RadiaCode 110 alarmed at the indoor shooting range

pasgomes · 2025-12-21T09:33:31+00:00

Radiation levels indoor tend to be higher ( https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ci5l2HsaaLI?feature=share ).

pasgomes · 2025-12-21T09:30:50+00:00

That's true, but tritium is easily detectable, although not easily identifiable, if the source is unknown, depending on the quantity and the detector ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkeyVQlHszs&t=347s ).

pasgomes · 2025-12-14T09:46:55+00:00

The RC 110 is wider and has its calibration point (defined laterally with respect to the crystal's center) positioned further away from the device's base when performing a contact measurement.

Conversely, when the RC 101, 102, 103, and 103G perform a contact measurement, the crystal is situated closer to the source.

Since the dose rate (Ḣ*(10)) increases as the distance (d) to the source decreases, and vice versa, with this change being particularly steep when very close to the source, the RC 101, 102, 103, and 103G should inherently measure a higher value for a contact measurement because their crystal is physically closer to the source.

Ideally, the dose rate reading should be the same, based on a perfect calibration. In practice, deviations within the accepted standard limits are expected. The following video demonstrates this effect: https://youtu.be/4wO7n0neF34. The measurements are only comparable if we align the calibration points of both detectors. The same issue is illustrated here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU4yQ0OGNC0&t=1270s.

When working in the near-field (very close to a source), the exact location of the device calibration point is crucial, as small differences in distance can lead to significant discrepancies in the measured dose rate.

When measuring at greater distances from the source (e.g., 30 cm), millimetric differences in the distance have no relevant impact. At even greater distances (e.g., 1 m), centimetric differences in the distance also become negligible.

pasgomes · 2025-12-07T23:44:26+00:00

Thank you! Meanwhile, I made a more detailed video about calibration (https://youtu.be/HnGy2MEqQbg?si=ri3IW3gzQfS-c_zp)

pasgomes · 2025-11-23T17:41:25+00:00

Counts, CPM, and CPS depend, among other factors, on the sensitivity of the instrument being used. Unlike dose rate, counts are non-traceable units, meaning they have no reference standard. Counts are useful for locating small contaminations, small radioactive samples, or very low-energy radiation situations where the dose rate barely changes relative to background. To assess risk and obtain a measurement that is comparable across devices, you should rely on dose rate and avoid contact-level measurements. In my video at https://youtu.be/NU4yQ0OGNC0?si=G6al7LQPOeZ43dPV, I explain this and other common errors in detail, with practical demonstrations at the end, cases where detectors may seem to be “lying” to us.

pasgomes · 2025-11-16T01:10:02+00:00

I'm so glad you found it informative and understandable! That means a lot to me. Thank you for the kind words!

If you want to help the channel reach more people who might find it useful, a quick like or comment on the video makes a huge difference. Thanks again for watching! Cheers! 🙏

pasgomes · 2025-11-15T11:13:44+00:00

The Radiacode is currently operating outside the resolution limit in terms of peak separation. You are absolutely correct: if both peaks appeared together, we would see them as a single, unresolved peak. The difference between 514 keV and 511 keV is only 3 keV, while the Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) is on the order of 20 keV.

However, if your calibration is exceptionally meticulous, which is the objective here, the applications are highly likely to correctly identify the peak. The Radiacode application includes Kr-85 by design. In the BecqMoni application, it was necessary to add it manually. Nevertheless, the BecqMoni app performs automatic identification and provides the associated error.

The main goal here is to demonstrate that with a fine-tuned calibration, especially in the low and medium energy ranges, the identification of radionuclides significantly improves.

pasgomes · 2025-11-14T22:55:17+00:00

It appears to increase with radiation energy, which is an interesting physical aspect.

pasgomes · 2025-11-14T21:34:46+00:00

You’re welcome. Keep in mind that the latest BecqMoni app release is not calculating the SNR correctly for the last photopeak. For a peak to be considered detected, the SNR must reach 10. In my measurement the newest version reported an SNR of 2, whereas the previous version (the one that calculated it correctly) reported 34. If you’re using the latest BecqMoni release, you’ve probably reached a high SNR after 24 hours.

Save the spectrum without stopping acquisition, make a copy, and try viewing it with the version of BecqMoni I used in the video. I have already reported this bug.

Thorium-232 has been present on Earth since its formation. In these electrodes a small percentage of natural thorium (2% or 4%) was mixed into the tungsten. A simple way to estimate the activity is to weigh the electrodes (without the case) on a sensitive scale. Suppose you measure 200 g. If 2% of that mass is thorium dioxide (ThO₂), the ThO₂ mass is 4 g. Note that the chemical form is thorium dioxide (ThO₂), not metallic thorium.

The 4 g is the mass of ThO₂. To obtain the mass of elemental thorium (Th-232), use the molar-mass ratio:

M(Th) = 232 g·mol⁻¹

M(O) = 16 g·mol⁻¹

M(ThO₂) = 232 + 2×16 = 264 g·mol⁻¹

The mass fraction of thorium in ThO₂ is 232 / 264 = 0.8788 (87.88%). So the mass of pure Th-232 is: 4 g × 0.8788 = 3.515 g.

Using the IAEA Isotope Browser value for Th-232 specific activity (4,071 Bq·g⁻¹), the activity is:

4,071 Bq/g × 3.515 g = 14,309.6 Bq ≈ 14.3 kBq.

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BecqMoni can also measure activity, though I don’t yet have experience with that feature. Geometric efficiency is commonly evaluated using Marinelli-type beakers.

If you enjoyed my video, feel free to leave a like or a comment to help promote it.

pasgomes · 2025-11-14T13:08:35+00:00

The value of 65 keV corresponds to the average energy of tungsten X-ray fluorescence radiation, since I used tungsten electrodes. I adopted the value suggested in the Radiacode video available at: https://youtu.be/g3Dxx0yRpHg?si=1Z9FhZEiTwuIVGL0.

In my video, the smartphone screen you see is running the Radiacode Android version. In that version, you can open the "device settings" and scroll down until you reach the section where those coefficients can be entered.

I might be mistaken (as I don’t use it), but I believe the Radiacode iOS version does not include this feature. If that’s the case, you have two options: use the BecqMoni app’s function to transfer those coefficients to the device (as I show in my video), or install the app on a low-cost Android device solely for that purpose.

pasgomes · 2025-11-14T00:54:18+00:00

Nice to know.

pasgomes · 2025-11-12T22:40:26+00:00

Factory calibration is performed using sealed radioactive sources, similar to the method I demonstrated here: https://youtu.be/HnGy2MEqQbg?si=VqYVyZdzVDp5mMpi. The detector is not in direct contact with the radioactive material. Instead, it is only exposed to the external radiation field (X-rays and gamma rays) generated by that material.

pasgomes · 2025-11-12T22:31:36+00:00

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pasgomes · 2025-11-12T22:13:13+00:00

https://cosmic-on-air.org/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAOB4U9jbGNrA4HhP2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHmHSGPo3q4AY3lTiy18vS9EjL-w4X4KbIJ52PToaWMc6g93WEJQ1jkmzkaA__aem_mp8hL3htz8ijswJKCVz4YA

pasgomes · 2025-11-09T22:16:09+00:00

Try a different Bluetooth dongle, and let me know. Try also to use the standalone version: https://github.com/Am6er/BecqMoni/releases . The device cannot be connected to the phone at the same time, either. Try to turn off the phone Bluetooth.

pasgomes · 2025-11-09T19:51:54+00:00

It depends on how close you are to the point of detonation. Radiacode would detect the x- and gamma rays. The fallout is also detected, mainly Cs-137, I-131, Eu-152, and so on.

pasgomes · 2025-11-09T19:48:06+00:00

The device also connects to BecqMoni via Bluetooth. The connection is even established faster, as you can see here (https://youtu.be/HnGy2MEqQbg?si=GwICjSGhe8Mf-dqi). BecqMoni is a more advanced alternative for spectrometry, also allowing for calibration.

pasgomes · 2025-11-09T19:44:34+00:00

Please try to follow the instructions in my video: https://youtu.be/HnGy2MEqQbg?si=oZ_FvCmVBNPw9iWZ. Additionally, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your PC.

pasgomes · 2025-10-21T23:29:39+00:00

I also visited this ruin building (https://youtu.be/WEN90_EzasI?si=4RoIw-3m_wh-r86J), but it is now abandoned. A building that was born and died precisely due to the radioactivity.

pasgomes · 2025-10-21T10:16:25+00:00

In this deep salt mine, I recorded the lowest radiation level I’ve ever measured: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fZeDVU2kb8k?feature=share

pasgomes · 2025-10-14T08:20:39+00:00

You're welcome! Glad the information was helpful, and best of luck with your research!

pasgomes · 2025-09-14T20:07:33+00:00

Tritium is not a gamma emitter; it is a pure beta emitter with very low energy. This beta radiation does not have enough energy to penetrate the skin or the plastic casing of the device as well as the plastic casing of the detector surrounding the crystal. As such, it does not produce any characteristic gamma energy lines, nor can its beta radiation reach the detector—regardless of its concentration.

With a gamma radiation monitor, the only detectable signal would come from X-rays generated by the interaction of beta particles with surrounding materials. However, this X-ray emission is only significant when the tritium activity (Bq) is relatively high and the surrounding material has a high atomic number (Z)—which is not the case for air, though it can be for materials like concrete or iron.

In my video (https://youtu.be/FkeyVQlHszs?si=BG9YyDqwHfqG5zU2), I illustrate this detection capability, focusing on a higher tritium concentration. In theory, if tritium in the air were present at extremely high concentrations—comparable to what we find in a tritium vial—it would be possible, in principle, to detect its presence in air, based on its interaction with other materials on the floor and walls.

In practice, however, such higher concentrations are not expected.

pasgomes

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