Digital Geiger Counter

by Images

Product Features

• Detector Sensitivity: Alpha above 3 MeV; Beta above 50 KeV; X-rays above 50 Kev, Gamma above 7 KeV
• Resolution and Range: 1 Count Per Minute (CPM) - 3,500 Counts Per Second (CPS)
• Radiation Resolution and Range 1 uR/hr - 500 mR/hr; METRIC Scale .01 uSv/hr - 5.0 mSv/hr
• LCD 16 characters by 2 lines with backlight provides easy to read output.
• Standard RS-232 output for PC via DB-9 serial connector.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches ; 0.2 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000796XRS
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,381 in Industrial & Scientific (See Top 100 in Industrial & Scientific)

Product Description

Images SI Inc's Digital Geiger Counters are useful for detecting and measuring radioactivity. The model GCA-04 has an internal geiger mueller tube. It's applications are: Education - Classroom demonstrations and experiments; Emergency Services and Domestic Preparedness; HAZMAT and Compliance Verification; Dirty Bomb Screening and EMT's. It detects the following types of radiation: Alpha above 3 MeV; Beta above 50 KeV; X-rays above 50 KeV, Gamma above 7 KeV. The Geiger Mueller (GM) Tube detector is Ne + Halogen filled. The GM tube's has a .38 effective diameter 1.5-2.0 mg/cm2 mica end window. The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is 16 character by 2 line that provides an easy to read output. Switch selection allows Geiger Counter to measure and convert radiation (counts per second) into in mR/hr or mSv/hr. Factory calibration insures accurate measurement. Secondary indicators; audio (clicks) and visual (LED) included. Also includes a headphone jack and a power jack for external power. The GCA-04 outputs serially the counts per second to our Windows PC program for charting and recording the measured radiation over time. Serial cable RS-232 adapter is an available accessory.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Science Project, October 7, 2008

By 

James Hayes "technocrat" (Santa Cruz, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Digital Geiger Counter

This is a fun toy to use for science projects. I can't comment on its accuracy one bit, though it's clear that it does work. (Point it at your smoke detector or old watch face.) The manufacturer claims to sell a lab-calibrated version.

I used it to take readings of some granite boulders in the California Sierras that I suspected of contributing to some unusual radon levels on some property I'm developing there. (Yes, they measured "above background".)

The detector doesn't have a whole lot of surface area (like some of the other competing solutions) but depending on your need, this might or might not be a problem.

The box *looks* like a science project too. The case is a run-of-the-mill project case you could find at Radio Shack, and the display pokes through a cut-out on the top. A small microprocessor inside talks to the the displays, and allows you to gather count data through an RS-232 (DB-9) serial connector poking out on the right. (Software included.)

The thing that makes this counter a little different is the CPU in the box, giving the designers a bit more flexibility to add features (like counting in different units, using different time scales and implementing serial-port support). It has a mute switch too.

If I were to build a counter as a project, this is how I would do it. But I'd use a nicer case. Maybe.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Product, March 28, 2011

By 

Greg - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digital Geiger Counter

I recently purchased this Geiger Counter and I am very pleased with it's performance. When I had questions about using it I called and found the staff at Images Company to be very helpful. Although I didn't get the name of the gentleman I spoke to, he helped me to understand the device better and was friendly and courteous to me on the phone. I recommend buying this product.