Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Re: [Milsurplus] Is TBX-6 Radio Hot or Cold

[windy10605 at juno.com]

Based on the radium dials, meter faces, etc I've seen and measured so far
they all share a few things in common. The old thicker radium paint is
raised on the surface and you can clearly see that. The color has a dirty
brownish look ....maybe when it was new it was bright green ? or a
yellowish green ? The plastic dial on the Synchroscope has a white
material painted on the back of the dial ....again definitely raised. The
newer 
military altimeters and dials with a very thin coat of light yellow-green
paint on the dial face don't seem to radiate much at all.


I'm not an expert, but this I've determined so far .......IMHO Net:

Be careful and use common sense. What collectors of older military
equipment are most likely to come across are radium painted knobs, dials,
watches, compass, altimeters, meter faces, etc. Use them "as is" and
leave them alone. They are perfectly safe behind glass, try not to take
it apart for repair ....if you do, refrain from touching the radium
paint, wash your hands well, DON'T scrape the material off because the
dust/particles created are too easy to ingest, DON'T ingest (breathe or
eat) the radium material if you do scrape it off. 

The greatest hazard to humans is not the radiation from the device using
the radium since it's "relatively low" and drops off pretty fast with the
square of distance, the greatest hazard is ingesting the radioactive
material and locating it next to some cells in your lungs, intestines, or
anywhere else internally. The only useful and inexpensive CD survey meter
to use for checking is a CD V-700 low level type meter which has had the
3-4 electrolytics replaced and which reads the 2mREM/Hr test sample on
the side OK. The headphones are usefull too or attach a piezo beeper.  

73 Kees K5BCQ