Where can I buy a cheap Geiger counter?

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 25 Oct 2007, 11:28

Anyone know where decent, cheap Geigers can be bought?

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 25 Oct 2007, 11:30

Do you really think it is going to get that bad?

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 25 Oct 2007, 11:34

I live near Birmingham.

I feel that there is a meaningful risk of a radioactive incident caused by deliberate or accidental release of radioactive muck by terrorists.

Having worked in the nuclear industry I am not convinced that the public would be told sufficient details in time.

Post by **adam2** » 25 Oct 2007, 12:25

Geiger counters may be purchased from PERSPECTIVE SCIENTIFIC
telephone 01225 708 228.

They produce two models suitable for emergency use.

RadAlert GEMII (£149) This uses a simple to understand bargraph display of coloured LEDs.
Green= normal
Yellow= prepare to panic
Red=panic
This instrument is very easy to use, the only choice the user has to make is whether to average the reading over 10 seconds (best if you are in a hurry, or suspect immediate danger) or to average the reading over 10 minutes which is far more accurate.
This unit is very compact and fits easily in a pocket. I understand that this is the model used by the emergency services

The other model is the RadAlert proffesional 1202 (£349)
This instrument has many additional features,with it, one may determine the dose rate, the total dose per day/workshift, or a simple count of radiation events.
An alarm may be prgrammed to sound if the pre-set dose, or dose rate is exceeded.
It may be used in silent mode, to avoid attracting attention, or as a conventional geiger counter with an audible "BEEP" for each count detected.
This instrument requires either basic knowledge of radiation, or careful study of the detailed manual, in order to make best use of it.
I understand that this model is used in workplaces handling radioactive materials.
This model is somwhat larger, but fits in a large coat or overall pocket.

Both types use standard 9 volt batteries, the larger one has a mains adaptor as an option.

I would urge that anyone purchasing a geiger counter should from time to time, measure the background level, in order to know what is normal, and what is grounds for concern.

EDIT long after the original post. The above was true when posted but prices have now increased.
The basic geiger counter is now £199 and the more sophisticated model is now £399.

21st_century_caveman · Post by **21st_century_caveman** » 25 Oct 2007, 14:09

Vortex wrote: I feel that there is a meaningful risk of a radioactive incident caused by deliberate or accidental release of radioactive muck by terrorists.

Thats complete rubbish.
I saw an interview with a nuclear scientist about the so-called "dirty bomb", he pointed out that the risk posed by such things is completely over hyped, yet another device used to cultivate fear in order to control the population.

SunnyJim · Post by **SunnyJim** » 25 Oct 2007, 14:49

Vortex wrote:I live near Birmingham.

I feel that there is a meaningful risk of a radioactive incident caused by deliberate or accidental release of radioactive muck by terrorists.

Having worked in the nuclear industry I am not convinced that the public would be told sufficient details in time.

I live upwind from Hinkley Point. I need a geiger counter!!! Good request. After seeing the documentary about the cover up at windscale and how much radiation was leaked from there I think it is best to be able to determine yourself if you are being exposed to safe levels or not.

Check this out last year for example.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5149650.stm

These things are man made in the UK for christ sake. They're about as reliable as a mini metro.

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 25 Oct 2007, 15:01

You are right, as the following shows, the threat is not as high as might be believed.

If a dirty bomb attack is successful, the consequences depend primarily on the amount of radioactive material in the detonated source term, the amount released into the air, weather conditions, and the population density in the impacted region. The medium radioactivity scenario analyzed in detail suggests there would be some, but fairly limited, health effects

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pd ... 07.00908.x

However ...

Overhyped does NOT mean zero risk.

Overhyped does NOT mean zero worry / panic.

At the very minimum, having a Geiger counter CONFIRMING to your family that, following an incident, there was NO risk would be very valuable in my book.

... and in the remote event of a major attack having taken place - or your house being under the plume - the Geiger counter WOULD be helpful!

Either way, you end up with hard information rather than being in a worrying - or even dangerous - state of ignorance.

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 25 Oct 2007, 15:07

I live upwind from Hinkley Point. I need a Geiger counter!!!

.. and if you live anywhere within 200 miles of Sellafield you REALLY do need a Geiger counter.

http://www.robedwards.info/2001/10/the_nightmare_s.html

The reactor sites are positively squeaky clean in comparison to Sellafield ...

Erik · Post by **Erik** » 25 Oct 2007, 15:21

Vortex wrote: I feel that there is a meaningful risk of a radioactive incident caused by deliberate or accidental release of radioactive muck by terrorists.

What would you do next, upon detecting such high levels of radiation? Do you have a plan of action for such an event?

Personally, I think I worry enough already about all the other different doom scenarios that could unfold in the future, without trying to prepare (mentally or otherwise) for the inimaginable horrors of radioactive dirty bomb attacks! I think with "Peak Oil","Peak Energy" and now "Peak Everything" my head has no remaining capacity for more Doom'n'Gloom.

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 25 Oct 2007, 15:27

Cars are still running.

The lights are still on.

....

The bombers HAVE struck and WILL strike again.

We have to consider various classes of threat and probability.

jonny2mad · Post by **jonny2mad** » 25 Oct 2007, 15:37

well it depends on how high the levels are if we are thinking about nuclear war you could avoid eating food crops , you could cover them with plastic , you could seek shelter yourself as lots of fallout decays quite a lot in the first days or weeks .

Ideally you should have some idea of a nuclear shelter , maybe nbc equipment Ive always had full nbc equipment gradually changing it as it gets to old I have a geiger counter but its a old one still works although they should be re calibrated every so often.

after watching someone die of cancer this year its not a pleasent way to die , and I think you should prepare for a nuclear incident or conflict .

Post by **adam2** » 25 Oct 2007, 15:43

Erik wrote:
Vortex wrote: I feel that there is a meaningful risk of a radioactive incident caused by deliberate or accidental release of radioactive muck by terrorists.
What would you do next, upon detecting such high levels of radiation? Do you have a plan of action for such an event?
.

Yes, I do have a plan.
If the level was not that high (up to about 3 or 4 times normal background) I would minimise my exposure by staying indoors as far as possible, and would monitor the level continously for any changes.

If the level was 10 times normal or higher, then I would try to determine if the fallout was confined to small area (as is likely from a terrorist dirty nuke) or more widespread (as is likely from a nuclear power station accident, or a distant nuclear attack)

If the problem was local, then I would leave ! immediatly, by bus, train, taxi or running, BEFORE everyone else had the same idea.

If the problem was more widespread, I would hide in a deep basement until the level declined enough to reduce the risks.
Radiation damage is cumatilive, a level that would be dangerous for a year would be acceptable if only for day. A level that would be dangerous for a day, might be acceptable for a few minutes.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 25 Oct 2007, 16:37

I have a feeling that there are mineral supplements (Iodine? Boron?) you can take which help minimise the damage done by a given amount of incident radiation on a body. Anybody here know the details?

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 25 Oct 2007, 17:03

Iodine etc can prevent radio isotope uptake in the thyroid.

Techie details here ... http://www.uspharmacist.com/index.asp?s ... 8_1324.htm

However NO pills can prevent general radiation damage!

Post by **adam2** » 25 Oct 2007, 17:10

RenewableCandy wrote:I have a feeling that there are mineral supplements (Iodine? Boron?) you can take which help minimise the damage done by a given amount of incident radiation on a body. Anybody here know the details?

I believe that its iodine, this mineral does not protect against radiation in general, what it does do is saturate the thyroid gland with "good" i.e. non radio-active iodine. As a result the gland is less liable to absorb any radio-active iodine that may be in the enviroment.
In the event that an accident released radio-active iodine into the air, than ingesting iodine supplement would much reduce the risk of thyroid cancer. It would not reduce the risk of other cancers much, if at all.
If the accident did not release radio-active iodine than there would be no benefiit in taking iodine tablets.

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Where can I buy a cheap Geiger counter?

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