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When testing materials at 2.4GHz, the microwave oven in your kitchen is your best friend. These units make 700 to 1100 watts of RF output at 2450MHz. This is the same frequency as your 2.4GHz mesh node. To test PVC or any plastic under consideration, fill a glass or cup with water and put a sample of the plastic to be tested in the microwave. They should be in different places on the same turntable. Start the oven for 10 seconds. Examine the plastic to see if ANY warmth is felt on it. If still cold, restart the oven for one minute. Again check for heating. Finally, replace your water in the cup with cold water and cook them both for 2 minutes. If the plastic comes out cold, no energy is being absorbed. This means the plastic is transparent at that frequency. Be sure you know whether you will use any adhesive or joint compound in your project. If so, you need to create a joint, similar to what you will use, and test that combination also. You can use a microwave to test a number of materials in this manner but be sure not to put any metal in there. This test is also a predictor (but not totally accurate for 3.4 and 5GHz)
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