AE1S Science and Engineering Blog

Gamma Dog Maxi was built with basically the same 3D Printed housing that Charles designed, but extended to fit a large 63x63mm NaI(Tl) detector.

Finally found some time to work again on the Gamma Dog project.

One of Gamma Dog's unique features is the continuously variable tone representing the detected count rate by changing its frequency.

I was putting together SOTA/POTA portable antenna kit for my son, utilizing EFHW and EFRW antennas and I needed a Common-Mode Current Choke - something not very large and efficient that he can eventually use from QRP to 100W on 40m to 6m.

Finally, I got around to make an enclosure for the Moxtek X-Ray Tube Controller with a proper control panel.

Elecraft KX3 is a fantastic portable transceiver but one thing I thought could be improved on is the front panel presentation by using a better stand to the stock, foldable legs.

Today, 13 years after this post, FCC issued my son's first callsign - KC1TVB.

One of the main features of the Gamma Dog project is the unique Squelch System controlling the audio output.

When it comes to those big, beige, analog metering systems, heavy metal and clunky radiation detection istruments from the 80s...

I finished the design of PCB v4.0 for the Gamma Dog and OSH Park service came through again with excellent manufacturing quality boards.

Commercial scintillating detectors are usuallu very expensive - hundreds, often thousands of dollars for a good size NaI(Tl) detector.

This scintillator build is not much different than the others except for using a CsI(Na) crystal and 2" / 51mm PMT.

My DIY XRF setup is finally complete - it is comprised of an Amptek X-123 detector using the proprietary Amptek 25 mm2 / 500 μm Si-PIN X-Ray detector element (model FSJ32MD-G3SP), Amptek Pre-Amplifier and DP5 DPP /MCA.

A follow up on this post this post I needed controller for the Magnum series 50kV / 10W MOXTEK X-Ray source and as it turns out the FTC-200 controller, once sold by MOXTEK is no longer available - it was discontinued due components availability and the Mo…

I am working on a new XRF Exciter source, employing a pretty cool miniature, ceramic, 10W X-Ray tube with Tungsten transmission target by Moxtek (MAGNUM series).

One thing that was really bugging me with the Gamma Dog circuit was the original analog audio volume adjustment.

So how does the Gamma Dog perform?

The idea behind Gamma Dog EXP is to have a self-contained electronics module which I can connect to various external probes.

For my Gamma Dog EXP (External Probe) I wanted to build small and lightweight detector to be mounted on a "Metal Detector style wand".

A friend of mine and an avid REE mineral collector Charles Young designed some time ago an instrument intended specifically for finding radioactive rocks "in the wild".

In the world of scintillators, larger crystals means more sensitivity - when you have a bigger volume of scintillating material, it can capture more photon interactions and will produce more pulses.

I obtained 2 fragments of the Sericho Pallasite Meteorite, "discovered" in Habaswein, Eastern Kenya in 2016.

The exciter is the second main component of an XRF setup - this is the source of the primary X-Rays.

Amptek (Amptek) is one of the leading companies for Space instrumentation, experimental and research XRF equipment.

What is XRF?