The issue of filling station fires and explosions from cell phone use
has been extensively investigated per what I think was a complete PBS
program on this that I watched. In short, at cell phone power levels,
they were totally unable to provoke explosions or fires from arcing or
whatever.


What they did discover is that the real problem with explosions and
fires at filling stations, other than the obvious like smoking and other
open flames, was in the static issue from people sliding off car seats!
The build-up of static electricity on the person's body getting out of
the vehicle and the resultant spark when they discharged to whatever the
next touched, or brushed, was the very surprising and real danger of
explosions and fires in filling station accidents.


And on another note, per my long ago training in aviation safety as a
long time flight instructor here in the USA, ambient temperature is
related to this in an interesting way. As the temperature goes down,
way down, the gasoline vapor ignition hazard goes down and the jet fuel
hazard goes up! Haven't thought about extending that thought to modern
auto-life. But one would think that if you are way down in temperature,
a diesel vehicle owner would be more at risk from swishing across a neat
cloth seat than a gasoline vehicle owner. Per the article seen, at
cell phone power levels and around that, one can pretty well forget
causing havoc with them. I'm not passing judgement here, wouldn't yap
on a device in a service station anyway. Just passing on what I saw on TV.


W5WQN


peter berrett wrote:

Hi all

I have been looking at the use of APRS over packet radio and noted that many
Amateurs now have mobile installations in their cars both for fun and to
assist in tracking the vehicle should it get stolen.

This is quite an appealing idea however I do have one concern that I hope an
experienced mobile APRS user could assist me with.

When one visits petrol/gas stations here in Australia one sees signs saying
to switch off one's mobile phone as the electromagnetic radiation could
cause a spark and ignite fuel vapour. It has made me wonder how to make APRS
safe so that should you be filling up your car at a gas station you can be
assured that a regular APRS update from your mobile APRS setup won't run a
risk of causing a fire.

Have APRS users considered this possibility and what precaustions, if any,
are taken to deal with this problem?

cheers Peter










--


-- Sleep well; OS2's still awake!

Mike Luther