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DIY Geiger Counter: When the Big One Drops, You Will Be Ready
Posted by Sean Fallon at 10:00 AM on November 22, 2007
When the world finally goes all to hell and the missiles start flying, a Geiger counter will be a handy tool for anyone who survives the blast. Be prepared by building your own Mr. Fission radar detector. The device works with a standard Geiger tube, a high voltage power supply, and a design based around a Motorola MC68HC908KX8 microcontroller.
If you are interested in building one of these yourself, the designer is in the process of developing a simpler, cheaper version complete with detailed information and schematics. Until then, you can hit him up for some info on the project in the following link [N1VG via Hack a Day via Make]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
MagnoliaBoy
Posted 7:50 PM 21/11/07
I think birds in a cage, small mammals(catch them when they swarm away from the heat blast), and stray children are all simple, viable alternatives.
MagnoliaBoy
adam12hicks
Posted 6:55 PM 21/11/07
Hey alright! Nothing like turning our thoughts to armageddon for the Holidays. Thanks for the depression boost!
adam12hicks
AndersonBMX
Posted 9:43 PM 21/11/07
geiger counters are too serious to trust in some DIY gadget. I don't want put my ass on a dirty spot... there will be no second chance if the counting is wrong. In Chernobyl '86, there was so much radiation that the geiger counters gone all off scale.
AndersonBMX
kc2idf
Posted 10:03 PM 21/11/07
@AndersonBMX: There is nothing wrong with a hobbyist building a geiger counter. It just has to be understood that it is not the commercial device.
That said, as a kid in the 80's, I had a book of electronics projects, and, yes, a simple working geiger counter was one of them. I never built it, but I expect that I could very easily, with a number of enhancements, even. It's just not that difficult.
kc2idf
banmojo
Posted 4:03 AM 22/11/07
Hmmmm, reminds me of 'Dr. No', the BEST Bond movie ever filmed. When Ursula Andress comes up out of the water, oh man, I'm guessing I'm not the only dude who's pulled that spank data outta da banks more than once.
banmojo
strider_mt2k
Posted 9:56 AM 22/11/07
@AndersonBMX: If it's THAT hot where you are it won't matter.
Your life will me measured in smaller units regardless.
strider_mt2k