Interferometric Array Antenna” to reduce cellphone radiation. His approach is rooted in bioelectric theory, positing that organisms are not just biochemical but also fundamentally electrical. Disrupt that delicate electrical balance, he says, and the body’s self-regulatory processes can be thrown dangerously off course—especially in developing embryos.
“If a child’s neural tube is forming in the womb and there’s electromagnetic interference, it can be catastrophic,” Coates explained. “Thermal heating is not the issue; it’s deeper, subtler effects on cellular signaling.”
His daughter, Angel, suffered a lethal neural tube defect believed to be linked to prolonged microwave-radio exposure at his wife’s workplace. This tragedy, Coates says, was the catalyst for his life’s work. “It’s not that the science isn’t settled,” he said. “It’s that the science is being ignored.”
From Radar to Wi-Fi: A Legacy of Overlooked Warnings
Historically, RF concerns date back decades—long before smartphones became ubiquitous. Studies by the U.S. Navy in the 1970s highlighted health risks for sailors operating radar equipment. Industry-funded research in the 1990s uncovered DNA damage and indications of cancer, findings that were subsequently downplayed or dismissed.
Now, with 5G rolling out nationwide and satellites beaming high-frequency signals from space, advocates like Coates fear we’re leaping into the unknown without proper safeguards. At the same time, he underscores that safer alternatives—from Li-Fi (light-based networking) to space-based towers—are not only possible but already in development.
“Humanity has always innovated its way out of dangerous technology,” he said. “We moved from fire causing oil lamps to light bulbs. We can do the same for wireless—if we’re not silenced.”
A Convergence of Crises—and Solutions
One of Coates’s most striking achievements is his work on far-UV (far ultraviolet) lighting—a narrow-spectrum technology that disinfects air and surfaces without harming human tissue. While initially hailed as a pandemic-era breakthrough, Coates says he faced legal threats from companies seeking to monopolize the technology. Undeterred, he pivoted to partner with advanced semiconductor firms, producing prototypes that can disinfect while transmitting data at the 219-nanometer wavelength.
“You can move data with photons instead of microwaves,” Coates told Spirit for City Limits host John Dale. “Imagine if your phone automatically switched to Li-Fi when you walk indoors—zero microwave exposure in your home or office. That’s entirely doable right now.”
He believes these newer, “photonic” data-transfer methods, combined with carefully regulated RF transmissions from space-based platforms, could drastically reduce ground-level exposure. “It’s not that we want to kill wireless communication,” he noted. “We want to evolve it—like we did with vehicle emissions. We can have faster, safer, more secure networks if we regain our constitutional right just push for it.”
The Emerging Grassroots Campaign
During the Spirit for City Limits interview, both Dale and Coates urged listeners to adopt the hashtag #TrumpRepeal704, hoping to catch the attention of former President Donald Trump or any future administration bold enough to dismantle Section 704 of the TCA.
“All it takes is one stroke of the pen,” Coates insists. “Repeal Section 704, and let science speak- why shackle the American people to harmful technology. Then we can fund real safety studies, shield our schools properly, and look at safer technologies like Li-Fi.”
Social media chatter suggests the hashtag is gaining traction. Grassroots efforts are also forming to map RF “hot zones” across American neighborhoods, collecting data on towers that may exceed legal limits—especially in close proximity to schools and residential areas.
A Father’s Mission, A Nation’s Reckoning
The story of John Coates is as much about parental loss as it is about national policy and corporate power. It’s a portrait of American innovation pushing back against systems that seem designed to thwart public scrutiny. Despite nearly three decades of work, Coates is neither wealthy nor famous; he’s an inventor and father driven by heartbreak and the conviction that the technology we rely on daily need not be a hidden danger.
His tale resonates in an era of rising health anxieties and distrust in institutions. As more individuals question the safety of 5G, Wi-Fi, and the satellites overhead, Coates stands at the center of a storm—one that could transform the telecommunications landscape if enough voices join his call.
“Our culture can self-heal when we’re allowed to question and innovate,” Coates says. “Denying the public’s right to do that is un-American. If we want to protect our children and future generations, we need to act—now.”
For the moment, his message has found a home on an unlikely podcast from rural South Dakota. But given the intensity of his claims and the high stakes for public health, it may soon echo from the halls of Congress to the White House itself.
How You Can Get Involved
- Spread the Word: Use the hashtag #TrumpRepeal704 on social platforms.
- RF Mapping: Join or start a local citizen-science project to measure and map RF exposure in your area.
- Explore Li-Fi: Investigate products like Li-Fi Max systems if you’re looking to reduce microwave radiation indoors.
- Contact Lawmakers: Urge representatives to review the FCC’s non-thermal guidelines and revisit Section 704 of the Telecom Act.
“Ultimately,” Coates says, “the right to question and protect our families is the most American thing there is.”
As the debate intensifies, his daughter Angel’s story stands as a sober reminder that behind every policy are real lives—and the vulnerabilities of a future still in the making.
John Dale’s full interview with John Coates can be found at PlainsTribune.com and streamed via Spirit for City Limits Podcast. For additional information on John Coates’s work, visit RFSafe.com.
