Ric received his amateur radio license in 1959, at the age of 15 and used a homebrew transmitter operating at 7.5 watts to work the world. He is a physicist by training (BS Midwestern State University and MS from Rutgers University) and served in the US Environmental Protection Agency for 20 years where he led the Electromagnetics Branch in the Office of Radiation Programs before entering in private consulting practice related to RF safety matters during the past 35 years. Ric specializes in analysis and measurements of RF fields, RF exposure standards compliance and RF safety programs. His background includes participation in a scientific exchange program with the Russians on biological effects of electromagnetic energy and numerous publications related to RF safety. He is Chair of the IEEE ICES TC95 Subcommittee 2 that developed the IEEE Recommended Practice on RF Safety Programs and Chair of the IEEE Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR). He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. In 2019 he was the recipient of the Non-ionizing Radiation Distinguished Service Award from the Health Physics Society. Tell recently received the IEEE Lifetime Achievement Award "For more than 50 years of outstanding contributions to the science and technology of nonionizing radiation safety, and for developing standards for measurement methods, safety programs, and exposure limits".  His favorite area of ham radio is analysis and experimentation with antennas.