Advice on radiation detectors?
 

Looking for radiation detectors. Something that your average househould could use to measure rising radiation levels in order to leave an area at the apropriate time.

For example, if a large dirty bomb was detonated in my city or nearby city. Another example would be if large bombs went off in nearby cities and I wanted to measure the danger levels outside my home.

1. Must be simple to use.
2. Must be well made.
3. Must be able to be calibrated or repaired (by a professional)
4. Does not need to be top of the line.

Again, this would just be for an average family use. I want to learn more about radiation, war aftermath, radiation sickness, etc.

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

One of the best reads I have had recently on the topic: http://www.oism.org/nwss/s73p912.htm

Take the time to read this from cover to cover and you will learn a lot about surviving a Nuclear War and the resulting fallout.

Don't believe the doom and gloom about nuclear war, it is easy survived if you keep a level head and make the right decisions.

Dave

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

Hard to beat a garden variety CDV-700 G/M counter (my avatar) for a easy to use survey meter. Combine that with a couple of dosimeters and a charger and you're set. My personal favorite is my Bicron counter with a pancake probe.

Stay away from the cheap CDV-715 ion chamber units. If you get a reading from one of those, you're in deep shyte.

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

when i was in the USAF, we had a tape we stuck in our pockets, it would change colors at different levels, simple, it reacted within seconds of exposure.

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

Any recomendations on where to buy one?

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

This guy is selling used, tested Victoreen Instrument Geiger Counter CDV-715 750 ones here on eBay atm at a pretty good price:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Victoreen-Ins...3286.m63.l1177

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

It would be interesting to wander around the house and see just how many things give radioactive readings...

I have used one on a (gold) minesite and it would just sit there and click ever so often, probably due to the rock dust particles getting around. They had them because occasionally they'd dig up something slightly radioactive while blasting etc. that would need to be removed from the pits.

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

I own this one, the Terra-P. Seems like a good quality unit. Bought it off ebay. Brought to you by the people who survived Chernoble.

http://www.linuxslate.org/Review_Terra-P.html

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

My kitchen tile is slightly above background levels.

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

I've also heard talk about Osmocote plant food having trace amounts of alpha particle emitters in it! Don't know if it's hippie propaganda or not, but next time I get my hands on a Geiger counter I'm gonna check it.

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

Don't buy one if you live in a granite house! :biggrin:

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

I've bought most of mine on eBay, but check out the Yahoo CDV-700 group, they're a bunch of rad gear enthusiasts like me, sometimes they have gear for sale.

Like I said previously, avoid CDV-715's! They are NOT Geiger counters, but a ion chamber unit, suitable for readings in high-radiation environments. Strictly a "war meter" only.

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

AG-MAN

What would the 715's be used for? Would they compliment a 700?

What instances would a 715 be useful (if at all)?

Re: Advice on radiation detectors?
 

Like I said, they are a war meter, useful only in the case of a high radiation environment. I have the meter for a CDV-700 right here, it measures from 0 to 0.5 millirad/hour, with a scale switch (X1-X100) that allows measurements in these ranges

X1: 0-0.5 mrad/hr
X10: 0-5.0 mrad/hr
X100: 0-50 mrad/hr

It is quite sensitive to low level radiation measurements, while I believe the CDV-715 starts at 0-50 mrad/hour on the X1 scale position, useful for only high level readings. I could barely get the meter to move using some of the hottest uranium ore samples I have. My CDV-715 is packed away in the basement, so I'm not 100% on that.
The other thing, it the 715, doesn't have a probe. It has an ion-chamber, which has an aluminum drum about 3" in diameter on the inside of the unit.

For a CDV-700, you're likely to spend around $100.