The Inspiration for the Mel Meter

The Mel Meter is my favorite piece of equipment to use when ghost hunting.

Gary Gaika

Gary Gaika invented this meter. Gaika is an Electrical Engineer that lives in East Granby, Connecticut with his wife Cindy and daughters.

He invented the Mel Meter out of a grief-stricken need. In 2004, his eldest daughter Melissa aged 17 died in a car crash.

Just days after her death the Gaika family started to experience unexplained phenomenon in their Connecticut home.

Melissa Gaika

They felt Melissa’s ghost was haunting their home. She rang the doorbell, changed the channels on the TV and turned the lights on and off. None of these things happened before Melissa’s death.

At one point Cindy was making lunch with her other two daughters, Jennifer and Heather when they all felt an unseen presence enter the room.

Gary stated when he lies in bed he sometimes feels the weight of someone sit down on his side. Then he feels the pressure of a head against his chest.

He has had his shoulder tapped, and everyone in the family has heard their names called. They all also have felt someone kissing their foreheads.

The youngest daughter, Heather has seen Melissa’s apparition in the home on three different occasions.

In an attempt to communicate with his daughter--knowing she was still present--Gary used his expertise to build a series of electromagnetic detection devices.

One of which is the Mel Meter named after his deceased daughter Melissa.

Eight years after Melissa’s death Gary used one of his devices--a spirit box-- he invented to record Melissa talking to him. She said, “Hi Daddy, I love you.”

Three of Gary's inventions.

Gaika sells his devices from $79 to $350. His meters, the Kll and Mel have been highlighted on the Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters television shows. To date, Gary has invented over 30 devises for ghost hunters to use.

Gary states he knows not everyone will believe that Melissa’s ghost was present in their home, but he points out his entire family drew comfort from these encounters.