Using wireless data transmission to maintain intrisnic safety of a gas meter

An apparatus, comprising:

• a flow responsive unit with mechanics that interact with flow of material in a pipe, the flow responsive unit having a cover sealing the mechanics and forming a connection;
• and
• an electronics unit coupled with the connection and fluidly-sealed from the mechanics of the flow responsive unit, the electronics unit generating a value for volumetric flow rate for flow of material in the pipe, the electronics unit comprising,
• a first housing attached to the connection;
• a second housing attached to the first housing, wherein a peripheral wall of the first housing separates a first compartment of the first housing and a second compartment of the second housing to prevent flow of fluid between them;
• a signal transfer unit disposed in each of the first compartment and the second compartment to wirelessly transmit data through the peripheral wall;
• and
• an antenna disposed in the second compartment and connected directly to the signal transfer unit,
• wherein the signal transfer unit comprises a pair of components that bi-directionally exchange data with each other, one each disposed in the first compartment and the second compartment and separate from one another by the peripheral wall, and each being configured to operate both as an initiator that controls data exchange and a target that responds to requests for data from the initiator.