the Meters

[idrum4food]

So, what's everyones opinion on different radiation detection devices? What meters stand up to the rigors of everyday rad techin. What types of remote monitoring systems are best (user friendly, ease of set up).

I like the old RO-2/2A but havn't seen many lately. I don't think I ever had one to fail the drop test. Meters of today just don't seem as rugged as the old 2/2As.

We used the Ludlum 2350 Data Logger for final surveys which worked very well for that application. Just log the data and down load it to a PC and it spits out clean copies of your survey.

[Rain Man]

Give me a Cutie Pie or a PIC-6 and I'm good to go.

[SloGlo]

2350s seem to work ok, but i prefer a 2221.... a bit arachic, i know, but they're like the everyready bunny.    inna plant, i too prefer the 2/2a, but iffen i gotta climb alot, i'll take a pic-6, instead.  tallywakers for S/G and crowd control.

[RDTroja]

Geez, Rain Man, you are an old fart! A Cutie Pie? I haven't seen one of those (except the two-legged model) in many, many moons. I also have a soft spot in my heart (to match the one in my head) for the PIC-6. What's not to love about a lightweight meter that doubles as a doorstop or a hammer? I also think the RO2/2A is very rugged and reliable, but I have seen them fail drop tests. Of course 40 feet to the concrete is not a fair test (it was me or the meter. I think the consensus at the plant was that I made the wrong choice.)

On the new equipment front, I just finished an outage (widely written about in these pages) in the countroom using two Eberline HandECount scalers. Very cool machines. Self-contained counter/scaler with a scintillation counter using a Palm Pilot mounted on the top as computer/display. Sample tray is like a SAC-4. Lightweight, very portable, reliable and does most of the math for you. Even beeps when the count is done. I would change the software a little (what programmer wouldn't change someone else's code?) but overall an outstanding machine.

[JIMBOMAFF]

They had those Handy-counters at CS-10 in Sac. I found them to be a POS.  Are you a salesman???

[SloGlo]

jimbomaff.... i take it your POS is not the opposite of NEG?

[Rain Man]

rdtroja...that is Mr. Old Fart.  How about a Juno meter?  Didn't Rod Christenot (SP-5) drag one of those around the test site back before the 1963 NTBT??

[SloGlo]

best thing about a juno was that the mass made it very stable when using it as a mirror

[RDTroja]

Rain Man;
The last Juno I saw was in a museum, right next to Rod. And you can have your 5 points back - I think you spelled his name right.

Jimbomaff;
Sorry you didn't like the HandECount. Ours worked great. Had one eat a smear once, but it gave it back with minimal argument. The only thing I didn't like was a little cross-talk when trying to count alpha, but I used a SAC-4 if there was any doubt. And no, I am not a salesman. Just had good experience with the machine.

[Pet_Cow]

Meters? You use meters? I thought you just asked the worker where he was and how long he was there when you read his PIC. You then divide dose by time to give you dose rate. Why the hell do they even teach that stuff anymore if every spoiled tech out there uses a meter? Pansies! Didn't Cabin Boy teach you guys anything?

[Mike McFarlin]

Call me old fashioned, but I'll take a Teletector (6112B)

[fluxmama]

Anybody remember the Jordan Radgun?  There was one mounted on the wall of the sphere at Big Rock Point.  A gen-yew-wine antique.  Looked like something Flash Gordon would carry.

[moodusjack]

I liked the old stuff, sure.  But for versatility and linearity check out the Amp-100.  Breeze to use, easy to calibrate and hard to hose up.  

[alphadude]

hey fluxmama i used that gun at big rock!! has a neherwhite ion chamber with a gas amplification factor-  

the ro2 was prob the best instrument ever invented.  simple-cheap etc. teletecs were great too-just hell repairing that extension cable.

ahh yes the pic 6, just tell me what u want it to read and ill get it!! just tilt it a little and everthang is OK.

[atomicarcheologist]

A teletector will usually get 1 underwater reading (not too deep)

When doing this survey, one must  remember three things: 1)sleeving the probe/sleeve is a prudent thing to do unless one wishes to learn cable decontamination techniques;  2) one should stand way off to the side (at least arm's reach, preferably one's own arm and that of the Junior who should be holding the instrument) when obtaining these mearsurement(s), and 3) do not try this at your home plant.

[Kime_B]

I prefer the 2221's.  They're also good for muscle tone! HA!

[radgal]

House Snake,  LOL  Thanks.  I too (simple I may be) like the R020.  they do survive drop tests you just gotta fix the batteries.  Teletectors are great. My favorite is the "Johnson Extender".  The NE are convenient for counting A/B but don't work well outside and are extremely fragile.  I still like GM tubes though.

[darkmatter]

Teletectors are great. My favorite is the "Johnson Extender".  .

I apologize in advance, I just couldn't resist.
Most gals like a big Johnson Extender

[smiley=zzwhip.gif]

[Rain Man]

A classic case of "extendable instrument envy."

[Phurst]

The biggest problem with the Johnson extender is admitting the problem. I just hate to tell my co-workers that my Johnson is broken, my Johnson won't extend,  when it's cold outside the temps affect my Johnson. Sometimes I can't get my Johnson up and sometimes I need help to get my Johnson fully extended.  I do like being able to tell when my Johnson is getting near something hot. It always takes two hands to handle my Johnson.

A bagged RO7 detector floats,.... until you poke holes in the bag.

[darkmatter]

I like the RO-20. It lights up in the dark and won't saturate like a Johnson GM tube.  (I've pegged the Teletectors/Extenders more then I care to admit) A Bicon is a doorstop and a PIC-6 will give you whatever reading you would like.  Noble gas can be a problem with ION-Chambers on power/intial entries.

P.S. My Johnson Extender works just fine with the right operator, experience is required. [smiley=love.gif]

[SloGlo]

A Bicon is a doorstop

anudder fine produc du france.

[idrum4food]

Darkmatter,
My thoughts exactly.

[trailorqueen]

RO2, 2A, & 20's are my favorite.  But have had problems with them failing drop tests.

I like the new Telepoles, even though they aren't as quick to respond as the others I like the digital readout.  What can I say, I like the easy way out.

And AMP 100's are OK

[MercTech]

The D&D guys at work always say, "It's trouble when Steve has the Big Johnson".

I am working in instrument hell.  They use RO-3s, E-140s with a pancake probe for contam.  and a Bicron body with a homebrew ZnS scintilator for alphs.  Yep, archaic DOE technology.

Now, If I could buy the instruments.....

Ludlum 2350 with NE BP-6a probe for beta-gamma/alpha contamination measurements.
I'll take the NE electra or Eberline E600 if I have to.

For dose rate:  Ram-ION or RO-20.  Preferably the RAM-ION with logging function.

For HRA work, Johnson Extender or Teletector.  (Forget that Eberline dosipole, it is good for taking smears in the overhead though)

For underwater work or dangling into tanks, voids, trenchs... the MG AMP-100  It can double as an ARM as well.

For a bench counter give me a Protean (much more compact and easier to use software than the Tennelec) and back that up with an URSA with .3 mr/cm2 windowed plastic scintillator probe for a fast and dirty alpha/beta spec analysis.  Get a NaI detector for the URSA too for field screening for TRU/MAP/MFP characterization.

What can I say, I am dreaming.  I will go back to my RO-3, Ludlum 2929, E140, AN/PDR-70, and stupid homebrew PAM in the morning.

Steven