Hi,
we did some testing of the detector using 226Ra source (so called radium needle) with activity approx. 3.5 MBq. However the detector seems to show much smaller values:
link to better quality image
Are there any display limit for measurements or is the problem of electronics? As I know, the GM tube can measure up to miliSieverts per hour.
thanks
PS: going to continue in testing[/img]
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I'm not sure about v3 sensor limits (on photo), I'll check it's hardware/software today with a signal generator.
Older desings are able to measure values far beyond the tube limits, which AFAIR can't go higher than 5k pulses/s.
Of course it does not mean they are super accurate, I have tested them with weak radioactive sources and during each test I had some differences in readings compared to older russian dosimeter. I think part of the error comes from cpm -> µSv conversion.
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So I did some tests.
The detector reads up to 999µSv/h without problem. I haven't checked the accuracy of readings yet, just verified that it's able to count at fairly high frequency.
For the test I used bad SBM-20 which generates high frequency random pulses resulting in readings around ~0.9-1,1mSv.
However, over 1mSv/h the sensor does not display any value at all. Perhaps it's because I have v3 from the test/beta batch, I'll ask RK if he did any changes since then.
Even though the display is gone, the detector works and the software reads correct values. Right now I've switched the sensor to a known good (old v1.5 which was stress tested a lot) to compare readings with the same tube.
EDIT: Could you repeat the test with the most sensitive part closer to the source ? The tube is on the other side:
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Thanks for suggestion. I moved the source to the other side and the results are much better.
Okay, there are some differences in results, but according to my colleague even a small difference in distance has a big influence in this case.
However, very positive and important result for us is that the detector does not have problems with measuring such high dose rates.
We already tested some other sensors (but with the same GM tube) and they had problems.
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u will indeed need a source of large activity in order to get a homogeneous radiation field at a certain distance. only this will ensure a reliable and meaningful comparison between dose rate meters.
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I have something to add here.
Just dug out my old R@H v1.5 detector recently and tested that one with a 3 GBq Be-7 source in our lab.
The actual dose rate at 1 cm distance should be around 15 mSv/h, but the detector was not capable of measuring anything above 1 mSv/h.
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