John Coates is an engineer, inventor, and outspoken champion for public health who has devoted more than two decades to advancing technology under one guiding principle: safety should never be optional. From pioneering cell phone antenna designs that minimize radiation exposure to building light-based communication systems that disinfect the air, John’s innovations always prioritize open-source collaboration and consumer well-being.
A Tragic Beginning, A Lifelong Mission
In 1995, John’s firstborn daughter died from a severe neural tube defect—a tragedy that forever changed his path. Two years later, research linked microwave radiation to neural tube disorders in chicken embryos, echoing his family’s heartbreak. Driven to spare others similar pain, John founded RF Safe in 1998. What began as a personal quest to uncover hidden hazards of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) quickly grew into a global mission—one that challenges outdated assumptions about wireless safety while offering practical protective measures for consumers.
Early Engineering and the Shift to RF Safety
A precocious talent, John enrolled in college at 15 to study engineering. He initially applied his skills to automotive innovation, operating Coates Tire and Auto and Aspen Limousine Service in Aspen, Colorado. Yet after encountering the emerging risks of wireless technology, John redirected his engineering prowess to developing RF shielding devices and non-isotropic antennas that would revolutionize cell phone design.
Pioneer of the Interferometric Array Antenna
Among John’s landmark achievements is his Interferometric Array Antenna, also known as the Vortis Antenna. At a time when the FCC’s isotropic rule mandated cell phone antennas radiate signals equally in all directions, John’s design seemed “illegal” because it redirected harmful radiation away from the user’s head. This not only reduced exposure but also solved hearing-aid interference issues—a major barrier to mobile accessibility.
Through a strategic alliance (notably with telecom expert Jim Johnson) and an appeal under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the FCC reversed its isotropic rule in 2003, unlocking safer antenna designs industry-wide. While others later held the commercial patent, John’s open-source ethos guaranteed that the technology remained accessible to manufacturers at large—pioneering the idea that public safety shouldn’t be hidden behind paywalls.
First-to-Market Safety Products
Under RF Safe, John introduced a series of first-to-market solutions—often predating mainstream awareness of RF risks:
- Microwave-Shielding Belly Bands (1990s): Used MU metal and other shielding materials to protect pregnant women from both microwave and magnetic fields, especially around CRT monitors and early wireless devices.
- Air-Tube Headsets & Anti-Radiation Phone Cases (1990s): Reduced EMF exposure near the user’s head, serving as prototypes for many products now commonly available.
- Laptop Radiation Shields (1990s): Provided in the early 2000s to guard users’ laps from Wi-Fi-enabled devices (later discontinued as laptops evolved toward fully wireless, making shielding less practical).
While each invention served as a temporary patch for immediate safety, John’s broader vision has always been a more fundamental shift away from harmful microwave-based communication toward Li-Fi and other non-RF solutions.
CTO Roles & Future Tech Innovations
Today, John extends his commitment to safer, smarter technology through roles as CTO at:
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QuantaX Technology
- Championing Li-Fi and advanced beamforming solutions that minimize microwave radiation indoors.
- Invented the world’s first reusable UVC test cards (QuantaDose) during the pandemic, showcasing real-time UV verification.
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FAR-UV Innovations
- Pioneering 219 nm Far-UVC systems that disinfect air and surfaces in occupied spaces without harming human tissue.
- 2021 Holds US Patent 11700058B2 for advanced Li-Fi networks using germicidal wavelengths—yet again proving John’s knack for staying years ahead of regulators.
Additionally, John is the Webmaster of Liberty Unites, a platform that fosters community engagement and grassroots activism—from supporting victims of conflict to safeguarding free speech.
Advocate Against “Unconstitutional” Telecom Laws
John’s personal passion transcends engineering—it also drives him into public policy battles. He vehemently opposes Section 704 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, labeling it a “federal gag order” that denies communities the right to block cell towers on health grounds. Pointing to Public Law 90-602 (the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968), he insists on updated guidelines that account for non-thermal EMF effects—particularly for children, whose developing systems are most vulnerable.
This concern is especially personal: John’s daughter Melanie attends a Florida elementary school just a few hundred feet from a high-powered cell transmitter, a distance he calls “one-third of what’s safe”. Unable to legally object to the tower’s placement, he works tirelessly to repeal Section 704 and enforce the long-ignored federal mandate for continuous radiation research.
An Open-Source Legacy of Compassion
Throughout his career, John has placed public welfare above profit, often creating prior art to keep essential technologies unpatentable and freely usable. Under his leadership, RF Safe also hosts the world’s largest SAR comparison database, leveraging color-coded charts and plain-language guidance so consumers can make informed decisions.
“I made a promise after my daughter passed: to fight the ignorance that caused her harm. Every invention, every open-source design, every law I challenge—it’s all part of that promise.”
— John Coates
In Summary
- Founder of RF Safe (est. 1998): One of the earliest global voices on the risks of cell phone radiation, with a track record of pioneering safer-tech products.
- CTO of QuantaX Technology & FAR-UV Innovations: Bridging next-gen communications (Li-Fi, beamforming) with pandemic-ready Far-UV solutions that protect public health.
- Engineered the Interferometric Array Antenna For Cell Phone: Spurred the FCC to drop its isotropic rule in 2003, forever altering cell phone design and accessibility standards.
- Open-Source Visionary & Activist: From belly bands to beamforming, he freely shares critical innovations and presses policymakers to modernize outdated, unconstitutional telecom laws.
- Personal Tragedy to Public Triumph: Losing a daughter to a microwave-linked birth defect fueled his vow to protect families worldwide from avoidable radiation hazards.
Relentless, resourceful, and resolute, John Coates continues to reshape our wireless landscape with integrity and compassion. Whether championing Li-Fi over microwaves or revolutionizing UV disinfection, he remains guided by one unyielding principle: technology must serve humanity without endangering our health or future.
