Geiger Counters & Dosimeters

[OperationPrep]

Hi all, does anyone have any recommendations on places to buy either gieger counters or dosimeters?

I am looking for ideally:

- An EDC-style, smaller item
- A larger one for a BoB/GhB which I'll probably keep one at home for too

Thanks!

[tarmactatt]

What do you need it to detect? (Alpha/Beta/Gamma?)

What kind of dose rates?

Particular isotopes of interest?

Budget?

[Appin]

Hi

I agree you need to think about what you want the geiger counter / dosimeter to tell you and what budget you have.

For the first you need some knowledge of dosimetry. Normal background radiation gives a dose of approx 2,700 microsieverts per year in the UK. That's 0.3 microsieverts per hour. Also dose versus doserate is also an issue.

I have a counter going next to me right now. It's main use is a source of truly random numbers. It tells me the background count ( 20 cpm =/- 4 most of the time). It would max out at 65,000 counts per minute. The backgound level is approximately 0.14 microsieverts per hour. where I live. Go to Cornwall or Aberdeen with plenty of granite and the level goes up.

If you get an old cold war PDRM 82 it will never show any reading unless you reach 1000 microsieverts per hour. It maxes out at 3,000,000 microsieverts per hour or 3 Gray ( 300 rads in old units). Dont't get hung up on Gray versus Sieverts. to put this in context 4.5 Gray / Sieverts would kill 50 % pof those exposed, 10 Gray would kill 99%+

Dosimeters are a separate issue and for the average person of questionable value. You need to be able to get the readings and make use of them which is not straightforward. The dosimeters neeed proper calibration for the doses to be any use so they require a technical infrastrucurre to back them up.

In some respects you can get radiation data online which might be of more use. These links may be of help

https://www.anythingradioactive.com/geiger-counters

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... omparisons

http://www.gmcmap.com/

https://radmon.org/index.php

https://remap.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Simple.aspx

[Jerseyspud]

Where radiation is concerned whether it be another chernobyl, dirty bomb or ww 3 I'm more of the mindset of bugging in for a month and waiting for the half life of the radioactive elements to go by.

Where I am there is no real point in seeing what the radiation level is as you can't just get in a car and drive

Also my work has a geigar counter anyway so if need be would steal that as I went out the door

[SpiderDan]

Following as I have the same sort of questions.

[ForgeCorvus]

Also my work has a geigar counter anyway so if need be would Borrow that as I went out the door

FIFY

I looked into them a few years back..... Decided there were better things for me to spend money on.
You are not me though and you may think I'm wrong.

[Jerseyspud]

Also my work has a geigar counter anyway so if need be would Borrow that as I went out the door

FIFY

I looked into them a few years back..... Decided there were better things for me to spend money on.
You are not me though and you may think I'm wrong.

Well I would give it back..... If life ever got back to normal

I don't see the point in having one. The way life is now we would know if it happened and would have to treat it as such.

[Omega]

Hi, everyone,
What geiger counter and dosimeter would you recommend and where to buy? Want something cheap and simple, counter should also be portable, probably a few (how many would you recommend per person?). I had experience with Soviet ones 30+ years ago, but forgot everything since then
Many thanks

[Yorkshire Andy]

Hi, everyone,
What geiger counter and dosimeter would you recommend and where to buy? Want something cheap and simple, counter should also be portable, probably a few (how many would you recommend per person?). I had experience with Soviet ones 30+ years ago, but forgot everything since then
Many thanks

Welcome to the forum can you please post a introduction in the new members start here section,
viewforum.php?f=9
thanks

[Appin]

Anything radioactive have been around a while and I gave bought from them with no issues.

https://www.anythingradioactive.com/geiger-counters

The GMC range is more expensive but good.


However, when used professionally all radiation monitors require regular testing and calibration. This is not cheap and services are focused on large industrial users.

At a practical level any reasonable market monitoring device will give you heads up potentially before bureaucracy gets moving. Be aware many counters overload and stop giving readings at relatively low levels. Look at the dose range they cover and know what they mean. A recent medical scan for my cancer meant I gave off 9000 counts per minute. Normal background is 20+ / - 5. 65,000 cpm would have overloaded my counter.