| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Wolfess
5 Posts |
 Posted - 03/14/2024 : 21:54:53
|
I was curious how much runoff some places might have so took my 300E+ near this dentist office that was basically just a little house and while waiting around in the alley I noticed occasionally I could get audible spikes on the meter followed by a slight increase in the count shortly after someone visited.
Has anyone else ever tried this before near medical places that do X-Ray? I'm tempted to pocket log while going for a walk through the local big hospital complex next. |
|
| Reply #1
ullix
Germany
1135 Posts |
Posted - 03/17/2024 : 02:09:10
|
An interesting observation! Though honestly I doubt it is caused by dental X-rays, and more some odd coincidence. However, certainly worth a second look.
Try to also record your walk-path with timing stamps - using a smartphone with Google maps? - so you can correlate any Geiger counter spikes with position. Looking forward to see data! |
 |
|
| Reply #2
Wolfess
5 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2024 : 01:12:31
|
quote:
Originally posted by ullix
An interesting observation! Though honestly I doubt it is caused by dental X-rays, and more some odd coincidence. However, certainly worth a second look.
Try to also record your walk-path with timing stamps - using a smartphone with Google maps? - so you can correlate any Geiger counter spikes with position. Looking forward to see data!
Hmm I will try to take some second looks throughout this week. Thank you, I have a Garmin eTrex 20x GPS that's really good at making tracks and I was actually considering doing just that with it as well since it's small and can stash with my GMC300 and the battery lasts all day.
Do you know if there any programs that can combine the .csv logs from my counter with the .gpx from my handheld to make a sort of radation track? |
|
|
| Reply #3
ullix
Germany
1135 Posts |
Posted - 03/19/2024 : 00:48:23
|
quote:
Do you know if there any programs that can combine the .csv logs from my counter with the .gpx from my handheld to make a sort of radation track?
Yes, GeigerLog can do it. Well, almost.
You need to have 2 CSV files in the GeigerLog format. Then program GLmerger.py (in GL's gtools directory) can do the merging. For some help info start it with : 'GLmerger.py -h'
The counter CSV is easy: download the counter history into GeigerLog and save it as CSV (command in the History menu).
The GPS CSV file is more difficult. Perhaps using Excel to create a file with columns DateTime, Lat, Lon?
More critical is the DateTime stamp. That from the GPS is of course perfect. But all GCM counters have a timing chip with lousy precision, showing a drift near 20 sec/day!!!
I suggest to prepare by making a factory reset of the counter, and then set the time. Can both be done easily with GeigerLog.
After your radia-walk you should first verify that there are any bumps at all in the counter data. Clicking the Moving-Average might be helpful when inspecting the data. Good luck!
|
|
|
| Reply #4
GBG12
Canada
101 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2024 : 12:00:59
|
| It's likely that a dental X-ray emits a cone of radiation each time it takes an image, and they would be brief, on the order of 1/60 of a second. My own dental x-rays are 2 images each side, separated by maybe 30 seconds to position the imaging plate. I think the images with the X-ray source aimed at the alley would be readily seen in the GM tube data. I wonder if anyone has studied cancer rates next door to dentist offices. |
|
|
| Reply #5
katebishop
1 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2024 : 00:03:24
|
quote:
Originally posted by Wolfess
I was curious how much runoff some places might have so took my 300E+ near this dentist office that was basically just a little house and while waiting around in the alley I noticed occasionally I could get audible spikes on the meter followed by a slight increase in the count shortly after someone visited.
Has anyone else ever tried this before near medical places that do X-Ray? I'm tempted to pocket log while going for a walk through the local big hospital complex next.
I experimented with my Geiger counter near a dentist's office that looked like a little house. Occasionally, I noticed audible spikes and a slight increase in radiation counts shortly after patients visited. It got me curious about radiation levels around other medical places that use X-rays. |
|
|
| Reply #6
ihab17
Italy
218 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2024 : 00:32:41
|
quote:
Originally posted by katebishop
quote:
Originally posted by Wolfess
I was curious how much runoff some places might have so took my 300E+ near this dentist office that was basically just a little house and while waiting around in the alley I noticed occasionally I could get audible spikes on the meter followed by a slight increase in the count shortly after someone visited. https://wordleunlimitedgame.io/home
Has anyone else ever tried this before near medical places that do X-Ray? I'm tempted to pocket log while going for a walk through the local big hospital complex next.
I experimented with my Geiger counter near a dentist's office that looked like a little house. Occasionally, I noticed audible spikes and a slight increase in radiation counts shortly after patients visited. It got me curious about radiation levels around other medical places that use X-rays.
Frankly speaking this is a bit strange. Usually, the dentist or such medical offices should be shielded, so theoretically your counter should click only if you are inside the room near the x-ray machine. Also, nowadays X-Ray machines are smaller with much less radiation emanated and concentrated only on a small area of the skull (where the teeth are) hence this minimizes the amount of radiation. Not to mention that X-Ray radiation is usually directional, i.e., pointing directly to the teeth and not far away from them, hence if your counter clicks, this means that you also should be on the same directional line where X-Rays are produced. I went to the dentist few weeks ago and had an X-Ray as well and I can confirm that it is a small sized apparatus with much less radiation, concentrated only on the target tooth. So if your counter clicks, then I wonder:
How close are you to the dentist's X-Ray machine?
Is the dentist X-Ray room shielded?
Is the dentist using a modern X-Ray machine or an old one?
For how long does your Geiger counter click?
To what values does your counter jump to?
If you move the counter to a different place few meters away in the same room you get clicks from, do you still get high counts or not? |
|
|
| Reply #7
EmfDev
2220 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2024 : 12:56:36
|
| @ihab17, I think that guy was a spammer and is just saying something that is not true/releted. |
|
|
| Reply #8
ihab17
Italy
218 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2024 : 12:13:32
|
quote:
Originally posted by EmfDev
@ihab17, I think that guy was a spammer and is just saying something that is not true/releted.
Oh boy what kids nowadays do! |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Anyone else ever get X-ray signals near hospitals?
