T&L Publications

I liked the radioactive cat article.

I have an old geiger counter (about 40 years old). It still clicks in the headset it came with, about one click every other second. I assumed that was background radiation. But - when I close the cover over the end of the Geiger Mueller tube, it still clicks. Trying to figure out easy way to test without obtaining dangerous material (LOL).

Not sure what modern Smoke Detectors use, but they used to use Americum within their little shielded boxes. I believe that you could get your detector near enough to the vent opening to get a slightly elevated reading.

Any one else know if this is true?

CeaSaR

CeaSaR wrote:Not sure what modern Smoke Detectors use, but they used to use Americum within their little shielded boxes. I believe that you could get your detector near enough to the vent opening to get a slightly elevated reading.

Any one else know if this is true?

CeaSaR

Thanks for the idea. I tried that with an older smoke detector that I no longer have - a few years ago. It seems that I couldn't decide whether or not the counter/clicker picked up its tempo when the probe was near. I thought so, but it was hard to say for sure, and it could have been my imagination.

My newer smoke detectors don't seem to change the tempo of the counter at all. Also the meter doesn't budge, although it does go to full scale when the bat-test switch is flipped.

Just wait a while longer.
With the world's furror and its radically boiling insanities, you may be able to do in situ testing soon

old watches or clocks with the real glow material , i forget the name of the material,
( Radium ( Ra -226) or Promethium (Pm-147)) but i do remember it is radio active..
try that..

also.. Granite naturally contains uranium and thorium

Lenp wrote:Just wait a while longer.
With the world's furror and its radically boiling insanities, you may be able to do in situ testing soon

LOL. I knew when I bought that thing 35 years ago that I'd eventually need it. Glad I hung onto it!

dacflyer wrote: old watches or clocks with the real glow material , i forget the name of the material,
( Radium ( Ra -226) or Promethium (Pm-147)) but i do remember it is radio active..
try that..

also.. Granite naturally contains uranium and thorium

I guess I now have an excuse to prowl around the local flea market again. The XYL won't need to coax me.