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K89_HIROplus_SBT10 Geiger Counter by Atomic.dave
[email protected]
This is a one of a kind custom hand-made Geiger Counter built by
Atomic.Dave. It is based on a kit designed by JohnGiametti
(username: Brohogan) I have been building his DIY Geiger counters
for over two years having built and sold around90 of them. Much of
the information for this kit is available at the developers
website. This is more of a kit for someone whoknows a little bit
about electronics but doesnt have the time or patience to build it,
or would rather someone else do all thedirty work. Having been
built by me, of course there may be some imperfections, although as
minimal as possible. This Russ-ian tube/probe is one of the most
sensitive that I have ever used before. I have preset the high
voltage to about 400. Dont beafraid by the amount of background
radiation this will pick up, just consider the size of the the mica
window and how much itwill pick up. As all mica windows, please be
careful when handling it, and realize that it can pop easily if
poked with a hard ob-ject. It is however much less delicate than a
LND7317 as it will not require a air pressurized container for
shipping. OPERATIONFour Triple Pole switches- ALL OFF IN CENTER
POSITION.
MODE POWER LIGHT ALARM SOUND NULLUP ALARM ON ON ON TONE TONE
MIDDLE SCALER OFF OFF OFF OFF RESETDOWN CHARGE LED ONLY LED ONLY
CLICK
A. MODE switch does 2 thing. When you first power on the unit,
you will see:Atomic.Dave K89 HIRO SBT10 V10.2
This customized first welcome window can easily be changed if
you want, by doing a little programming in Arduino.Refer to the DIY
site for directions at the SOFTWARE section. But the default is now
set to my name, Kit 89, and the sec-ond line is the Geiger Counter
Name and Tube, and the version of software that the AT328 chip is
running V10.2.
The second window will show on first line the current uSv to CPM
conversion rate. This is dependent upon the posti-tion of the metal
toggle switch just across from the BNC connector. Toggle DOWN for
the SBT-10 probe (450), and toggleUP for a LND 712 Tube (100).
Please turn off the unit when toggling between the two preset
amounts.
450 CPM=1 uSv/h 100 CPM=1 uSv/hRunning at 5.24V Running at
5.24V
I have preset this for two Tubes, but later if you wanted to add
another probe, you could change this rate with Arduino, or with the
Sony wireless remote control which I will explain later. The second
line refers to the current voltagethat your system is running at.
This is a 5 volt system. The 3000mAh 3.7v lipo battery is boosted
to 5v with a pololubooster. Everytime you start up your GC (geiger
counter) it will show you this so you will always know your current
voltage.
The third window will show this:Alarm Set ?Now at 300 CPM
At this point, you can push the MODE button to incrementally
change the Alarm threshold number. Once you stopholding down the
button and wait, it will be set to the current number shown on the
screen and will stay there until youchange it either again
restarting and waiting for this part, or by using the included
remote control to change it. You can alsochoose from units of
measurement such as CPM or uSv/h for the Alarm with the remote.
It also acts like a stopwatch starter for the scaler mode. It
has two preset times of 1 minute and 10 minute averaging.You can
change this with the remote, or the sketch when connected to pc.
Although it is much easier with the remote obvi-ously.B. POWER
switch controls the power and charging of the unit. Up powers the
unit with the internal battery, Middle turns itoff, and Down is for
charging the unit. (in addition to this, you will need to switch
the USB power switch on the lower rightside to the down CHRG
position) When the unit is charging, the RED LED on the lower right
side will remain constant REDwhile charging, and when charging is
complete, it will turn BLUE. If you wish to power the unit with the
USB in, and bypassthe batteries for extended periods. Keep Power
switch in middle position, and flip the USB power switch on the
lower rightside to the PWR position. (when not using USB power or
charging, you can keep this USB switch in the middle position)C.
LIGHT switch controls the Event LED (BLUE) and the LCD Backlight.
Up turns ON both, Middle turns OFF both, andDown leaves the LED on,
but turns the Backlight off. E. ALARM switch controls the Alarm LED
and Piezo. Up for both on, Middle for both off, and Down for LED
only on. Thismakes for a silent visual alarm.D. SOUND switch
controls the Event speaker. Up for tone mode, Middle for mute, Down
for Standard Click Mode. More onTone Mode later.F. NULL this is a
new switch and works only when in Tone mode for the event speaker.
When you are scanning in Tonemode, you can push this to reset the
sensing to zero. More on this later.
LEDSRight away, you will hear the clicking of the speaker as
your GM tube picks up radiation events. There are two LEDs belowthe
LCD. The Left one is GREEN which is for radiation events and
coincides with the clicking speaker which can be mutedwith the mute
switch. The Right one is RED for the Alarm which will only light up
when a set alarm threshold is reached. Itcan be turned on or off.
The speaker for the alarm and events is located below the grilled
ports just below the LCD display.
SWITCHES, BUTTONS, PORTS, DIALSA. Starting on the left side top
of the GC is the LCD contrast dial. As the LCD is used, it might
get to a point for you to
readjust the contrast for it. Not a big deal, while the
backlight is on, gently take a small screwdriver and turn it to the
left orright until it appears to have the best contrast.
B. Below the IR switch is the output MULTI-PORT used for Geiger
Bot (with the included G-Bot cable), Just plug inthe Geiger Bot
cable into this with the 3 conductor plug, and the 4 conductor into
your iphone or ipad. It also serves as anmono audio output for
silent listening with headphones, or with the included 3 conductor
to 3 conductor M-M audio cable,
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you can run sound based data logging software.C. On the lower
right side of the GC is the USB power switch. Up for on, and Middle
for Off. This is used for powering
the unit for long periods and bypassing the internal Lipo
battery. Put the GC Power switch in the middle position beforeusing
this power method. I would also suggest turning off the LCD for
long periods just to save the life of the LCD. This isalso used for
charging the unit. Switch this to down position with the power
switch also in the down position to charge.
D. Above this is the Mini USB FTDI output/input for programming
in Arduino. This also is used to charge the internalLithium Ion
battery (with the power switch in the bottome position.) Or it can
be used to power the GC for extended peri-ods, however when you
power it this way, I would advise to turn off the LCD backlight.
But its ok to turn it on once in awhile, but I wouldnt leave it on
for extended periods. When uploading any new changes to the program
sketch, you willneed to have this switch in the up position white
it is plugged into your pc with the USB cable. This same USB is
alsoused as an output for usb based FREE Radiation Logging
software. To use this software, you must downloadfrom this site,
and install on your laptop or PC. It is not available for Mac.
http://radiohobbystore.com/radiation-logger/
REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM: It adds some conveniences such as the
ability to adjust certain things on the GC without the need to plug
into your
PC or mac. It is already setup to work. All you have to do is
point the remote towards the IR window, and push the powerbutton to
start. As soon as you do that these options will pop up. Use the
channel button to move thru each option, anduse the volume buttons
to move up or down within those options. You can also use the
number pad to input numbersrather than using the up down of the
volume. After you reach the desired amount you push ENT to enter it
into the system.After you are done, hit power again to get out of
this mode.
The keys on the Remote Control perform these functions:On/Off
enter or exit the menu system. "DISP PERIOD (MS) is the first
prompt you will see.CH Down moves to the next menu optionCH Up
moves to the previous menu optionVOL Up increments the value
already set for the current option or toggles an optionVOL Down
decrements the value already set for the current option or toggles
an optionENT finalizes the entry in the current menu option if
changes were madeWhen used out of the menu, it acts like the "null"
button to reset the tome.Digits 0-9 for direct entry of values
(instead of Volume or Arrows) must use Enter after using
digits.PERIOD enters a decimal point - used when setting the
ratio.MUTING used when out of the menu mutes the speaker when in
"tone mode" RECALL used when out of the menu - switches between the
main screen and the scaler screen
Menu Options:Initially, menu options are set to defaults.
Settings made will be stored in EEPROM on the ATmega328, so they
will be ineffect when you power back on. Here is a brief
description of each menu option:
DISP PERIOD (MS) The number of milliseconds before the display
refreshes. 5000 (5 sec.) is a good setting.(Display counts are
based on a "running average" I do not recommend settings of less
than 5 seconds.)LOG PERIOD When to write the CPM, 'dose', and MCU
voltage to the serial output. Zero means logging is turned
off.CPM->[DOSE] RATIO Sets that ratio for the type of GM tube
used. Note this ratio will depend on the dose unit being dis-played
- see DISPLAY UNIT. Use the DEC PNT or AV/TV key to set a decimal
point.ALARM THRESHOLD When the CPM or DOSE units is greater than
this value the alarm is triggered. Unlike the button,any value may
be entered.DOSE UNIT Use the arrow keys to select the name of the
unit for the dose value - "uSv/h", "uR/h" or "mR/h".ALARM UNIT Sets
whether the alarm is based off of CPM or the DOSE unit. Use the
arrow keys to select.SCALER PER (MIN) Sets the period for the
second scaler.BARGRAPH MAX CPM Sets the CPM that will give a full
scale reading on the bar graph. This also affects tone modeTONE
SENSITIVITY Determines how sensitive the tone is to changing
activity. Low numbers are more sensitive. USE RADLOGGER? When "Yes"
serial output is compatible with Radiation Logger application - see
Android / PC BTGraphing page.REG. VOLTAGE Displays the voltage
powering the MCU (Vcc). To a large degree, this represents the
state of the battery.
Note that each menu setting has a minimum and a maximum setting.
Entries that are out of bounds will revert to the mini-mum or
maximum.
DISPLAY BAR GRAPH: The display has a new bar graph style with
placeholders and is much more responsive. It now updates 20 times
per sec-
ond. The tone is also updated at this rate when used.
Auto-precision - decimals are dropped from the displayed dose rate
as it gets larger. Beginning with v10.1 the LOG PERIOD can now be
set to intervals of less than 1 minute. Valid settings are OFF, 2s,
3s,
4s, 5s, 6s, 10s, 12s, 15s, 20s, 30s, and 1 minute intervals up
to 720 minutes. "Tube Select" is still supported where grounding
I/O pin 9 will use an alternate ratio for CPM to Dose unit. The
CPM->DOSE RATIO in the menu will set and save which ever ratio
is selected at the time it's used. This allows setting of boththe
primary and alternate ratios.
The current state of the the mute button and the scaler mode are
saved in EEPROM and the Geiger kit will come up inthose states the
next time it's powered on.
A "reset all" #define can be set. When uploaded the EEPROM is
reset to all the default values. This may be useful if theEEPROM
contains invalid data from a previous release.
Another #define can put the counter in a test mode. 360 CPM is
simulated. Interrupts are not producing the count so itcan be
affected if tone mode is on.
Major restructuring of the code base including use of tabs and
memory saving techniques.
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ABOUT DOSE UNITS:The menu allows you select the name of the dose
unit that appears on the display. However, to be clear, there is no
built in conversion between them. Instead
the CPM->[DOSE] RATIO is adjusted depending on the name of
the DOSE UNIT selected. For example, 175.43 is the default set for
the SBM-20 with uSv as thedose unit. Suppose you pick "mR" as the
dose unit name, and want to measure in milirems. ("mR" more
correctly abbreviates as milliroentgens but is used to savedisplay
space.) The rem is defined as .01 seivert. Therefore, to use the
same ratio that was designed for the tube, you would multiply that
ratio by 10. You wouldenter a CPM->[DOSE] RATIO as 175.43 x 10
or 1754.3. Likewise if you wanted microrems ("uR") you would divide
the ratio by 10 and enter 17.54.
If you do want to use roentgens (used in older instruments) this
source states that they are .96 rem in soft tissue. So the
CPM->[DOSE] RATIO for actual mRwould be 175.43 x 10 x .96 or
1684.1. (for uR it would be 16.84)
PLEASE REFER TO THE DIY GEIGER COUNTER DEVELOPERS WEBSITE FOR
FURTHER
INFORMATION:http://www.sites.google.com/site/diygeigercounter/ARDUINO
Software and Serial-USB connection information:ON the cd you will
find the FTDI driver and Arduino program version 1. Install both
and restart your mac. Copy the Geiger Sketch folder to the same
folder as yourArduino program is and remember where that is as that
will be where you go to save your sketch everytime you make a
change to it. There will also be a Libraryfolder that will also
need to be in the same folder. Just remember that the folder has to
be the same exact name as the sketch name is. And also within
Arduino, youwill have to go to preferences and show Arduino where
your default sketch folder is.
ARDUINO SETTINGS: Brohogan Software system version 10.11. Open
Arduino2. Open the saved sketch .ino file, connect your Geiger
counter to the USB with power switch off.3. Verify the file by
clicking the little check mark icon.4. Click TOOLS, and Select
Board type as Arduino UNO, and select serial port as the top tty
choice.5. Click Serial Monitor (top right looking glass icon). Set
Baud rate to 9600 and you should see the CPM, uSv and geiger
counter voltage data coming up once per minute.
For more info go to website under Software section on the DIY
geiger counter website. Or go to Arduino.cc
GEIGER BOT SUGGESTED SETTINGS: (You may have to play with it to
get it just right) GO TO:
https://sites.google.com/site/geigerbot/
OTHER SOFTWARE
LINKS:http://www.blackcatsystems.com/GM/download.html
HARDWARE1. DIY Geiger counter kit V5.1 by Brohogan, Running
operating system 10.12. Hammond 1590S Probe with SBT-10 Geiger
Muller Tube3. Power System by Seeeduino, Sparkfun and Pololu
(please charge the unit until the RED light turns BLUE)
A. You can power the Geiger in a couple different ways 1. With
internal Lipo battery (Power switch in UP position)2. With PWR
switch OFF (middle), USB cable plugged into USB port on RIGHT side
of geiger, USB PWR switch on right side of unit switched UP, then
plug
USB cable into:a. Computer or laptop USBb. Wall charger block
(included)c. Standard 5v USB Cigarette adapter (included) d. To
power and operate the unit this way for long periods, TURN OFF
BACKLIGHT To save LCD Life.
Geiger Tube: Russian Geiger TUBE Counter SBT-10GENERAL
SPECIFICATIONSVoltage of start of counting 260-320 VOperating
Current each section (uA) 0.5-1.1Recommended Operating Voltage
380Plateau Length/ Inclination 80V/0.3%/VDead time (U=400V, micro
sec) 50Gamma Sensitivity Cs137 (cps/mR/hr) 240Own Background
(Pulses/s) 4
Select options Select Geiger Counter Select LND712 CS137 Adjust
Conversion factor to your tube:
123 for LND712175 for SBM-20
360 for LND7317Select I/O Settings
Auto Adjust OFF(you may need to play
with this setting) RMS Window 1
Delay Window 30Volume Thresh 20000
Ultrafast Rates ON
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Working range (mkR/s) 0.003 - 20POWER and OTHER SYSTEM ITEMS:
This system is capable of producing 900+ volts, so be careful or
you may get zapped when handling the systemwhile it is powered
on.
A. Seeeduino Lithium Ion battery - 3.7v 3000mAh
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/lithium-ion-polymer-battery-pack-3a-p-588.html?cPath=178_183
Full recharge in 3 hours, provides approximately 40 hour constant
use of geiger counter with backlight off. Charge with PC/USB will
take about 5 hours or more.
B. Sparkfun USB Lithium Polymer battery charger
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10401
D. Sparkfun 5V FTDI Basic Breakout
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9716
E. Pololu 5V Step-Up/Step-Down Voltage Regulator S7V7F5
http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/2119
ENCLOSUREDimensions: New Age Enclosure - S784114 - 7.8" x 4.1" x
1.4" (not including handle or
feet)http://www.newageenclosures.com/files/784114_r5_2.pdf
REPAIRS:If the unit fails for some reason with six months from
purchase, I will be more than happy to do any maintenance you need
at no charge except shipping.
PACKAGE CONTENTS:In your package you will find: Geiger Counter
with Probe SBT-10 GM Tube, (3) Cables: Geiger bot 3 to 4 conductor,
BNC Cable, Mini USB to standard USB2 withFREE wall charger and
cigarette adapter. CD with software and documents, Manual, RAD
sticker, and extra faceplate labels.
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Please note that this is strictly an experi-mental and
prototypical container. It hasbeen included with the sale of
yourmeter as a bonus device. It is not in any-way 100% effective in
masking outbackground radiation for use in sample
readings. It does however have an effecton masking and should be
noted that itcan create a more consistent level foruse as a
sampling container and testarea. I would suggest purchasing
blocksof lead to surround the can to provide
more masking. Please do not place anysamples into the castle
without it firstbeing placed into either a sealed ziplockbaggie, or
inside one of the providedglass sample beakers.
When testing samples, please use theprogrammable timer on your
meter. (Thestarter for the time is the green buttonon the far
leftside of the meter markedMODE) The longer the timed amountthe
better. The timer can be set for as
much as needed, but 30 minutes to 1hour should work pretty well
for takingaverages. First place the probe onto thecan and do a
timed average without asample to get the base backgroundtimed
amount to compare your sample
to. Then measure the sample inside thecan with the probe back on
top again.Subtract the background from the sam-ple measured amount
and you will see ifthere is a climb in the sample.
With the meter on, and using the in-cluded Sony remote control,
press theGreen power button on the remote tillyou see the display
on the meterchange to DISP PERIOD (MS). Whenyou see this, you are
in the menu mode.hit the channel button till you get toSCALER PER
(MIN) enter any minutesfrom 1 to 90 and hit the enter button on
the remote and you are now setup doinga timed averaged reading.
To get backto the regular part of the menu/display,hit the green
power button again on theremote. Once you push the MODE but-ton on
the meter, the display changesagain to show1M ## / 20s30M ### /
28m
The first line is the 1 minute averagecounting down on the right
side from 60down to zero. The ## is the current 1minute averaged
count. The second lineshows the 30 minute average countingdown
where the first ### is total countsuntil it reaches 30 minutes.
Over to theright is the minutes counting dow from30 to 0.
Lead Castle
Averages in timing
Setting the timer amount
Please check the developer website and also the pdf USER GUIDE
on the cd for more information.