GPS (Gas Pump Shocker)

Midi Playing is "Happy Trails"

             Mobiling one day in Bracebridge and  talking to members of the Bikaszar Net (3737) I had to excuse myself while I was going to gas up the Olds Delta 88. There was a line up ahead of me so had to wait a while before getting served. Finally while the attendant was filling the tank, Mike VE3AWU asks "Where did you get to, Ted? " Without hesitation I pick up the microphone and say I am still at the gas pump and should be clear shortly.

             Suddenly, I am aware of a commotion outside my vehicle, glancing in the rear view mirror, I see several people bending over the the gas station attendant who is lying on the ground. I get out of the vehicle to see what was going on. The gas nozzle is lying on the ground and the attendant, sitting up now, seems to be suffering some discomfort and is examining both his hands which appears to be getting red and apparently very sore as well. I look at his hand and see tiny puncture wounds with a clear liquid oozing out. Knew what happened right away, he must have been touching the Screwdriver antenna when I keyed the rig to talk to Mike. He had RF burns on his hand! 

            I asked the attendant, "what happened ?" He said he got a shock off the gas nozzle, must be something wrong with the pump. By this time an ambulance had arrived and the paramedics where checking him out. The gas station owner turned the power to the pump off, I paid my bill and headed for Parry Sound. I had not mentioned to anyone that I knew what happened.

             When I got back to the guys on 3737 and told them of the episode they had all kinds of suggestions on safety devices that should be a requirement when using Screwdriver antennas on vehicles. They ranged from 2 foot high Red  and Yellow Danger warning signs, plastic covers to enclosed the entire antenna, to a section of Frost Wirelink Fencing be installed as a cage around the car to keep people away from the screwdriver antenna.

             It was several days later that one of the group asked if I had seen the latest issue of the local Bracebridge paper. I said  " No, why would I be looking at a Bracebridge paper when I live in the Sudbury area. ?" They told me there had been a short article in it concerning the gas station attendant and they were interested in locating the driver of the white Olds Delta 88 that had been gassing up during the incident.

            Not sure if they were pulling my leg or not, but I would wager that they were. It is hard to believe anything or anyone that has been a member of the Bikaszar Group. In case you do not know the meaning of Bikaszar...... it means " Bullshit " in Hungarian. Go figure!

            The moral of this story is " When you are at a service station, do not transmit when gassing up or others are gassing up..." Turn off the rig to be  sure. The possibility of an explosion and fire is very real as well.

            73, Ted VE3DXG