| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Pilot25dmc |
Posted - 04/19/2020 : 16:39:30
I purchased a Soviet DP-63-A Geiger Counter from Ukraine.
Its pretty famous for having a Radium painted dial of biblical proportions.
Measured with my laboratory standard Fisher rate meter it sends it off scale so I decided to test with the 500+.
Measurement taken from 1cm above the dial which is in a plastic bag.
The photo speaks for itself.
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| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| jlp1528 |
Posted - 06/10/2020 : 03:23:18
Another video: https://youtu.be/f2lRiWsf4KE
I wonder which model you have. Could you please add pictures of the unit itself? |
| jlp1528 |
Posted - 05/23/2020 : 10:48:25
Less than an hour on these forums and already I've found more radioactive stuff to waste my money on invest in...
Seriously though, thanks for posting. Couldn't help but grab not one but TWO of these listed on Etsy, both in excellent condition with cases! Not only is it probably the most radioactive thing I will ever own, but it also happens to have Strontium 90 as a bonus?! I've been looking to check that box on the list of isotopes since I started collecting radioactive things months ago! Shut up and take my money! 
Now hopefully they get through the mail without issue... One from Belarus, one from Ukraine. Wish me luck here in the USA! |
| Searinox |
Posted - 05/21/2020 : 12:56:20
quote:
Originally posted by Damien68
I found a video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aiv4SA_9zPQ
but is it a backlight/(back of reading window) of Soviet DP-63-A Geiger Counter or a test and calibration part coming with?
with your lead pig, don't forget many yellow sticker :)
Ironically it's just the radium on the dial. The counter does come with a Sr-90 check source which is highly ironic as it's both much lower in intensity and shorter-lived than the display itself. I really don't know what they were thinking, maybe they outsourced the different parts to different manufacturers who didn't have the bigger picture...? |
| ZLM |
Posted - 05/19/2020 : 23:12:47
Thanks for sharing. |
| Damien68 |
Posted - 05/19/2020 : 22:22:28
I found a video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aiv4SA_9zPQ
but is it a backlight/(back of reading window) of Soviet DP-63-A Geiger Counter or a test and calibration part coming with?
with your lead pig, don't forget many yellow sticker :)
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| Searinox |
Posted - 05/18/2020 : 04:28:44
I can assure you this is real. I think the radium dial on this particular counter model is just about the most radioactive item you can legally own. Measured with different counters, these dials register around 3-10 millisieverts per hour. |
| Pilot25dmc |
Posted - 04/22/2020 : 08:13:38
Just adding some pictures for context.
I will carry out further experiments using your guide.
I have also ordered a lead pig to hold the sample. ![]()
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| ullix |
Posted - 04/22/2020 : 07:04:47
You sure have a nice collection of counters!
They all agree that you may have a genuine hazmat problem. Think of a proper way to get rid of that thing!
Perhaps after you have taken a few more measurements:
- as some counters maxed out, I would repeat the measurement from a distance, where no counter is much beyond the mid of their range.
- with that distance, try to figure out whether it is gamma or beta. Do this: use a sandwich consisting of a) a sheet of 2-3 mm plastic (if not available, use 30 pages of copy paper) facing the sample, and b) a sheet of 1mm ... 3mm of steel, or copper, or aluminum, or glass facing the counter. For reasons see Potty Training and chapter about range and Bremsstrahlung.
Make sure the ziplock bag remains closed and does not rupture!
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| Pilot25dmc |
Posted - 04/21/2020 : 08:27:51
I used the following meters with the radioactive source in a ziplock bag held 1cm from the tube or window.
With a Thermo Fisher 900D Rate Meter, with an Alpha, Beta and Gamma probe. The dial maxed it out immediately at 1mSv/h.
Terra-P+, (Beta shield removed) gave me 9mSv/h.
RadAlert 50, maxed out at 50mR/h.
Radiascan 701A (Beta shield removed) gave me 7mSv/h. |
| ullix |
Posted - 04/20/2020 : 00:40:16
Impressive picture, indeed.
But I am suspicious about it being real. This is now the 4th report within a week to show wild numbers with a 500plus:
http://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9017
http://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9027
http://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9002
plus one with a GMC600
http://www.gqelectronicsllc.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8859
At least in one case (see ***9002) it is claimed to be solved by switching off the 2nd tube. Try that also.
Though you had already used a Fisher meter for comparison? Can you describe what this is?
Still, I suggest to validate your 500+ with Potassium; see my "Potty Training".
Since there is a good chance for most counts coming from beta, the calibration is meaningless. However, if it were real, then 10mSv/h gives you the "Occupational radiation limit for Germany" in just 2 hours and for the US in 5 hours.
I don't think the Russians were considered that much harder to be running around with such a device.
If this were true, you have a serious hazmat problem!
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