Attention!!!! In this video I am searching for cheap and sensitive Geiger counters, so that people can detect even the smallest level of radiation. This is important if you want to check your food for if they have radioactive particles on the surface. The bigger GM Müller tubes are perfect for this purpose. I can definetly recommend the orange Geiger counter NR-750 by Pudibei. NR-750 on Ebay for US: ebay.to/3gKBp3p NR-750 on Amazon Germany/Deutschland: amzn.to/3TVWHJB The smaller GM tubes do not detect low level radiation very well. But they can detect really high radiation before maxing out. This can be important for when you are really really close to ground zero of an a-bomb. If you also want to detect really high level radiation I recommend more expensive Geiger counters that preferably have 2 Geiger Müller tubes at the inside (one small and one big)
Hopefully. There can be things liks naturally occurring radon gas emissions that can buildup in basements or structures. These things can have more uses that in nuclear plants or wars.
@@joriskylie6857 I am sorry. Was the question about radioactive radon gas which is released by a number of naturally occurring minerals (actually not uncommon here in Canada). Mone tailings and erosion may also spread radioactive minerals. Or maybe things like the tailings from those old factories that put fluorescent dials on clocks watches, compasses, airplane instrument dials, submarine equipment, etc..
I'm really enjoying your posts, its nice to see someone with common sense putting out some really intelligent posts. Hopefully we don't need it but I am definitely interested in picking one up. I'm a 26 year military veteran and used to teach this stuff :)
Everyone here pissing themselves over nuclear war and I'm just here trying to survive antique stores. You wouldn't believe what kind of hot items you can find.
That’s exactly what brought me here. I just want a small counter so I can check the authenticity of all the uranium glass sitting at my local antiques outlet lol.
@@hardnachopuppy I’m reminded of an episode of House where a kid ends up severely irradiated by a scrap souvenir his Dad found in the family scrapyard. Now I’m sad.
@@joshfrommilan6130Geiger counters are a good way to test for that, but in my experience it’s usually easier to just use an ultraviolet light. If it’s uranium glass it’ll glow bright green
Most Chinese units run a glass Geiger tube that is also sensitive to certain wavelengths of UV. If you buy such a unit, make sure the tube is isolated from ambient light. Black heatshrink tubing works a treat and is easy to apply, as the tubes usually tend to be removable from their sockets. Good to see the newer units in this video came with shielding, I guess some mfrs caught onto the issue finally. Also if you're going into Gamma Scout price range, the SE International Monitor 200 is a worthy contender. Made in America!
I grabbed a cheap 'non-brand' Chinese unit a while back to see how it would fare against my GS3 (at 1/10 of the cost) and was pleasantly surprised in terms of (reasonable) accuracy and features. That said, the lack of an audio pulse feature is peculiar (it'd be so easy to include) and of course, no alpha detection. Anyway, re UV sensitivity and overestimation, I've found the opposite to be the case with this thing (It's a GC01) which reads slightly (and consistently) lower that the GS3 when tested with a thorium mantle, possibly due in part to the thick, black rubber sections of the casing and a J321 (I haven't opened it up and the Chinese translated manual is a little spec vague but I believe it's the 321 in there). Interestingly, to get an accurate reading, the unit needs to be positioned so that the rear is facing the test source. Pointing it towards a source (as one would with the GS3) only registers a slight elevation from background levels. This makes quite a difference too; 0.7ųSv shoots up to around 2ųSv. It is however, rather awkward to hold it in such a way that allows for an optimal reading. Also, as I mentioned, it does generally read slightly lower than my go to unit and I'm wondering, provided that the rear casing has sufficient clearance from the tube / board and that the tube is indeed a J321, would drilling a series of small perforations through the back seem like a reasonable way of increasing the beta sensitivity to match that of the GS3 or would the difference be negligible?
Boy thanks Lilly I just ordered the NR 750 after waisting over $60 on a different model that wouldn't even stay on. I tried everything. Keep up the great work ❤️
@mikemorris5944 I read that you can enable particle detection sound with NR-750 but other users only reported this feature with their NR-950. Here are some instructions from another user: "Go into alarm mode, then select the pictogram of three little speakers. This will register a beep every time the tube records an ionization event." The NR-950 has features I don't need and is more expensive, so it would be great to know if NR-750 has this before I buy it.
I decided to purchase a Geiger counter a few months ago but had a limited budget. You will be pleased to know that I finally decided on the Purible orange one and it has been sitting with the first grab equipment since. Such a relief that you tested it. Thank you so much!
The sensitivity is dependent on the Geiger Muller tube having the correct voltage applied. Other than that it is the tube's characteristics ( standard calibration chart for the number ) and the circuit is just counting pulses over sample periods. Longer, and therefore slower, samples should be more accurate. The other refinements are just selective filters for the tube. Dead units really show a lack of quality control. I kind of like a kit for basic counters because they have schematics, alignment and calibration procedures, and as the circuit is quite simple are easy to repair. That insensitive unit probably just needs the voltage to the tube adjusted but without service information it is useless.
Just a quick additional upcheck 👍for the GQ 300 series counters. Currently Amazon has great deals going on the GMC300S and GMC320S versions. My 300S was only about $50 with a coupon, and the even more capable 320S is currently discounted with a $15 coupon to under $60. Both the 300S and 320S have the larger full sized more sensitive Geiger tube mentioned in the video, a large backlit sunlight readable LCD, a standard easily user replaceable 14500 lithium battery, and full-function onboard internal firmware which allows both USB PC logging and precision CPM/uSv instrument calibration (unlike the highly over-rated, over-priced POS 'Gamma-Scout'). With the slightly more expensive 320S, you get a few extras like automatic cell phone style display flipping, an internal electronic thermometer, plus a larger 1M internal logging memory - but even the inexpensive GMC300S model is enormously more sophisticated than most of the other tinker-toy counters in this video. So far as the testing in the video goes, Gieger tubes show widely varying sensitivity depending on the energy spectrum of the radioactive source, so testing counters against random radioactive rocks (especially up close where the levels are changing rapidly with distance), is NOT going to give accurate results. I have checked the accuracy of my new GMC 300S, and my new RadiaCode 103 (much more expensive, but also highly recommended), against a calibrated Cs137 check source at a calibrated distance, and found both were within 10% of the calculated theoretical gamma flux, which is surprisingly good accuracy for consumer grade devices.
@@bwilder2324 GQ also had good support. I had a bad LED in my GMC-600+ and they let me just swap it out with a replacement they sent, rather than the hassle of sending it in for warranty repair (and the risk of damage in shipping). Confirmed this wouldn't void the warranty. They have a good forum on their site where you can discuss issues and suggest improvements.
Interesting reviews but realistically, if it reaches a point you need a geiger counter to support your survival, you have much bigger things to worry about than radiation.
I remember watching a program where tourist took a tour in a town in Japan that had to evacuate due to radiation the tourist had the cheaper gigor counters. Thank you for helping us out to know what to get
I already have an updated version of the white one you show, BR-9B, and I checked other review sources and more or less it matches with what you show here. When I ordered it there were no reviews or at least no good ones. I ordered one NR-750 as you suggested and cant wait for it to arrive. I live in Bulgaria and few months ago I watched the news and they mentioned that the tanks driving where the Chernobyl disaster was, they could possibly release radiation with the dust they are making. Day before that I saw my counter showing 0.50 microsieverts/h for a minute (in the village I usually see from 0.03 to 0.15 microsieverts/h). Also checked the wind, it was blowing from Ukraine to Bulgaria those days. Can't say for sure if it was related, but I was sure then that having a counter is a must to be able to detect radiation on time and take precaution. Thank you Lily for your work.
@@SurvivalLilly I wouldn't say its a lot. Bear in mind its about micro not mili, which can be confusing and it was for very short time. In the center of the city in a concrete building I get average of .17 microsieverts/h which is normal for such place. It goes up sometimes up to .24 µsv/h. Since a week ago it started reaching .30 µsv/h for a second each day. Which is why I really appreciate your review done here. I want to get better counter and if this .30 µsv/h continue to appear, I might start thinking of relocating permanently to the village.
Lilly a very interesting video! I am in my late sixties and when I was a teenager we were fascinated by the old watches with the radium dial. Little did we know they were radioactive back then. Thanks for the content Lilly!
Omg this is exactly why I wanted to a Geiger counter for cheap because I wanted to test my grandfather’s old watch faces for fun and also I remember using a good gouged counter of my fathers when I was a kid to test things around my house 😂
To be honest, the terra p+ is one of the best geiger counters ever, as an added bonus, it's better in almost every way to all the geiger counters in the video. It's also only $300! :)
I have one as well, and it works well. Matches my Radex GC (Russian) exactly, and is sturdier than the Radex. I don’t buy on Amazon, too many problems, I buy from EBay or the manufacturer, and have been very happy without Amazon.
The review was fine to determine which counter was the most sensitive; however, after a nuclear strike, the levels of radiation will saturate (overload) these devices for the first 2 or 3 weeks after which the level of radiation will be much weaker and then within the range of these devices. I like the GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter on Amazon which can measure up to 42500uSv/h or .042 milli Sieverts.
Sure, if you have the money you can always invest in a better geiger counter. But most people dont have so much money, especially after what is going on with the world economy. Also in my opinion these sensitive geiger counters are good enough to let people know what is going on.
@@SurvivalLilly I did not mean to offend you Lilly, I love your post and channel. The one I mentioned has come down in the last year and I just saw it on Amazon for $200 dollars. I also bought the white one that you reviewed and it worked well; but I found some of the test sources I have would max out the reading. I did not mean to put down the purchases you made, they are good for what they were designed for. I love your channel and hope and pray you will not have to go through a nuclear crisis.
Useful information. Don't forget to keep it in a faraday cage with fresh batteries. An empty metal paint tin is a good EMP shield. It's worth buying potassium iodide tablets too.
everyone says buy iodide tablets, but fails to realize that IF there is need for those tabs, background radiation will be high enough to cause permanent damage to other tissue in body, not just thyroid. IMHO best way is to get good geiger counter/ dosimeter and RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN if they start chirping.
@@ApocGuy I can't speak from experience because I've never myself personally endured a radiological event, but the use case I am anticipating is the detonation of a device far away but the dispersal of radioactive fall out in my vicinity. In that event I would stay indoors with my windows and doors taped up, and take the iodide tablets. I would wait out the fallout for maybe a month before going outside. I would use the Geiger counter to check to see when it is safe. I would also use it to check water and food. I would probably wear an N95 mask as well to minimize inhalation. I'm not planning for a massive local event, just to minimize the health impact of fallout from an event elsewhere. Under those circumstances ingestion and inhalation is the enemy. I don't have unrealistic expectations, I just want to maximize my chances of avoiding long term health problems. Storing enough water and food for a month is achievable. My biggest concern is having access to uncontaminated water. Water from a loft tank or aquarium can be drunk if you get caught short. Pet food and pets can also be eaten. Just my little joke.
The China glass 4011 GM tube is a lesser expensive version of the Russian made SBM-20 and claims to be more sensitive however being clear glass it suffers from light sensitivity unlike the metal SBM-20 and that's that's why one had a black cover.
Hello Lilly, I currently have a Gamma Scout similar to what you have for low levels of radiation, and the ability to measure Alpha. The primary limitation is that it will only measure up to 1000uSv/hr or 1mSv/hr. In a radiological emergency 1mSv/hr range would be significantly saturated and inaccurate in either dosage or exposure/absorbtion rate. I also have a GQ GMC-500+ which gives me a max rate of 42.5mSv/hr because it has two tubes, both a low and high sensitivity. It runs about $158 on Amazon, and when tested against my Gamma Scout has a good correlation. I am also looking for a much more capable Field Survey Meter with the ability to measure up to 100mSv/hr to cover the extreme valued possible in a fallout situation.
It is 'Not Great, Not Terrible' According to NUKEMAP fallout contour can be between 1 to 1000 rads per hour, with 100 rads/hr affecting large areas down wind. 1 rad [rd] = 0.01 sievert [Sv] or 10 mSv/hr, so 100 rads would equal 1000 mSV/hr. If your max rate is 42.5 mSv/hr you would have no idea if you're fleeing into a highly contaminated area, or away (so better stay indoors when maxed out) It is 'Not Great, Not Terrible' with a low/high sensitivity - and hopefully it will never be used in an extreme situation
@@EgonSorensen I agree, and that is why I currently just acquired 0-500 rad field survey meter (Used and needs to be sent off for calibration). It is an old civil defense CDV-715, and will be part of my Radiation Kit. The difference between the two meters is the lower ranged, more sensitive ones are Geiger Counters, and the field survey meters are mostly Ionization chamber models. The basic design is the same, but the voltage across the detectors is very different, with the ionization voltage being about 50-100V. This lower voltage allows for the system to not get saturated at higher exposure levels. Both types of meters are useful according to application. If in the event of a nuclear incident, if you have a good shelter that provides sufficient shielding your 0-500 rad meter will read nothing, while you sensitive Geiger will still detect accurately your exposed dose. Outside the shelter however only the field survey meter will give you a reading of what much higher levels are to estimate your exposure for various activities.
Dont forget that the BR-6 tube is from one of the top corners to the opposite corner at the bottom, you can see the GeigerMuller tube through the grid in the back.. The window on the gamma scout is at the top of the unit. I have the similar to the BR-6, also the GC GMC-320 Plus, The radiation Network GeigerGraph (from Mineralab) has many many counters on line so you can see radiation counts all over the world. I have an actual Radiation sample/calibration disk from the early 1950's. Ah the black on has the mini GM Tube, by the way some of the older Counters have a metal tube, mostly the Russian ones. Great video, you really show how things work with the Geiger Counters.
Just bougt a "Better Geigor" off Amazon an awesome good quality geigor counter for 150 dollars, a High performance. Low cost. Simple to use. Rugged. Made in USA, A radiation dosimeter measures dose using a scintillator instead of a Geiger tube. Im very happing with it so far
@@MrFirstone23 I just got it yesterday and only turned it on to make sure it works. I have been researching these less expensive ones. If I was going to pay 500 dollars I would buy a an older 1960s/70s Victoreen survey meter or geigor counter but they are hard to find and expensive. So I reviewed the Better Geigor watched a couple videos and choose to go for this one. Im goung to order the source its about 40 dollars. Wish i could tell you more but do a youtube search on it there are a couple videos on it reviews can be seen on the web page. I like the fact it reads in MR/Hour and sieverts here in USA I worked most my life in a Nuke plant and used MR/hour
Great video , love the disassembly part, so I could see the used tubes. Just bought the orange one, almost bought the least good one. Thanks for the video, stay healthy
The book nuclear war survival skills shows you how to make one from a small can and things around you home. If you do not have much money build one or buy a dosimiter.
Thank you, Lilly, for buying and testing all these geiger counters. Excellent fair review and recommendation. I trust you, and I value your opinion very much. Thanks again!
Thanks for the review. Unfortunately I found it a bit too late. I bought the BR-6B several months ago. Unfortunately, compared to my other Geiger counters, this device takes a very long time before the measurement results are updated. I also own the Pudibel Geiger counter and I'm very impressed with this device. I compared all my devices, including a homemade Geiger counter, and I have to say that I was actually very surprised that all my devices on my test source showed practically the same readings with sufficiently long measurement times (the measurement inaccuracies of all my devices were definitely within tolerance). Nevertheless, I think that the BR-6B is my worst Geiger counter that I own (biggest deviation compared to the other devices, longest recording time, too big distance between counter tube and housing, counter tube is installed diagonally). Note: the heat shrink tubing over the counter tube on the BR-6 and BR-6B is to block out ambient light. Because the housing on the bottom of the housing does not protect the measuring tube sufficiently from light. However, the counter tube used responds to ordinary photons, which makes a cover absolutely necessary. My favorite is also the Pudibel, which I actually prefer to the Gamma Scout on excursions. Because the device is definitely sufficiently precise and has an acceptable measuring speed. Otherwise, I also like the devices from Radia Code. I especially like the Radia Code 101, although this device is not a conventional Geiger counter but a gamma spectrometer. Advantage, you can place the device on the test sample and display the gamma spectrum. The resolution is not comparable to a device for ten thousand dollars or more, but if you measure long enough, you still get very good results, which allow clear conclusions.
The KFM. Radiation meter is cool. Pro: No battery needed. Pro: very good detection range. You build it. That could be Pro or Con. Con. You have to keep it dry. Water can kill it pretty fast. Con. It's very fragile. Don't drop it. Con. You need to hold still when using it. After you build one, you will see why you have to be gentle with it.
WOW, what a great scientific demo/explanation Lilly! I can tell from your procedures and methods of data collection that you are a true scientist and probably have a BS degree in Physics if not a Phd. I am very impressed with someone who has her own Faraday cage! As we use these wonderful scientific instruments we must always give praise to the great German scientist Hans Geiger. Was Muller his grad student? Are the Sievert units of measurement also named after a great German scientist? BTW your English is excellent.
It seems like the time is a bigger factor than sensitivity. You dont really want to be hanging around a highy radioactive source waiting for the screen to update.
Using a watch is a pretty good example of how sensitive even the cheap Geiger counters are. But In case anyone is wondering, just because the Geiger counter begins to tick, doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. Power plant workers are allowed approximately 250 milisieverts per year, where as this watch only gave 20 MICROsieverts per hour. For reference, having that watch against your skin for a whole year would only equate to about half the maximum radiation that a human body can safely deal with. Radiation is a part of daily life and is part of our atmosphere so the human body, as well as all living things, are evolved and adapted to absorb and deal with certain levels of radiation. And the thing about radiation is that it increases exponentially based on distance. You can even safely stand near the Chernobyl elephants foot for a certain about of time, so long as you are at a certain distance and only for so long, so as not to exceed the amount of radiation the human body can process. Time of exposure, and distance, is what determines what is dangerous, not just how radioactive something actually is. I highly recommend RUclipsr “Kyle Hill” a nuclear physicist, who explains in simple terms how radiation doesn’t need to be feared, only respected. And describes multiple accounts of nuclear disasters, and how the effects of which really aren’t as bad as how most people think. Such as the three mile island incident, or the time the us detonated a nuclear bomb in mid air directly over 3 men while recording, and they all lived and died of non radiation related causes
in general ; these cheap geiger counter are more dedicated to measure of ambiance instead of hot spot in an object because of the geometry of the sensor. Some geiger counters of the market have a compensated tube (the kind of plastic you found around the tube ) and are less sensitive to low energy such as beta particules. The gamma scout is very expensive and not everyone can afford it. But still these cheap geiger counters are ok for ambiance in gamma and detection to check wether or not an object is radioactive or not. So measuring at different distance doesnt mean anything as the geometry of the tube isnt the same between counters. These counters are mostly for detection at the contact and evaluation of the ambiance of an area or a room. No more than that .
Caution needs to be exercised when buying Geiger counters on Amazon. Most WILL NOT detect radiation levels at the levels you would need to for a nuclear attack and are meant for detecting radiation for other purposes.
That is true however they are still useful to inform you of a rise. Say all the electrics went out for as far as you could tell and there was no information forthcoming by radio. Even a cheap Geiger counter will let you know if the radiation levels are within the normal range or not. Can you imagine how different things would have been near the Long Island Nuclear plant when there was a leak if people actually knew radiation levels were raised?
You should repeat your test with geometrically larger sources, i.e. 20 x 20 cm. Most of your counters are not designed for small pinpoint sources, but rather for the "enviromental" radiation. Among others, i own the BR-6 (white one) and it is not as bad as you might think. It features quite large GM tube, which makes it fairly sensitive and rather handy for food survay using "thick sample" method. The red number (bottom) is not a dosage but an average over the measured time, which comes handy for the same purpose. There is a brand of milk, shoving 20 to 30% higher radioactivity than average milk, and yes, still well under the legal limit, so no panic required, but non the less, try to find it using the Gamma Scout, and the BR-6. It's a challange. Thanks for the video, i enyoed it.
Gamma scout is way better and worth the money as professional one. It is expensive. The quality NR-750 is not good. I bought one but the unit doesn’t perform as in the video.
@@jennybodak4954 The better instument is probably the one, that still fits your particular needs (or requirements) for less money. Considering the video, i would just like to point out no GM counter can measure the radiation that actually miss the GM tube.
Just noticed that when you opened the NR-750 it has an M4011 GM tube, the same tube as the higher end NR-950 has, from other teardowns and your own Part2 video, the NR-750 usually comes with the J321 as with the NR-850. Did you get lucky with this example? Do you think this tube has better accuracy than the J321? Cheers and keep prepping.
Good idea to have two detectors with the one you plan to have with you when away from home being less than $100. If you lose your get home pack in the chaos of post detonation, it is not much of a total loss because you will still have your more feature packed Gamma Scout safely at home so you can test your food and anything outside the house before bringing it inside. Great comparison content, Lily.
After watching Canadian preppers post today I just came back to this video of yours and as a result of watching your review here have placed an order for the NR-750 Radiation Monitor. Many thanks for all that you do keeping us informed, TL in UK
I respectfully disagree with your recommendation. While the NR-750 is an interesting "toy" meter, it is not sensitive enough and incapable of detecting alpha particles, which will be far more common in testing contaminated water and food. While alpha particles are not highly penetrating and can be stopped by a sheet of paper or the skin, they can still pose a highly dangerous risk if ingested or inhaled, making their detection vital in many scenarios. If one is serious about radiation detection, save your money for a good meter that can detect alpha, beta, gamma, and x-rays. A word of caution regarding some of those really cheap meters is that they have such poor sensitivity they may not detect any particles in a source that is actually contaminated.
Thanks Lilly, just bought the orange one. I was wondering for months what I should buy and kept on looking at the choices on Amazon. You rock! Beste Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Mine its made in USA, and seller is in the UK 🇬🇧 not buying Chinese junk that will take months to be delivered from China and stop working after few months. Bought the GQ GMC 600 has LND 7317 sensor so very good can pick up alpha radiation costs £358 old looking design made with cheap plastic, but still best bang for you money was not going to spend over £600 or £700.
FYI- I found a dozen or so of the nr750 you recommended on Amazon ranging from $60 - $150. The pics all look the same. Also there are nr850 and nr950 models availble that say they are more accurate.Thanks Lilly!
Interesting video Survival Lily. I have an old Heathkit Geiger counter Monitor 4 that I built in the 1970's. I also have a collection of watches with Radium dials. The unit doesn't have an alarm function but has an analog dial. It has three settings, lo, medium and high with reading are counts per minute. It will read up to 50,000 counts per minute on high. The unit will register a few clicks a minute on its lowest setting when no obvious source of radiation is nearby. It also has a battery test function for the installed 9 volt battery. It has a click function also. The unit goes wild when brought within a few inches of a watch with a radium dial. I noticed something very strange about an old wind up German mantle clock that doesn't have a radium dial or face. The clock sets off my Geiger counter like it would with a radium dial. The only reason I can think off for this is that the clock was made in a facility where Radium was used and it became contaminated with Radium dust in the factory and is still hot.
Excellent video demonstration and advice. I would suggest spending a little more for a used CANBERRA UltraRadiac (MRAD-103/113/213) -- 1.0 uR/hr to 500 R/hr or an UltraRadiac-Plus -- 1.0 uR/hr to 200 R/hr. US Military grade . They can still be found at a good price. Just be sure you don’t get one that the AAA batteries were left in and corroded. I have found some with light corrosion on battery contacts that cleaned up and worked fine. I believe there made to be EMP resistant and water tight. Manuals can be found online.
Thanks. Great info for your audience. I bought a bit more expensive one and hope to be able to test it some day. The emission of radiation at low levels is relatively random in timing -- there are random number generators based on a radioactive sample decaying. What you get for a reading for radioactivity is an average over some time (likely seconds) which you may be able to adjust. That time may be the difference between fast and slow response. It is certainly not the reason for difference in levels. As a dossimeter reading the total radiation you have been exposed too over hours you might get longer sampling times.
I bought my Geiger counter six months ago for £80. Today the same item is £130 and there is only one left in stock. Clearly radiological equipment is "popular" at the moment. Thank you for doing the science
Thank you for doing this test! I live in Sweden, and have recently also begun to consider buying a geiger counter. Crazy times, and you better be prepared.
How do you know any of them are accurate without a known radiation level reading. Just because some of these read lower than the others do not mean the higher reading was correct. Also, even though the 2 had similar readings, there is way to say the readings were accurate without a known radiation level reading. Other than that I think your testing process was great.
All of these devices are good. In case of war or nuclear disaster. The most important thing is to detect high levels of radiation. and take appropriate action. Reading accuracy in this situation has a low priority. After a short time, each device will falsify the reading because it will itself be a source of radiation. Therefore, the meter must be protected against EMP and then protected against dust.
I collected STS-5 tubes when they are on discount from a vendor, and have bought pre-assembled boards from China. With Pico Pi or ESP32 microcontrollers and LCD display and siren, I have built a few to pass out to friends and relatives. All these builds are under $45.
Thank for the product reviews and suggestions. I am concerned because there are many places in the desert (USA) where nuclear testing occurred a long time ago, but radiation remains to this day. These areas are not always marked, and not always on federal land. Someone could walk into a high radiation area without knowing! But this tool would alert. NR-700 is $60
The reason why the BR-6 wasn't testing very accurately was because the tiny holes on the back of the dosimeter block most of the particles going into the sensor. Most people drill holes in theirs and cut the heat shrink on the tube to make them more accurate.
There are detectors that go from 1 uSv/hr to 16.77 Sv/hr on eBay for less than $150. The model is still in use in nuclear power plants today. Look for the Unlocked Thermo EPD Mk 2.3.
There is no good reason to peel away the protective plastic from the screen fresh out of the box. That should only be done if the protective plastic film becomes cloudy. As long as it remains in place it will provide good protection for the screen to prevent permanent scratching.
The Geiger tube in the BR-6 is wrapped by a thermoplastic tube, this is a method used to increase sensitivity to gamma rays. However, the disadvantage is that the thermoplastic tube will further block beta rays. I think the BR-6 is more suitable for measuring gamma rays
Amazon sold out of the Gamma-Scout standard. I bought the last one. However, it will soon be available again as I'm returning it since (1) the battery is not user-replacable (soldered onto the board) and (2) there's no OFF switch, so it runs 24/7. I'm certain it wouldn't work a few years from now if I needed it.
I had the same thought when I read "Rechargeable" on that device. I thought to myself "not another inbuilt battery that is hard to replace". Puts the device in the "Disposable" category.
Reminded me of one of Americas first accidents on a portable reactor. The initial crew went in and thier instruments did not show radiation, not even background. Thier instruments had exceeded saturation and they did not realize it.
This happened in Chernobyl too..there is a video out there with some guy claiming that that there was not much radiation, then some guy comes over to him and starts yelling something like "get the hell away from here" The guy who thought his counter was showing hardly any radiation did not understand that low-level counters will saturate:and when this happens, the readings will go to nearly zero. This is because the GM tube has no time to reset(look up "dead time" in relation to GM tubes to understand this). So since the GM tube can't reset, no pulses are sent, so no reading. This is why better units often have a saturation alarm(the old ones did not, and most inexpensive units don't have it either). If you are experienced in USING counters, you will usually figure it out-if readings go down quickly, when it does not make sense for them to go down, then suspect saturation.
Get a surplus civil defense or military Geiger counter. They are old and clunky (and cheap) but have a higher range that you will need in any catastrophic event. All that you will need is a 9V battery. As an option one can also get an extension to take the sensor farther away from you if the counter is mounted in the house and you’d like to see what levels are outside.
I have a question for you Lilly ... Even if you are in an area where there is no nuclear fallout and you are unlucky enough that wind blows the fallout into your area, you will be affected even if you have a Geiger counter. Mainly because as a prepper you are set up as a 'fixed point Prepper' and if there is real nuclear war, a Geiger counter will be of little use unless you have a lead lined room somewhere or a propper nuclear bunker.
this is like saying you hit your head harder in an accident without a helmet. I am not sure if I understand your question right?! whats really important? you need to find out if you can still eat the food in your garden or from a store. and secondly you need to know if you can go outside or not. thats why you need a geiger counter.
@@SurvivalLilly hi Lilly, my point is that if your crops or the air around you is irradiated just staying indoors won't protect you unless you have a means of blocking the radiation or you are able to move away from the area quickly and far enough to survive
@@flewkit the radioactive particles will fly around like dust and settle on the ground and roof of your house. If you are in the immediate area of ground zero then you neee to leave. If you live nearby just a few miles away you need to stay in the house for 2 to 3 weeks.
Prepper nuclear bunker? At a distance, an air blast will mostly be short lived dust so a positive pressure airtight room with fine intake filtering will probably do. Auto air filter followed by P95. Stored food/water/whiskey should be unaffected, your outside generator will not care.
Hello dear Lily! Really interesting video with that device comparison. However, whenever you want to compare such readings, please take an average of at least 10 readings per device and per distance. Also - a Geiger Müller counter tube only measures a few individual particles that fly through. Simply holding out is not enough. Please leave the measuring device in each position for about a minute. Then you get better values than the random numbers you get from such quick measurements. If you decide to do a longer test and then present the result via video, I'm really looking forward to it with great interest. Great video again !! Keep it up !! nice greetings from Fritz ( Burgenland )
Lily, thank you for this review. I ordered the NR-750 from Amazon. How would I use it in a real nuclear emergency? We will be sheltering at home, so will using this give us an idea of the radiation levels in the area so we can decide to stay in the basement? Or help us know when it is safe to come out?
In such a situation, I think there is a good chance the Geiger Counter would vaporize at the same time its owner did, so at that point there is a chance it wouldn't be of much use.
If you're not in a major city or military base you aren't getting vaporized. Even then, if you're underground or in a tough building near the outskirts you probably won't die from the blast. You would be most most likely to die from the fallout, which is why you need the geiger counter.
It would be more useful for those outside of the blast area, and downwind of any fallout. This would be helpful with a dirty bomb scenario where the explosive damage would be much smaller than a nuclear blast. A post-nuclear strike survivor's life would be migratory and if they are able to avoid areas of high radiation, from fallout, their survival chances are better. Fallout clouds would move with the weather.
@@n74jw Not sure about the migratory thing. I bet it would be safer to find a basement or something and spend most of your time there for at least a year, until as much of the fallout has left the atmosphere as possible and has decayed. Trying to outrun the weather all the time is going to cause all kinds of problems and sooner or later you'll make a bad call or get caught out. Not to mention traveling a lot means being unsheltered from fallout in the soil, trees canopy, etc, resulting in higher doses. For that first year or so there might be enough preserved food from trucks and distribution centers, etc, that with 75% of the population gone you'll be okay without hunting or agriculture. After that I would consider building a greenhouse, removing the topsoil from the area beneath or at least making raised beds, and filled with soil you can get from lawn and garden centers, which shouldn't be contaminated since they're often indoors and in bags. Another option might be to tip over a house trailer or demolish a prefab house and try to get uncontaminated soil from underneath. Edit: Also if no one has periodically washed down the roads I think they would be filled with fallout which would be kicked up as you travel. A car would probably end up highly contaminated inside and out from trying to make long trips.
@@asahearts1 just keep in mind that fallout is likely to have a large Alpha element, which most of the inexpensive counters will not detect:Alpha is basically harmless outside of the body, but if inhaled(which is generally the main mode of exposure for fallout)or ingested, is very dangerous:Alpha is highly ionizing, which means a high risk of cell mutations(IOW, cancer).
Bob Jacobson 3 weeks ago CPM audio courtesy of Jon White "If you go to the menu and select alarm mode, then select the pictogram of three little speakers in a row & press menu to confirm, it will turn on particle detection sound. (on my nr-950 version) " Thanks Jon
Just to add, I do have a cheap budget Purible. I do not expect it to give me a reading in the midst of a nuclear attack. I have it to let me know if the radiation levels rise above normal. We may not be told or all forms of communication are down and you are remote enough from where an accident or attack happens
Thank you for awesome review. I bought a geiger counter before watching your review and by sheer luck it was NR-750😀 One important aspect of geiger counter is it's real time range. NR-750 is able to measure up to 10,000 micro sievert whee as BR-6 is limited to 99 micro sievert, making it pretty much useless even if it was accurate. This is another reason to buy NR-750
1. Bosean FS-5000 - best for cheaper 2. Tesmen Hound-200 and Habotest HT629 (not to be confused with the HT627 electro-magnetic field detector) - on battery AAA + very cheap but not accurate
Br-6 owner here. I can't find rocks in nature that are radioactive. The local university geology campus has a mineral collection in a glass case for the public. Br-6 went crazy with thorium radium and uranium. It does work but the world seems not to be as radioactive as TV shows makes it out to be.
Good step by step review. Currently have a GMC-500+ and a musem piece McPhar TV-1A Scintillometer that still works thou the calibration is off. Like your Faraday cage.
Hallo Lilly, ich hatte bevor ich deinen Kanal entdeckt habe auch einen Geigerzähler vom NR Typ gekauft, habe ihn auch getestet, funktioniert. Habe den NR-1050. Der NR-950 und NR-1050 sind noch genauer und haben etwas mehr Funktionen als der NR-750 welchen du zeigst. Kosten ein paar Euros mehr. Konnte ich bei Amazon nicht finden, hab sie über AliExpress bestellt. Bin froh dass ich einen guten und günstigen gekauft habe. Super was du machst Lilly ! Danke dir, du bist die Beste !
You tested the sensitivity of Geiger counters CALIBRATED with Cesium-137 (Cs-137) against a watch dial likely coated with Radium-226 or Radium-228. Radium has VERY different emissions from Cs-137. The test was Apple's and Oranges and in no way did that test show how those meters would work when trying to avoid the fallout of a nuclear detonation and didn't help much trying to detect nuclear fallout contaminated food. Radium 226 emits mostly alpha particles with a little beta and gamma as a side product. In a nuclear detonation the most serious threat is cesium-137, a gamma emitter with a half-life of 30 years. Not Radium! Cs-137 is a major source of radiation in nuclear fallout, and since it parallels potassium chemistry, it is readily taken into the blood of animals and men and may be incorporated into tissue. Testing Radium Sources with Geiger counters calibrated to a Cesium-137. The emissions are very different and they are not built to measure radium. In a nuclear War we won't be worrying about radium coated watch dials exploding. We will be dealing with nuclear fission byproducts like Cesium-137 with it being the worst risk to human life. This is why we use Radiation detection equipment sensitive to and calibrated to Cesium-137, not Radium-226 or Radium-228.
Attention!!!! In this video I am searching for cheap and sensitive Geiger counters, so that people can detect even the smallest level of radiation. This is important if you want to check your food for if they have radioactive particles on the surface. The bigger GM Müller tubes are perfect for this purpose. I can definetly recommend the orange Geiger counter NR-750 by Pudibei.
NR-750 on Ebay for US: ebay.to/3gKBp3p
NR-750 on Amazon Germany/Deutschland: amzn.to/3TVWHJB
The smaller GM tubes do not detect low level radiation very well. But they can detect really high radiation before maxing out. This can be important for when you are really really close to ground zero of an a-bomb. If you also want to detect really high level radiation I recommend more expensive Geiger counters that preferably have 2 Geiger Müller tubes at the inside (one small and one big)
I work with radioactive isotopes and we use survey meter's
Thanks for the review. Just found a 750 on Amazon in the US FOR 60$. Was about the 5th selection down on the search list.
@@bonedoc4556 nice 😃
Some of those are not real time readings. The white one has a 30sec refresh. If I remember
@@Mr_Wicked it is super slow. it sucks compared to the others.
Hopefully NONE of the Geiger counters will be reading any REAL high levels of radiation in the future.
God willing and
God bless and protect us all!
Hopefully. There can be things liks naturally occurring radon gas emissions that can buildup in basements or structures. These things can have more uses that in nuclear plants or wars.
@@theoldguy9329 how so?
@@joriskylie6857 I am sorry. Was the question about radioactive radon gas which is released by a number of naturally occurring minerals (actually not uncommon here in Canada). Mone tailings and erosion may also spread radioactive minerals. Or maybe things like the tailings from those old factories that put fluorescent dials on clocks watches, compasses, airplane instrument dials, submarine equipment, etc..
@@DaedalusHelios also wrap in tin foil before putting in cage
I'm really enjoying your posts, its nice to see someone with common sense putting out some really intelligent posts. Hopefully we don't need it but I am definitely interested in picking one up. I'm a 26 year military veteran and used to teach this stuff :)
Seems you don't know much from 26 years of brainwash. You and her is dangerous people. Common sense seems what you lack there.
@@hhbeck-ziegler9333 brain wash in what way :) Im talking from experience of what I have seen, not what I was taught or told
@@VikingInspired Seems you don't know who Galen Windsor is from "experience".
@@hhbeck-ziegler9333 never heard of her :) I suppose you’ve never heard of William Lord?
This is the only prepper review of Geiger counters I've ever seen. Thank you Lilly !
Everyone here pissing themselves over nuclear war and I'm just here trying to survive antique stores. You wouldn't believe what kind of hot items you can find.
That’s exactly what brought me here. I just want a small counter so I can check the authenticity of all the uranium glass sitting at my local antiques outlet lol.
@@joshfrommilan6130 im here just to be sure that no scrapyard near me gets something extra spicy.
@@hardnachopuppy I’m reminded of an episode of House where a kid ends up severely irradiated by a scrap souvenir his Dad found in the family scrapyard. Now I’m sad.
Just a question, What is the spiciest shit you have found in a store?
@@joshfrommilan6130Geiger counters are a good way to test for that, but in my experience it’s usually easier to just use an ultraviolet light. If it’s uranium glass it’ll glow bright green
Most Chinese units run a glass Geiger tube that is also sensitive to certain wavelengths of UV. If you buy such a unit, make sure the tube is isolated from ambient light. Black heatshrink tubing works a treat and is easy to apply, as the tubes usually tend to be removable from their sockets. Good to see the newer units in this video came with shielding, I guess some mfrs caught onto the issue finally.
Also if you're going into Gamma Scout price range, the SE International Monitor 200 is a worthy contender. Made in America!
Hello, indeed it depends on tube. J305 is UV sensitive (could overestimate by x20 counting) whereas J321 isn't at all ;)
I grabbed a cheap 'non-brand' Chinese unit a while back to see how it would fare against my GS3 (at 1/10 of the cost) and was pleasantly surprised in terms of (reasonable) accuracy and features.
That said, the lack of an audio pulse feature is peculiar (it'd be so easy to include) and of course, no alpha detection.
Anyway, re UV sensitivity and overestimation, I've found the opposite to be the case with this thing (It's a GC01) which reads slightly (and consistently) lower that the GS3 when tested with a thorium mantle, possibly due in part to the thick, black rubber sections of the casing and a J321 (I haven't opened it up and the Chinese translated manual is a little spec vague but I believe it's the 321 in there).
Interestingly, to get an accurate reading, the unit needs to be positioned so that the rear is facing the test source. Pointing it towards a source (as one would with the GS3) only registers a slight elevation from background levels. This makes quite a difference too; 0.7ųSv shoots up to around 2ųSv. It is however, rather awkward to hold it in such a way that allows for an optimal reading.
Also, as I mentioned, it does generally read slightly lower than my go to unit and I'm wondering, provided that the rear casing has sufficient clearance from the tube / board and that the tube is indeed a J321, would drilling a series of small perforations through the back seem like a reasonable way of increasing the beta sensitivity to match that of the GS3 or would the difference be negligible?
Boy thanks Lilly I just ordered the NR 750 after waisting over $60 on a different model that wouldn't even stay on. I tried everything. Keep up the great work ❤️
@mikemorris5944 I read that you can enable particle detection sound with NR-750 but other users only reported this feature with their NR-950.
Here are some instructions from another user:
"Go into alarm mode, then select the pictogram of three little speakers. This will register a beep every time the tube records an ionization event."
The NR-950 has features I don't need and is more expensive, so it would be great to know if NR-750 has this before I buy it.
@@sfdghjk1017 thank you as soon as I receive our NR-750 I'll test that and get back to this thread post. 🤔
Thank you soo much for the review! I went and got the NR-750 on Ebay and made offer for $40 US + they accepted! great review + comparison, thanks!
Great deal!!
I decided to purchase a Geiger counter a few months ago but had a limited budget. You will be pleased to know that I finally decided on the Purible orange one and it has been sitting with the first grab equipment since. Such a relief that you tested it. Thank you so much!
Thanks. I bought one on your advice and am delighted. The build quality is far superior to other more expensive devices. Does the job well. Thanks xxx
The sensitivity is dependent on the Geiger Muller tube having the correct voltage applied. Other than that it is the tube's characteristics ( standard calibration chart for the number ) and the circuit is just counting pulses over sample periods. Longer, and therefore slower, samples should be more accurate. The other refinements are just selective filters for the tube. Dead units really show a lack of quality control.
I kind of like a kit for basic counters because they have schematics, alignment and calibration procedures, and as the circuit is quite simple are easy to repair.
That insensitive unit probably just needs the voltage to the tube adjusted but without service information it is useless.
The cheapest GQ Electronics model (GMC-300E-Plus) is $128 USD. They have good support and easy to read screens. (I have their GMC-600+)
Just a quick additional upcheck 👍for the GQ 300 series counters. Currently Amazon has great deals going on the GMC300S and GMC320S versions. My 300S was only about $50 with a coupon, and the even more capable 320S is currently discounted with a $15 coupon to under $60. Both the 300S and 320S have the larger full sized more sensitive Geiger tube mentioned in the video, a large backlit sunlight readable LCD, a standard easily user replaceable 14500 lithium battery, and full-function onboard internal firmware which allows both USB PC logging and precision CPM/uSv instrument calibration (unlike the highly over-rated, over-priced POS 'Gamma-Scout'). With the slightly more expensive 320S, you get a few extras like automatic cell phone style display flipping, an internal electronic thermometer, plus a larger 1M internal logging memory - but even the inexpensive GMC300S model is enormously more sophisticated than most of the other tinker-toy counters in this video. So far as the testing in the video goes, Gieger tubes show widely varying sensitivity depending on the energy spectrum of the radioactive source, so testing counters against random radioactive rocks (especially up close where the levels are changing rapidly with distance), is NOT going to give accurate results. I have checked the accuracy of my new GMC 300S, and my new RadiaCode 103 (much more expensive, but also highly recommended), against a calibrated Cs137 check source at a calibrated distance, and found both were within 10% of the calculated theoretical gamma flux, which is surprisingly good accuracy for consumer grade devices.
@@bwilder2324 GQ also had good support. I had a bad LED in my GMC-600+ and they let me just swap it out with a replacement they sent, rather than the hassle of sending it in for warranty repair (and the risk of damage in shipping). Confirmed this wouldn't void the warranty. They have a good forum on their site where you can discuss issues and suggest improvements.
Personally, I would get an inspector. they’re very sensitive but they only give accurate doses for Cs137
Interesting reviews but realistically, if it reaches a point you need a geiger counter to support your survival, you have much bigger things to worry about than radiation.
remember that jet stream will bring all those nuke particles around the world, now you can tell if you have any and how much!
I remember watching a program where tourist took a tour in a town in Japan that had to evacuate due to radiation the tourist had the cheaper gigor counters. Thank you for helping us out to know what to get
I already have an updated version of the white one you show, BR-9B, and I checked other review sources and more or less it matches with what you show here. When I ordered it there were no reviews or at least no good ones.
I ordered one NR-750 as you suggested and cant wait for it to arrive.
I live in Bulgaria and few months ago I watched the news and they mentioned that the tanks driving where the Chernobyl disaster was, they could possibly release radiation with the dust they are making.
Day before that I saw my counter showing 0.50 microsieverts/h for a minute (in the village I usually see from 0.03 to 0.15 microsieverts/h). Also checked the wind, it was blowing from Ukraine to Bulgaria those days. Can't say for sure if it was related, but I was sure then that having a counter is a must to be able to detect radiation on time and take precaution.
Thank you Lily for your work.
Wow .50 is a lot
@@SurvivalLilly I wouldn't say its a lot. Bear in mind its about micro not mili, which can be confusing and it was for very short time. In the center of the city in a concrete building I get average of .17 microsieverts/h which is normal for such place. It goes up sometimes up to .24 µsv/h.
Since a week ago it started reaching .30 µsv/h for a second each day. Which is why I really appreciate your review done here. I want to get better counter and if this .30 µsv/h continue to appear, I might start thinking of relocating permanently to the village.
Lilly a very interesting video! I am in my late sixties and when I was a teenager we were fascinated by the old watches with the radium dial. Little did we know they were radioactive back then. Thanks for the content Lilly!
I used to wear one. We didn't know any better. But I don't think I've suffered any ill effects from it.
Omg this is exactly why I wanted to a Geiger counter for cheap because I wanted to test my grandfather’s old watch faces for fun and also I remember using a good gouged counter of my fathers when I was a kid to test things around my house 😂
To be honest, the terra p+ is one of the best geiger counters ever, as an added bonus, it's better in almost every way to all the geiger counters in the video.
It's also only $300! :)
Hi, Lily! I bought the GQ GMC-300E Plus from Amazon a few years ago, and it works very well.
I have one as well, and it works well. Matches my Radex GC (Russian) exactly, and is sturdier than the Radex. I don’t buy on Amazon, too many problems, I buy from EBay or the manufacturer, and have been very happy without Amazon.
The review was fine to determine which counter was the most sensitive; however, after a nuclear strike, the levels of radiation will saturate (overload) these devices for the first 2 or 3 weeks after which the level of radiation will be much weaker and then within the range of these devices. I like the GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter on Amazon which can measure up to 42500uSv/h or .042 milli Sieverts.
Sure, if you have the money you can always invest in a better geiger counter. But most people dont have so much money, especially after what is going on with the world economy. Also in my opinion these sensitive geiger counters are good enough to let people know what is going on.
@@SurvivalLilly I did not mean to offend you Lilly, I love your post and channel. The one I mentioned has come down in the last year and I just saw it on Amazon for $200 dollars. I also bought the white one that you reviewed and it worked well; but I found some of the test sources I have would max out the reading. I did not mean to put down the purchases you made, they are good for what they were designed for. I love your channel and hope and pray you will not have to go through a nuclear crisis.
Useful information. Don't forget to keep it in a faraday cage with fresh batteries. An empty metal paint tin is a good EMP shield. It's worth buying potassium iodide tablets too.
everyone says buy iodide tablets, but fails to realize that IF there is need for those tabs, background radiation will be high enough to cause permanent damage to other tissue in body, not just thyroid. IMHO best way is to get good geiger counter/ dosimeter and RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN if they start chirping.
@@ApocGuy I can't speak from experience because I've never myself personally endured a radiological event, but the use case I am anticipating is the detonation of a device far away but the dispersal of radioactive fall out in my vicinity. In that event I would stay indoors with my windows and doors taped up, and take the iodide tablets. I would wait out the fallout for maybe a month before going outside. I would use the Geiger counter to check to see when it is safe. I would also use it to check water and food. I would probably wear an N95 mask as well to minimize inhalation.
I'm not planning for a massive local event, just to minimize the health impact of fallout from an event elsewhere. Under those circumstances ingestion and inhalation is the enemy. I don't have unrealistic expectations, I just want to maximize my chances of avoiding long term health problems.
Storing enough water and food for a month is achievable. My biggest concern is having access to uncontaminated water. Water from a loft tank or aquarium can be drunk if you get caught short. Pet food and pets can also be eaten. Just my little joke.
The China glass 4011 GM tube is a lesser expensive version of the Russian made SBM-20 and claims to be more sensitive however being clear glass it suffers from light sensitivity unlike the metal SBM-20 and that's that's why one had a black cover.
Hello Lilly,
I currently have a Gamma Scout similar to what you have for low levels of radiation, and the ability to measure Alpha. The primary limitation is that it will only measure up to 1000uSv/hr or 1mSv/hr. In a radiological emergency 1mSv/hr range would be significantly saturated and inaccurate in either dosage or exposure/absorbtion rate. I also have a GQ GMC-500+ which gives me a max rate of 42.5mSv/hr because it has two tubes, both a low and high sensitivity. It runs about $158 on Amazon, and when tested against my Gamma Scout has a good correlation.
I am also looking for a much more capable Field Survey Meter with the ability to measure up to 100mSv/hr to cover the extreme valued possible in a fallout situation.
👍
@@jason3211 It is the GQ GMC-500+. Here is the Amazon Link: GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter Nuclear Radiation Detector Monitor Dosimeter, White
It is 'Not Great, Not Terrible'
According to NUKEMAP fallout contour can be between 1 to 1000 rads per hour, with 100 rads/hr affecting large areas down wind.
1 rad [rd] = 0.01 sievert [Sv] or 10 mSv/hr, so 100 rads would equal 1000 mSV/hr.
If your max rate is 42.5 mSv/hr you would have no idea if you're fleeing into a highly contaminated area, or away (so better stay indoors when maxed out)
It is 'Not Great, Not Terrible' with a low/high sensitivity - and hopefully it will never be used in an extreme situation
@@EgonSorensen I agree, and that is why I currently just acquired 0-500 rad field survey meter (Used and needs to be sent off for calibration). It is an old civil defense CDV-715, and will be part of my Radiation Kit. The difference between the two meters is the lower ranged, more sensitive ones are Geiger Counters, and the field survey meters are mostly Ionization chamber models. The basic design is the same, but the voltage across the detectors is very different, with the ionization voltage being about 50-100V. This lower voltage allows for the system to not get saturated at higher exposure levels.
Both types of meters are useful according to application. If in the event of a nuclear incident, if you have a good shelter that provides sufficient shielding your 0-500 rad meter will read nothing, while you sensitive Geiger will still detect accurately your exposed dose. Outside the shelter however only the field survey meter will give you a reading of what much higher levels are to estimate your exposure for various activities.
Have you heard of the Kearney Fallout Meter? I have constructed 3 and I love them. Never needs calibration and it doesn't need batteries either.
Dont forget that the BR-6 tube is from one of the top corners to the opposite corner at the bottom, you can see the GeigerMuller tube through the grid in the back.. The window on the gamma scout is at the top of the unit. I have the similar to the BR-6, also the GC GMC-320 Plus, The radiation Network GeigerGraph (from Mineralab) has many many counters on line so you can see radiation counts all over the world. I have an actual Radiation sample/calibration disk from the early 1950's. Ah the black on has the mini GM Tube, by the way some of the older Counters have a metal tube, mostly the Russian ones. Great video, you really show how things work with the Geiger Counters.
Just bougt a "Better Geigor" off Amazon an awesome good quality geigor counter for 150 dollars, a High performance. Low cost. Simple to use. Rugged. Made in USA, A radiation dosimeter measures dose using a scintillator instead of a Geiger tube. Im very happing with it so far
I'm at their site and considering buying one. How long have you had it and have you tested it? Thanks.
@@MrFirstone23 I just got it yesterday and only turned it on to make sure it works. I have been researching these less expensive ones. If I was going to pay 500 dollars I would buy a an older 1960s/70s Victoreen survey meter or geigor counter but they are hard to find and expensive. So I reviewed the Better Geigor watched a couple videos and choose to go for this one. Im goung to order the source its about 40 dollars. Wish i could tell you more but do a youtube search on it there are a couple videos on it reviews can be seen on the web page. I like the fact it reads in MR/Hour and sieverts here in USA I worked most my life in a Nuke plant and used MR/hour
Great video , love the disassembly part, so I could see the used tubes. Just bought the orange one, almost bought the least good one. Thanks for the video, stay healthy
The book nuclear war survival skills shows you how to make one from a small can and things around you home. If you do not have much money build one or buy a dosimiter.
Thank you, good tip.
There used to be a complete kit. To make one.
Lily if you are not okay with me posting the link. Let me know.
Thanks Lilly.
@@bobfall RUclips automatically deletes almost every link you post, so it's probably not going to work.
Thank you, Lilly, for buying and testing all these geiger counters. Excellent fair review and recommendation. I trust you, and I value your opinion very much. Thanks again!
Timely review as I have been searching for a Geiger counter. Well done!
Thanks for the review. Unfortunately I found it a bit too late. I bought the BR-6B several months ago. Unfortunately, compared to my other Geiger counters, this device takes a very long time before the measurement results are updated.
I also own the Pudibel Geiger counter and I'm very impressed with this device. I compared all my devices, including a homemade Geiger counter, and I have to say that I was actually very surprised that all my devices on my test source showed practically the same readings with sufficiently long measurement times (the measurement inaccuracies of all my devices were definitely within tolerance). Nevertheless, I think that the BR-6B is my worst Geiger counter that I own (biggest deviation compared to the other devices, longest recording time, too big distance between counter tube and housing, counter tube is installed diagonally).
Note: the heat shrink tubing over the counter tube on the BR-6 and BR-6B is to block out ambient light. Because the housing on the bottom of the housing does not protect the measuring tube sufficiently from light. However, the counter tube used responds to ordinary photons, which makes a cover absolutely necessary.
My favorite is also the Pudibel, which I actually prefer to the Gamma Scout on excursions. Because the device is definitely sufficiently precise and has an acceptable measuring speed.
Otherwise, I also like the devices from Radia Code. I especially like the Radia Code 101, although this device is not a conventional Geiger counter but a gamma spectrometer. Advantage, you can place the device on the test sample and display the gamma spectrum. The resolution is not comparable to a device for ten thousand dollars or more, but if you measure long enough, you still get very good results, which allow clear conclusions.
Hi Lilly, this is BigJoe from L.A., once again, thank you for the awsome insight and for caring about the survival community🙂.
The KFM. Radiation meter is cool.
Pro: No battery needed.
Pro: very good detection range.
You build it. That could be Pro or Con.
Con. You have to keep it dry. Water can kill it pretty fast.
Con. It's very fragile. Don't drop it.
Con. You need to hold still when using it.
After you build one, you will see why you have to be gentle with it.
Thanks for doing the tests this is the first I've seen this and I am subscribed to you.
WOW, what a great scientific demo/explanation Lilly! I can tell from your procedures and methods of data collection that you are a true scientist and probably have a BS degree in Physics if not a Phd. I am very impressed with someone who has her own Faraday cage! As we use these wonderful scientific instruments we must always give praise to the great German scientist Hans Geiger. Was Muller his grad student? Are the Sievert units of measurement also named after a great German scientist? BTW your English is excellent.
It seems like the time is a bigger factor than sensitivity.
You dont really want to be hanging around a highy radioactive source waiting for the screen to update.
Thanks ! I bought the NR-850 for $65 on eBay. I appreciate your review.
Using a watch is a pretty good example of how sensitive even the cheap Geiger counters are. But In case anyone is wondering, just because the Geiger counter begins to tick, doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. Power plant workers are allowed approximately 250 milisieverts per year, where as this watch only gave 20 MICROsieverts per hour. For reference, having that watch against your skin for a whole year would only equate to about half the maximum radiation that a human body can safely deal with. Radiation is a part of daily life and is part of our atmosphere so the human body, as well as all living things, are evolved and adapted to absorb and deal with certain levels of radiation. And the thing about radiation is that it increases exponentially based on distance. You can even safely stand near the Chernobyl elephants foot for a certain about of time, so long as you are at a certain distance and only for so long, so as not to exceed the amount of radiation the human body can process. Time of exposure, and distance, is what determines what is dangerous, not just how radioactive something actually is. I highly recommend RUclipsr “Kyle Hill” a nuclear physicist, who explains in simple terms how radiation doesn’t need to be feared, only respected. And describes multiple accounts of nuclear disasters, and how the effects of which really aren’t as bad as how most people think. Such as the three mile island incident, or the time the us detonated a nuclear bomb in mid air directly over 3 men while recording, and they all lived and died of non radiation related causes
I still wouldnt eat a tomato that radiates with 20 uSv/h tough.
@@SurvivalLilly haha neither would I. Still a good idea to avoid radiation if you can help it regardless of the levels
in general ; these cheap geiger counter are more dedicated to measure of ambiance instead of hot spot in an object because of the geometry of the sensor. Some geiger counters of the market have a compensated tube (the kind of plastic you found around the tube ) and are less sensitive to low energy such as beta particules. The gamma scout is very expensive and not everyone can afford it. But still these cheap geiger counters are ok for ambiance in gamma and detection to check wether or not an object is radioactive or not. So measuring at different distance doesnt mean anything as the geometry of the tube isnt the same between counters. These counters are mostly for detection at the contact and evaluation of the ambiance of an area or a room. No more than that .
Caution needs to be exercised when buying Geiger counters on Amazon. Most WILL NOT detect radiation levels at the levels you would need to for a nuclear attack and are meant for detecting radiation for other purposes.
That is true however they are still useful to inform you of a rise. Say all the electrics went out for as far as you could tell and there was no information forthcoming by radio. Even a cheap Geiger counter will let you know if the radiation levels are within the normal range or not. Can you imagine how different things would have been near the Long Island Nuclear plant when there was a leak if people actually knew radiation levels were raised?
You should repeat your test with geometrically larger sources, i.e. 20 x 20 cm. Most of your counters are not designed for small pinpoint sources, but rather for the "enviromental" radiation. Among others, i own the BR-6 (white one) and it is not as bad as you might think. It features quite large GM tube, which makes it fairly sensitive and rather handy for food survay using "thick sample" method. The red number (bottom) is not a dosage but an average over the measured time, which comes handy for the same purpose. There is a brand of milk, shoving 20 to 30% higher radioactivity than average milk, and yes, still well under the legal limit, so no panic required, but non the less, try to find it using the Gamma Scout, and the BR-6. It's a challange. Thanks for the video, i enyoed it.
Gamma scout is way better and worth the money as professional one. It is expensive. The quality NR-750 is not good. I bought one but the unit doesn’t perform as in the video.
@@jennybodak4954 There are many knoxk-offs of this model I can see from looking.
@@jennybodak4954 The better instument is probably the one, that still fits your particular needs (or requirements) for less money. Considering the video, i would just like to point out no GM counter can measure the radiation that actually miss the GM tube.
Just noticed that when you opened the NR-750 it has an M4011 GM tube, the same tube as the higher end NR-950 has, from other teardowns and your own Part2 video, the NR-750 usually comes with the J321 as with the NR-850. Did you get lucky with this example? Do you think this tube has better accuracy than the J321? Cheers and keep prepping.
Good idea to have two detectors with the one you plan to have with you when away from home being less than $100. If you lose your get home pack in the chaos of post detonation, it is not much of a total loss because you will still have your more feature packed Gamma Scout safely at home so you can test your food and anything outside the house before bringing it inside.
Great comparison content, Lily.
After watching Canadian preppers post today I just came back to this video of yours and as a result of watching your review here have placed an order for the NR-750 Radiation Monitor. Many thanks for all that you do keeping us informed, TL in UK
I respectfully disagree with your recommendation. While the NR-750 is an interesting "toy" meter, it is not sensitive enough and incapable of detecting alpha particles, which will be far more common in testing contaminated water and food. While alpha particles are not highly penetrating and can be stopped by a sheet of paper or the skin, they can still pose a highly dangerous risk if ingested or inhaled, making their detection vital in many scenarios.
If one is serious about radiation detection, save your money for a good meter that can detect alpha, beta, gamma, and x-rays. A word of caution regarding some of those really cheap meters is that they have such poor sensitivity they may not detect any particles in a source that is actually contaminated.
Thanks Lilly, just bought the orange one. I was wondering for months what I should buy and kept on looking at the choices on Amazon. You rock! Beste Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Mine its made in USA, and seller is in the UK 🇬🇧 not buying Chinese junk that will take months to be delivered from China and stop working after few months.
Bought the GQ GMC 600 has LND 7317 sensor so very good can pick up alpha radiation costs £358 old looking design made with cheap plastic, but still best bang for you money was not going to spend over £600 or £700.
FYI- I found a dozen or so of the nr750 you recommended on Amazon ranging from $60 - $150. The pics all look the same. Also there are nr850 and nr950 models availble that say they are more accurate.Thanks Lilly!
And the allowable dose limit for the civilian population is 5 msv. For one year. Safe boundaries.
Greetings from Arizona.
I liked the improvised faraday box ;)
Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
Interesting video
Survival Lily. I have an old Heathkit Geiger counter Monitor 4 that I built in the 1970's. I also have a collection of watches with Radium dials. The unit doesn't have an alarm function but has an analog dial. It has three settings, lo, medium and high with reading are counts per minute. It will read up to 50,000 counts per minute on high. The unit will register a few clicks a minute on its lowest setting when no obvious source of radiation is nearby. It also has a battery test function for the installed 9 volt battery. It has a click function also. The unit goes wild when brought within a few inches of a watch with a radium dial. I noticed something very strange about an old wind up German mantle clock that doesn't have a radium dial or face. The clock sets off my Geiger counter like it would with a radium dial. The only reason I can think off for this is that the clock was made in a facility where Radium was used and it became contaminated with Radium dust in the factory and is still hot.
Excellent video demonstration and advice. I would suggest spending a little more for a used CANBERRA UltraRadiac (MRAD-103/113/213) -- 1.0 uR/hr to 500 R/hr or an UltraRadiac-Plus -- 1.0 uR/hr to 200 R/hr. US Military grade . They can still be found at a good price. Just be sure you don’t get one that the AAA batteries were left in and corroded. I have found some with light corrosion on battery contacts that cleaned up and worked fine. I believe there made to be EMP resistant and water tight. Manuals can be found online.
but the UltraRadiac is only capable of seeing gamma radiation. Don't above units also measure beta radiation?
Have you ever heard of the Kearney Fallout Meter? It doesn't need batteries or calibration. I made 3, and I love them.
Thanks. Great info for your audience. I bought a bit more expensive one and hope to be able to test it some day.
The emission of radiation at low levels is relatively random in timing -- there are random number generators based on a radioactive sample decaying. What you get for a reading for radioactivity is an average over some time (likely seconds) which you may be able to adjust. That time may be the difference between fast and slow response. It is certainly not the reason for difference in levels.
As a dossimeter reading the total radiation you have been exposed too over hours you might get longer sampling times.
I hope, we never need one. ✌🏻
I built one in a kit form 20 years ago and they still work today. Thanks for checking these out.
I bought my Geiger counter six months ago for £80.
Today the same item is £130 and there is only one left in stock.
Clearly radiological equipment is "popular" at the moment.
Thank you for doing the science
Thank you for doing this test! I live in Sweden, and have recently also begun to consider buying a geiger counter. Crazy times, and you better be prepared.
How do you know any of them are accurate without a known radiation level reading. Just because some of these read lower than the others do not mean the higher reading was correct. Also, even though the 2 had similar readings, there is way to say the readings were accurate without a known radiation level reading. Other than that I think your testing process was great.
All of these devices are good. In case of war or nuclear disaster. The most important thing is to detect high levels of radiation. and take appropriate action. Reading accuracy in this situation has a low priority. After a short time, each device will falsify the reading because it will itself be a source of radiation. Therefore, the meter must be protected against EMP and then protected against dust.
I wish I saw this video a few months ago. I bought the "wrong" geiger counter. A very insightful and appreciated post, Lilly!
I collected STS-5 tubes when they are on discount from a vendor, and have bought pre-assembled boards from China. With Pico Pi or ESP32 microcontrollers and LCD display and siren, I have built a few to pass out to friends and relatives. All these builds are under $45.
STS-5 is good, SBM-20 is slightly more sensitive, but the STS-5 is still pretty good, and tends to be cheaper.
Not only for nuclear war anymore. Any industrial site or lab might be contaminated. Or an old home, or any object with luminous paint.
Thank for the product reviews and suggestions. I am concerned because there are many places in the desert (USA) where nuclear testing occurred a long time ago, but radiation remains to this day. These areas are not always marked, and not always on federal land. Someone could walk into a high radiation area without knowing! But this tool would alert. NR-700 is $60
The reason why the BR-6 wasn't testing very accurately was because the tiny holes on the back of the dosimeter block most of the particles going into the sensor. Most people drill holes in theirs and cut the heat shrink on the tube to make them more accurate.
There are detectors that go from 1 uSv/hr to 16.77 Sv/hr on eBay for less than $150. The model is still in use in nuclear power plants today. Look for the Unlocked Thermo EPD Mk 2.3.
There is no good reason to peel away the protective plastic from the screen fresh out of the box. That should only be done if the protective plastic film becomes cloudy. As long as it remains in place it will provide good protection for the screen to prevent permanent scratching.
The Geiger tube in the BR-6 is wrapped by a thermoplastic tube, this is a method used to increase sensitivity to gamma rays. However, the disadvantage is that the thermoplastic tube will further block beta rays. I think the BR-6 is more suitable for measuring gamma rays
Amazon sold out of the Gamma-Scout standard. I bought the last one. However, it will soon be available again as I'm returning it since (1) the battery is not user-replacable (soldered onto the board) and (2) there's no OFF switch, so it runs 24/7. I'm certain it wouldn't work a few years from now if I needed it.
I had the same thought when I read "Rechargeable" on that device. I thought to myself "not another inbuilt battery that is hard to replace". Puts the device in the "Disposable" category.
You did a great job in thei video and part 2. Everyone needs to have one and you made it possible to have the right one at low cost. Thank you.
Reminded me of one of Americas first accidents on a portable reactor. The initial crew went in and thier instruments did not show radiation, not even background. Thier instruments had exceeded saturation and they did not realize it.
This happened in Chernobyl too..there is a video out there with some guy claiming that that there was not much radiation, then some guy comes over to him and starts yelling something like "get the hell away from here"
The guy who thought his counter was showing hardly any radiation did not understand that low-level counters will saturate:and when this happens, the readings will go to nearly zero.
This is because the GM tube has no time to reset(look up "dead time" in relation to GM tubes to understand this).
So since the GM tube can't reset, no pulses are sent, so no reading.
This is why better units often have a saturation alarm(the old ones did not, and most inexpensive units don't have it either).
If you are experienced in USING counters, you will usually figure it out-if readings go down quickly, when it does not make sense for them to go down, then suspect saturation.
Thank you , this is a great comparison and you did the research for us .
Thanks Lilly, Hopefully they will not be used. Enjoy your channel, keep prepping, watching from Canada.
Get a surplus civil defense or military Geiger counter. They are old and clunky (and cheap) but have a higher range that you will need in any catastrophic event. All that you will need is a 9V battery. As an option one can also get an extension to take the sensor farther away from you if the counter is mounted in the house and you’d like to see what levels are outside.
I have a question for you Lilly ...
Even if you are in an area where there is no nuclear fallout and you are unlucky enough that wind blows the fallout into your area, you will be affected even if you have a Geiger counter.
Mainly because as a prepper you are set up as a 'fixed point Prepper' and if there is real nuclear war, a Geiger counter will be of little use unless you have a lead lined room somewhere or a propper nuclear bunker.
this is like saying you hit your head harder in an accident without a helmet. I am not sure if I understand your question right?! whats really important? you need to find out if you can still eat the food in your garden or from a store. and secondly you need to know if you can go outside or not. thats why you need a geiger counter.
@@SurvivalLilly hi Lilly, my point is that if your crops or the air around you is irradiated just staying indoors won't protect you unless you have a means of blocking the radiation or you are able to move away from the area quickly and far enough to survive
I do not mean to be rude just stating what I think
@@flewkit the radioactive particles will fly around like dust and settle on the ground and roof of your house. If you are in the immediate area of ground zero then you neee to leave. If you live nearby just a few miles away you need to stay in the house for 2 to 3 weeks.
Prepper nuclear bunker? At a distance, an air blast will mostly be short lived dust so a positive pressure airtight room with fine intake filtering will probably do. Auto air filter followed by P95. Stored food/water/whiskey should be unaffected, your outside generator will not care.
Yep I've been thinking about the testing all my fish food.
Hello dear Lily!
Really interesting video with that device comparison.
However, whenever you want to compare such readings, please take an average of at least 10 readings per device and per distance.
Also - a Geiger Müller counter tube only measures a few individual particles that fly through. Simply holding out is not enough. Please leave the measuring device in each position for about a minute. Then you get better values than the random numbers you get from such quick measurements.
If you decide to do a longer test and then present the result via video, I'm really looking forward to it with great interest.
Great video again !! Keep it up !!
nice greetings from Fritz ( Burgenland )
Hello Fritz. This video is edited. I was holding the devices at those distances for at least 1 - 2 minutes.
Thank you for teaching me and showing us how these work
Lily, thank you for this review. I ordered the NR-750 from Amazon. How would I use it in a real nuclear emergency? We will be sheltering at home, so will using this give us an idea of the radiation levels in the area so we can decide to stay in the basement? Or help us know when it is safe to come out?
Exactly. You want to measure the radioactivity outside your house, and also check if something is on your food
Have you done any test with EMF meters??
In such a situation, I think there is a good chance the Geiger Counter would vaporize at the same time its owner did, so at that point there is a chance it wouldn't be of much use.
Let's hope you're not that close.
If you're not in a major city or military base you aren't getting vaporized. Even then, if you're underground or in a tough building near the outskirts you probably won't die from the blast. You would be most most likely to die from the fallout, which is why you need the geiger counter.
It would be more useful for those outside of the blast area, and downwind of any fallout. This would be helpful with a dirty bomb scenario where the explosive damage would be much smaller than a nuclear blast. A post-nuclear strike survivor's life would be migratory and if they are able to avoid areas of high radiation, from fallout, their survival chances are better. Fallout clouds would move with the weather.
@@n74jw Not sure about the migratory thing. I bet it would be safer to find a basement or something and spend most of your time there for at least a year, until as much of the fallout has left the atmosphere as possible and has decayed. Trying to outrun the weather all the time is going to cause all kinds of problems and sooner or later you'll make a bad call or get caught out. Not to mention traveling a lot means being unsheltered from fallout in the soil, trees canopy, etc, resulting in higher doses. For that first year or so there might be enough preserved food from trucks and distribution centers, etc, that with 75% of the population gone you'll be okay without hunting or agriculture. After that I would consider building a greenhouse, removing the topsoil from the area beneath or at least making raised beds, and filled with soil you can get from lawn and garden centers, which shouldn't be contaminated since they're often indoors and in bags. Another option might be to tip over a house trailer or demolish a prefab house and try to get uncontaminated soil from underneath.
Edit: Also if no one has periodically washed down the roads I think they would be filled with fallout which would be kicked up as you travel. A car would probably end up highly contaminated inside and out from trying to make long trips.
@@asahearts1 just keep in mind that fallout is likely to have a large Alpha element, which most of the inexpensive counters will not detect:Alpha is basically harmless outside of the body, but if inhaled(which is generally the main mode of exposure for fallout)or ingested, is very dangerous:Alpha is highly ionizing, which means a high risk of cell mutations(IOW, cancer).
Lilly, you should come back to Canada. Enjoy the nature and live life as it should.
Bob Jacobson
3 weeks ago
CPM audio courtesy of Jon White
"If you go to the menu and select alarm mode, then select the pictogram of three little speakers in a row & press menu to confirm, it will turn on particle detection sound. (on my nr-950 version) " Thanks Jon
Just to add, I do have a cheap budget Purible. I do not expect it to give me a reading in the midst of a nuclear attack. I have it to let me know if the radiation levels rise above normal. We may not be told or all forms of communication are down and you are remote enough from where an accident or attack happens
Thank you for awesome review. I bought a geiger counter before watching your review and by sheer luck it was NR-750😀 One important aspect of geiger counter is it's real time range. NR-750 is able to measure up to 10,000 micro sievert whee as BR-6 is limited to 99 micro sievert, making it pretty much useless even if it was accurate. This is another reason to buy NR-750
1. Bosean FS-5000 - best for cheaper
2. Tesmen Hound-200 and Habotest HT629 (not to be confused with the HT627 electro-magnetic field detector) - on battery AAA + very cheap but not accurate
Your Amazon link pudibel Jr-750 has two different brands, which one did you buy? Funien nr-750 or the kknoon nr-750?
Br-6 owner here. I can't find rocks in nature that are radioactive. The local university geology campus has a mineral collection in a glass case for the public. Br-6 went crazy with thorium radium and uranium. It does work but the world seems not to be as radioactive as TV shows makes it out to be.
It should be noted that a faraday cage SHOULD be grounded for full protection. Ungrounded may afford some protection but not as well.
Good morning from Syracuse NY USA my friend
Good step by step review. Currently have a GMC-500+ and a musem piece McPhar TV-1A Scintillometer that still works thou the calibration is off. Like your Faraday cage.
Thank you for this. I was overwhelmed with what I should get.
It would be interesting to see a comparison of the NR-750 to a known accurate and calibrated Geiger counter.
Talk about a detailed analysis! Outstanding and well-done Lilly!
Fire alarms have Americium isotope in them you can use for a source.
Hallo Lilly, ich hatte bevor ich deinen Kanal entdeckt habe auch einen Geigerzähler vom NR Typ gekauft, habe ihn auch getestet, funktioniert. Habe den NR-1050.
Der NR-950 und NR-1050 sind noch genauer und haben etwas mehr Funktionen als der NR-750 welchen du zeigst.
Kosten ein paar Euros mehr. Konnte ich bei Amazon nicht finden, hab sie über AliExpress bestellt.
Bin froh dass ich einen guten und günstigen gekauft habe.
Super was du machst Lilly ! Danke dir, du bist die Beste !
Wow, what a great service. You are the best. NR-750 is currently $70 US on Amazon.
Thank you for your hard work. BC Canada
Thanks, you saved me alot of confusion, time and money. Smart geeky women are AWESOME!!!💪👍
I'm so glad you got the rechargeable gamma scout you won't have to go thru the process of replacing the battery
Thank you for this information Lilly. Stay safe
You tested the sensitivity of Geiger counters CALIBRATED with Cesium-137 (Cs-137) against a watch dial likely coated with Radium-226 or Radium-228. Radium has VERY different emissions from Cs-137. The test was Apple's and Oranges and in no way did that test show how those meters would work when trying to avoid the fallout of a nuclear detonation and didn't help much trying to detect nuclear fallout contaminated food. Radium 226 emits mostly alpha particles with a little beta and gamma as a side product. In a nuclear detonation the most serious threat is cesium-137, a gamma emitter with a half-life of 30 years. Not Radium! Cs-137 is a major source of radiation in nuclear fallout, and since it parallels potassium chemistry, it is readily taken into the blood of animals and men and may be incorporated into tissue.
Testing Radium Sources with Geiger counters calibrated to a Cesium-137. The emissions are very different and they are not built to measure radium. In a nuclear War we won't be worrying about radium coated watch dials exploding. We will be dealing with nuclear fission byproducts like Cesium-137 with it being the worst risk to human life. This is why we use Radiation detection equipment sensitive to and calibrated to Cesium-137, not Radium-226 or Radium-228.
the Gamma Scout is calibrated and can detect all of the elements you described. so it is a good reference for this test.
Zirconium is radioactive the powder is used in ceramics a respirator is required around it !=8)
Are the yellow and orange units giving higher than actual readings which is as bad as lower than actual?