radiation meter November 2011

[sepp]

maybe it could be interesting for some, just to know that it's possible

I installed the whole circuit in a metal box for shielding
The sensor I've put in an aluminium tube (from an alcohol marker) - and made the connection through a HQ power, shielded microphone cable - with the circuit.
I've cut of the top of the marker (side of the diode) and covered the top with 2 layers of aluminium mylar. Extremely thin, but expensive.. Positive side is that alpha's also get trough. (just for gamma's, normal aluminium foil will do)
And again all shields to ground - including the mylar
Works perfectly, and I think is easier to use for sample measurements.

[thijsbeckers]

Thank you Sepp! That's interesting. Nice to hear it works out.

[Guest]

I've had this circuit working for months now, and I am very pleased with it. I have recently purchased the USB-Serial bridge and I would now like to hook up the counter to my computer and play (!!).

My question is, despite searching I cant find the download for the Visual Basic program alphaGamma.

Can anyone let me know where it is hiding?

Thanks in advance

[thijsbeckers]

My question is, despite searching I cant find the download for the Visual Basic program alphaGamma.

Can anyone let me know where it is hiding?

It's the free 'Software' download from www.elektor.com/110538.

Cheers.'

[Guest]

I have since found a copy on my computer, when using your link my virus checker thinks its a virus and blocks it...Im using avast

[thijsbeckers]

...my virus checker thinks its a virus and blocks it...

Hmm, it's certainly not infected. It's written in Bascom, perhaps this is what triggers Avast?

[kibt]

Hi,

I'm back working on the radiation meter again. I gave up for a while. I'm having trouble programming the device (using the method suggested in the "Radiation meter uploaded" 10/2012 article. I know the meter works from the use of known radioactive sources. I know the RS232 interface works as the Alpha-gamma program works and I'm getting a response so information is coming from the chip. However, I'm having trouble programming the chip. I think I'm doing everything right but there is no indication that the program is being uploaded. Hence I'm assuming I can read but I can't write. A loop back test works so the port works yet the chip is not responding. There is probably something simple going on but I can't figure out what it is. Do I need to cross the Tx and Rx pins to program the chip? I really need some help here as I'm at my experience limit. As far as I know everything back from the meter is working. Please help or forward my problem to someone else.

[ag]

Hi kibt,

Based on your post, I am guessing that you are trying to upload via the RS232 interface using BASCOM and the MCS Bootloader, but have not yet loaded the bootloader itself, as described on page 58 in the 10/2012 issue, caption "Program the bootloader yourself". Is that the case?

Regards,

[lisaaller520]

thanks for your infos. it's very useful for me already~~
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[kyprosv]

Hello people,
I had the Radiation Meter built long time ago. It worked fine for some months and one day while I was experimenting with it, it stops counting. The display shows the L10 and the time the unit is powered on (counting seconds) but does not count (always indicates a 0).
I tried to connect the micro-controller's pin 23 to either GND or Vcc via a resistor but it does seem to affect the counting. Actually before this I made many experiments on the Amplifier/comparator PCB to make sure is working OK and found it to operate normally. When I touch the gate of the FET, many pulses (oscillations) appear at the output and that is also checked with an oscilloscope on the pin 23 of the ATmicro also.
I finally concluded that the input pin of the ATmicro is dead (since there is a signal present but the microcontroller does not counting). I bought a new ATMega and copied the code from the old one to the new (with my programmer).
Unfortunately the result is the same as with the original ATMega microcontroller.

Any ideas or guidance on what to do to solve my problem?

P.S. I made some extra tests and found that the micro works fine. It seems the problem is on the FET which I replaced to the BF245A type that has different bias levels. I ordered some BF245B and wait for delivery in order to check them.