Arduino based GM counters
Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:30 pm
I have been toying with the arduino and linking it to my rather large stash of 5979 GM tubes. These tubes are 6 inches long and an inch in diameter. They have a mica window meaning they detect alpha, beta and gamma radiation, which is really nice.
I have merged them into a rather labor intensive "ray gun" style counter of two varieties. (see images below)
One has a reflective type 4X20 LCD display and the other is identical, but uses a 2X16 "Backlit" display.
Both types give 4 lines of data
1. Total counts since reset (running count)
2. Current CPM (udated every ten seconds)
3. Current Dose rate in mrem/hr (updated every 10 seconds)
4. Current absorbed dose at GM tube face in mrem (updated every ten seconds)
They both use a standard 9 volt transistor radio battery. The handles are removable via a thumbscrew allowing the counter to be mounted on a tripod or camera copy stand via its 1/4 X 20 female thread base. (gotta' stain those wood handles!)
I have both at $200.00 each for sale at hamfests and mineral shows where I sell trinitite and U ore. I have sold 3 already and am already tired of all the machine work, drilling and tapping etc. The circuit boards are from Express PCB. I used their free software to design them and they made them up in no time. I was very pleased with them.
I thought you might like to see my results.
Richard Hull
I have merged them into a rather labor intensive "ray gun" style counter of two varieties. (see images below)
One has a reflective type 4X20 LCD display and the other is identical, but uses a 2X16 "Backlit" display.
Both types give 4 lines of data
1. Total counts since reset (running count)
2. Current CPM (udated every ten seconds)
3. Current Dose rate in mrem/hr (updated every 10 seconds)
4. Current absorbed dose at GM tube face in mrem (updated every ten seconds)
They both use a standard 9 volt transistor radio battery. The handles are removable via a thumbscrew allowing the counter to be mounted on a tripod or camera copy stand via its 1/4 X 20 female thread base. (gotta' stain those wood handles!)
I have both at $200.00 each for sale at hamfests and mineral shows where I sell trinitite and U ore. I have sold 3 already and am already tired of all the machine work, drilling and tapping etc. The circuit boards are from Express PCB. I used their free software to design them and they made them up in no time. I was very pleased with them.
I thought you might like to see my results.
Richard Hull