[R-390] meter luminescence

[Gordon Hayward]

I put a dosimeter next to the carrier meter on my 390A and it has shown no more than
the expected background for the last 8 years.
Cheers, Gord VE3EOS.

----- Original Message -----
From: "rbethman" <rbethman at comcast.net>
To: r-390 at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 1:43:47 PM
Subject: Re: [R-390] meter luminescence

The Victoreen CDV-700 Geiger Counter *must* be detecting secondary 
byproducts.

Radium is an alpha particle emitter.  Alpha particles will not even 
penetrate paper or unbroken skin.

The only way to detect alpha particles with such a device would mean 
that the meter has been opened and exposed to the surroundings.

Additionally, the CD versions of counters are very coarse and only read 
in high ranges.

It would require something such as an Eberline 500 to get accurate readings.

Bob - N0DGN



On 1/15/2014 1:27 PM, Adam Vaughn wrote:
>   (apologies for the blank messages; it seems that the mailing list does not agree with my email system's online client, for some reason)
>
> The meters on my '67 EAC R-390A have lighter-colored markings than the meter on my '51 Collins R-392. The R-390A meters do indeed show a small, brief amount of green glow when exposed to a bright light source, such as a camera flash; the R-392's meter shows nothing. Testing with my Cold War-era Victoreen CDV-700 geiger counter shows very little radiation from the R-390A's meters, while the R-392's meter is very 'hot'. The substance in the paint on these meter markings which actually glows is apparently zinc sulfide, which degrades much quicker than the radium which induces the glow
> -Adam
>
> --
> Adam Vaughn
> Collector of old computers, video game systems, radios and other electronic
> equipment...
> Visit my page at
> http://www.electronixandmore.com/adam/index.html
>

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