tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81531278071776085512024-03-13T16:00:10.713+01:00the chernobyl projectplanning and executing the creepiest vacation of our lifetime...Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-10887986566130198802008-12-05T17:30:00.000+01:002008-12-05T17:28:38.106+01:00Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SRtnVZZFhcI/AAAAAAAAD24/0NpRHN6Sg-8/s1600-h/chern.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 196px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SRtnVZZFhcI/AAAAAAAAD24/0NpRHN6Sg-8/s200/chern.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267917806430946754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: Why do you want to go to the Chernobyl Zone?</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">A: To be perfectly honest, I can't give a reasonable explanation to this question. Somehow I'm simply drawn to that place. If you browse around the Internet a little, you will find that there are many people like me. Maybe its the post-apocalyptic scene. Maybe the unseen killer lingering around, the sense of imminent danger. Maybe that I'm just interested in the whole accident and its aftermath. But you have to agree, (fortunately) there is no place like this on Earth. As you can see, my idea of a vacation is quite different from yours... :-)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: Insn't the area around Chernobyl still contaminated by radiation?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">A: Yes, it is. Although some contaminants dacayed in seconds, others in days and weeks after the accident (eg. Iodine 131), radiation will be around for many more generations to come.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: Is it safe to go to the "Zone"?</span><br />A: The short answer is no. Everything carries a certain amount of risk - and frankly, going to an irradiated and abandoned area is probably more dangerous, than watching the latest episode of House M.D. on your couch. But the risk is highly theoretical and it is probably not even statistically significant. Everyone has a definition of "safe", after all it is just a word with an arbitrary meaning attached to it. Is the chair you are sitting on right now safe? By whose standards?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: Aren't you going to get sick by going to the Zone? Isn't that dangerous?</span><br />A: Radiation is not like a virus infection, you will not get "poisoned" as the peculiar English phrase might suggest. Radiation is everywhere around us, you are even affected by it right now - when reading these very lines. This background radiation is very low, and normal. When assessing the danger or the seriousness of a radiation dosage - you have to consider the level of radiation and the time spent near the source. It is no means safe to live in Chernobyl, or eat mushrooms grown anywhere there. But the level of radiation is perfectly safe enough to enter the restricted zone for a day. (Or even more...)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: Even though you think the trip is safe, aren't you just a little afraid?</span><br />A: Generally speaking no, though there are two remotely possible worrisome situations I can conceive: The first is having the car broken while deep inside the zone or having a car accident there. The more troubling idea is to breathe in a "hot" particle, a tiny bit of dust from the radioactive fuel blown out to the surroundings.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's the yellow instrument? </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is the type of the dose meter you are using? Where can I get one of those?</span><br />A: It is a beta/gamma dose and dose rate meter. Measures the radiation in units which can be related back to the radiation's effect on the human body: Sieverts and its fractions. It is manufactured by a Ukranian company, called <a href="http://www.ecotest.ua/en/index.html">Ecotest</a> and its type is "<a href="http://www.ecotest.ua/en/terra-p.html">Terra-P</a>". You can get one <a href="http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZecotestonline">on eBay</a>.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: What is the measurement unit of radiation?</span><br />A: There are many measurement units related to radiation, all a little different in their definition. Although it might seem a little overwhelming at first, you may l<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Units_of_radiation_dose">earn about them here</a>. Most people are interested in its effect on humans, the radiation dose or the dose rate. The exposure to radiation is measured in Sieverts (Sv), and because this is a large unit its fractions milli and micro Sieverts (mSv, μSv). The dose can be simply defined as the accumulated exposure in any given time, the dose rate as the dose received in a given time frame, usually an hour (mSv/h, μSv/h)...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: What is the safe radiation level?<br /></span>A: For long time exposure, the maximal safe level is usually considered to be 0.30 μSv/h - depending on the local laws and regulations. Mind you, this means that you can be exposed up to this level for all your life, and still be fine. The typical background radiation will be somewhat lower, around 0.10 - 0.30 μSv/h. You can easily calculate the annual dose from that.<br />There is a decent guide about the acute <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_poisoning#Table_of_exposure_levels_and_symptoms">effects of radiation exposure shown here.</a> The low level exposure effects are somewhat disputed, science has not entirely answered this question yet. (The simple linear model is actually extrapolated from the data gathered after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, this is a somewhat limited source - as of course there is no other/better way to test radiation on humans.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: What is the equivalent in radiation dose to a day trip to Chernobyl?</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> What dose will you get there?</span><br />A: It's about the same as getting a full chest X-Ray, or even comparable to the excess radiation acquired on a long intercontinental flight. Yes, you get about 25 times the normal background radiation at a cruising altitude of 8000m.<br />Anything below 0.05 Sv can be considered as entirely harmless. No symptoms are shown even up to 0.2 Sv, after wich red blood cells go through a temporary change. The expected dose I will get from the trip is around 0.010 - 0.015 mSv. To put this another perspective, that is ~0.00001 Sv.<br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Q: You are interested in the Chernobyl accident. Does that mean, that you are opposed to nuclear power?</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A: Absolutely not. Given the current alternatives, nuclear power is the best alternative. The inefficiency of wind and solar power, the environmentally destructive influence of other major power sources makes nuclear power plants are the best choice. Nothing comes without an attached cost and safety, that's why everything has to be done to ensure maximal reliability. Technology has changed much since 1986, the Chernobyl reactor was seriously outdated even back then.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: Are you a nuclear scientist?</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you know much about nuclear physics?</span><br />A: No, I'm a control engineer. My understanding in nuclear physics is pretty basic.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Q: Do you play S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?</span><br />No, I'm not much into video games. Although I would like to try this one.<br /></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-81345387988810530082008-10-31T21:08:00.000+01:002008-10-31T21:19:10.678+01:00Whooops<div style="text-align: justify;">I guess this is the dark side of online shopping... I've ordered a book last week, Chernobyl 1986 by Vic Parker. I have received an email confirmation today, that I may pick up my copy at the Oxford Border's store. I was really looking forward to the good read, especially that it was about such a rarely discussed topic that captures my interest.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SQtoAwXZ2sI/AAAAAAAADyk/BrPYBV9i0Fw/s1600-h/RIMG0031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SQtoAwXZ2sI/AAAAAAAADyk/BrPYBV9i0Fw/s400/RIMG0031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263414951704910530" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To my surprise, the book was not really a book - I should call it a brochure with merely 50 pages, and large typography. This is not the worst part of, it - the book is meant to a young audience as the author describes her target readers. One thing is that I can hardly imagine the crowd of teenagers interested in the nuclear disasters, who is not quite ready for the adult books.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SQtoA9JT9bI/AAAAAAAADys/a-JOWhW4PNg/s1600-h/RIMG0032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SQtoA9JT9bI/AAAAAAAADys/a-JOWhW4PNg/s400/RIMG0032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263414955135464882" border="0" /></a>I personally think that the style is too patronizing even for young people, the writer treats the reader (even if young) as an idiot, and spells out common sense knowledge, especially in a book about a fairly obscure topic. The worse is yet to come: the text is plagued with the usual "I'm a humanities graduate, so I can afford to write bullshit relating to science" attidude. There is a great deal of inaccuracies, and misleading "facts". I don't recommend it to anyone to be perfectly honest. Oh well, "shift" happens. (owing this pun to Scott Adams)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SQtoA7eK_dI/AAAAAAAADy0/ZXt5Hy9vsMM/s1600-h/RIMG0033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SQtoA7eK_dI/AAAAAAAADy0/ZXt5Hy9vsMM/s400/RIMG0033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263414954686086610" border="0" /></a></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-40139389448532491882008-10-24T21:29:00.000+02:002008-10-24T22:01:13.804+02:00Inside the sarcophagus<div style="text-align: justify;">I've found a documentary on YouTube about the sarcophagus. The picture quality is pretty inferior, as I have the feeling that it was ripped from a VHS tape. Most of the time its dark, but you can see some very creepy and chilling pictures as the scientists take readings inside the Chernobyl containment - known as the sarcophagus.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The commentary comes again with the old scare tale: "[...] under the right conditions this missing fuel could unleash a chain reaction [...]". The key phrase here is under the right circumstances, since I believe the chance of that is infinitesimal.<br />It is pretty funny how the commenter refers to the film crew wearing "western respiratory equipment". Yes, the far superior western respirators will shield you from gamma radiation. Probably the paper masks worn by the Russian scientists filters out the dust just as well... Another gross error in the commentary is "[...] <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B6ntgen">Roentgens</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rad_%28unit%29">Rad</a>s". Well these units are different and their definitions are not identical. Rad is obsolete anyways, its use is discouraged in scientific community. Sometimes I really have the feeling that journalists as other humanities graduates feel that science is complicated, so they have the right not to understand it and misreport things. See the health scares, reports on homeopathy and other funny stuff: <a href="http://www.badscience.net/">Bad science</a>...<br /></div>Well, if you have not been put off by this introduction, here are the short movies. Note that the documentary has been split into two parts, due to the ten minutes limit on YouTube videos:<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vPyrqRczmQ4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vPyrqRczmQ4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6XnYVZTGs_o&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6XnYVZTGs_o&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-14795028664650096452008-10-14T21:29:00.000+02:002008-10-14T21:52:57.237+02:00Radiological instruments at the MOSI<div style="text-align: justify;">I've visited my friend in Sheffield, UK last weekend. We also took a day trip to check out Manchester. How cold two engineers kill a rainy afternoon? By going into the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (<a href="http://www.msim.org.uk/">MOSI</a>) of course. The museum itself has a pretty interesting collection - at least interesting in any technically/scientifically wired brain:)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately we only had a couple of hours to fly through the exhibitions. I could recommend a visit there, you could spend a day around all the exciting stuff. We stumbled into a small collection of radiological instruments - mostly from the 70's and 80's. I will post some of them, along with a short description. So here we go:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT0WsXGxPI/AAAAAAAADqg/ykJMY4xd-vU/s1600-h/RIMG0047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT0WsXGxPI/AAAAAAAADqg/ykJMY4xd-vU/s400/RIMG0047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257095335750583538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT0mAsgAcI/AAAAAAAADqo/vYmd84VyqyY/s1600-h/RIMG0049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT0mAsgAcI/AAAAAAAADqo/vYmd84VyqyY/s400/RIMG0049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257095598907064770" border="0" /></a>The one above is my favourite - the big sphere is actually part of the instrument. This is a neutron meter, used to measure the number of neutrons around a reactor or a plutonium store. It was used from the late 60's to the late 70's...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT1I5yhh0I/AAAAAAAADqw/wFGypFivSBw/s1600-h/RIMG0050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT1I5yhh0I/AAAAAAAADqw/wFGypFivSBw/s400/RIMG0050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257096198348703554" border="0" /></a>This one above is a vintage beta and gamma dose rate meter from the seventies. Used to measure radiation dose rate in the field or at the workplace.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT1kBKgGdI/AAAAAAAADq4/VrHSnStZWYk/s1600-h/RIMG0053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT1kBKgGdI/AAAAAAAADq4/VrHSnStZWYk/s400/RIMG0053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257096664184789458" border="0" /></a>This is a more interesting one. The one in the middle is a portable air sampler, from the late 60's. The filter paper on the front was removed regularly. It was examined for alpha, beta radiaton and assessed later. Could be used for Iodine 131 monitoring as well.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT2JSKDBrI/AAAAAAAADrA/IoFl6hG9a0g/s1600-h/RIMG0054.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT2JSKDBrI/AAAAAAAADrA/IoFl6hG9a0g/s400/RIMG0054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257097304401446578" border="0" /></a>Here we go onto the more exotic fast neutron meter. This early 60's instrument was used around a nuclear reactor.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT28LD9TMI/AAAAAAAADrI/0pTWs44Lt4c/s1600-h/RIMG0057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT28LD9TMI/AAAAAAAADrI/0pTWs44Lt4c/s400/RIMG0057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257098178670185666" border="0" /></a>This one above is just a regular gamma dose rate meter from the 70's.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT3PFPuz1I/AAAAAAAADrY/OlbX43CAAiU/s1600-h/RIMG0056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT3PFPuz1I/AAAAAAAADrY/OlbX43CAAiU/s400/RIMG0056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257098503526469458" border="0" /></a>And a background radiation monitor, used around nuclear waste in the 70's. It has its readings in counts per second: CPM. I like the cool "gun shaped" design. I wonder wheter it is meant to give readings from a distance...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT4OMugIuI/AAAAAAAADrg/uvcZxk3HRXo/s1600-h/RIMG0058.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SPT4OMugIuI/AAAAAAAADrg/uvcZxk3HRXo/s400/RIMG0058.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257099587866338018" border="0" /></a>Here we go onto some film badges. Were worn by workers in the nuclear industry, have been largely replaced by digital, reusable equivalents. The films became more darker as they gathered radiation - this way the dose could be estimated. The one on the right (blue) is actually sensitive to slow neutrons too!<br />That's all, hope you enjoyed our little tour to "retro" equipment - sorry for the bad quality photos. It was really dark in the whole museum, and this exhibition was no exception...</div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-85108473900459382692008-10-10T21:13:00.000+02:002008-10-10T21:18:57.077+02:00Not my trip to Chernobyl... ...yet.<div style="text-align: justify;">It's been almost a year now, that we made this website with my friend Danex. Sadly enough, we have not visited the Zone yet. I don't really know how Danex feels about this, but there is a strong yet from my side. I still want to go, its more a matter of when, and not if.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As you could see from the number of post, the "project" is on hold currently. Let's see someones pictures from a trip to Chernobyl. Thanks for the link from a kind unknow, who posted it on my <a href="http://www.nyulnyom.com/">other website</a>. (In Hungarian, sorry.) <a href="http://forums.filefront.com/s-t-l-k-e-r-soc-general-discussion/379832-my-trip-chernobyl-pictures-56k-ultra-death.html">So let's look at those photos, shall we</a>?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://forums.filefront.com/s-t-l-k-e-r-soc-general-discussion/379832-my-trip-chernobyl-pictures-56k-ultra-death.html"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SO-qUOoMf3I/AAAAAAAADpY/b1I9bMQyXwU/s400/csernob.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255606554665451378" border="0" /></a></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-6443679507638703872008-08-01T16:47:00.001+02:002008-08-01T17:55:52.841+02:00The Rock in My Room<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SJMx7yy-WGI/AAAAAAAADXg/WNv3YJnmSCk/s1600-h/RIMG0184.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/SJMx7yy-WGI/AAAAAAAADXg/WNv3YJnmSCk/s200/RIMG0184.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229578495624894562" border="0" /></a>I used to collect minerals and cool rocks as a kid. All the different sizes, colors and shapes have fascinated me, and they still do. Yes, I know - I always nurtured this inner nerd-slash-scientist in me, it was just a matter of when not the if to come to surface. The organized chaos is something hard to descirbe. You cannot be sure that something really is random, yet see the beauty in it.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The collection never grew to a large proportions, most of the pieces wait in cardboard boxes for their fate. Some of the bigger, crystallized minerals are still in my room. Objects which remind me off all the weird hobbies I've taken on and abandoned eventually.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I had an idea today. Let's test if any of the rocks has detectable radioactivity over the background radiation. Oh yes. It's good to have all those expensive and exotic measuring devices in a common household. Of course it is quite ironic not to find a measuring tape in your home, but to have a frequency counter, radio scanner and a dosimeter within an arm's reach...<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> So anyways - I've found out that I kept a rock with four times the normal background radiation in my rooms. The close reading (beta plus gamma radiation) gives around 0.47 uSv... (where u=micro) Hey, I would not really want to keep that under my pillow.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Radioactive rock? Anyone? Check out the very short video. The beeping is coming from the dosimeter, of course safety standards would be badly crossed with that kind of long time exposure:<br /></div><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ONv-UXe7b2Q&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ONv-UXe7b2Q&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-84206878510888827162008-02-14T14:19:00.000+01:002008-02-14T14:23:53.613+01:00Images of the invisible<div style="text-align: justify;">Alice Miceli has a running art project focused on the Chernobyl accident and the life of the surrounding area. What I've found most intriguing about the project (Accidentally also having the title "Chernobyl Project". We did not steal the idea, we swear:) is the idea of using industrial radiology films in a lead lined pinhole camera. If you did not grasp the concept yet, she is using a special radiography AGFA film to capture images of radiation, instead of images made by light. <a href="http://www.premiosergiomotta.org.br/blog/chernobyl2.php?catid=13&blogid=3">Check it out yourself.</a>..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.premiosergiomotta.org.br/blog/chernobyl2.php?catid=13&blogid=3"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R7RA0IA89gI/AAAAAAAACkM/HnPTR9HGDyg/s400/pinhooole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166825936749655554" border="0" /></a></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-87778715035111562732008-01-23T22:57:00.000+01:002008-01-23T23:44:57.892+01:00TERRA-P with a check source<div style="text-align: justify;">So have I found anything radioactive with the TERRA-P around me? No. Fortunately. I consider this to be a good thing. Except of course the natural background radiation, which is generally somewhere around 0.10 uSv (where u=micro). But that's not fun, and won't really show whether my <a href="http://www.chernobyl-project.com/2007/12/unpacking-terra-p.html">shiny new and bright yellow radiometer</a> works as it should...<br />What I did not know is that Danex's vintage <a href="http://www.chernobyl-project.com/2007/11/geiger-mueller-counter.html">Victoreen</a> has a check source on its side. As the you might have concluded by now, a check source is a source which allows you to check if your device works correctly or not:) I had the privilege to abuse Danex's radiometer to test my own. The picture below shows the source, and the TERRA-P showing the normal background radiation:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e438TQjqI/AAAAAAAACag/lqjbufK0rKE/s1600-h/RIMG0132.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e438TQjqI/AAAAAAAACag/lqjbufK0rKE/s400/RIMG0132.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158795169395412642" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The check source emits beta radiation. So to measure the beta (in addition to the gamma) radiation, one has to remove the little hinged door. The door has a thin lead lining, which is supposed to prevent beta radiation to enter the tube. Without the door, you can see the Geiger-Mueller tube exposed:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e4ysTQjpI/AAAAAAAACaY/2yGcpi3NNv4/s1600-h/RIMG0131.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e4ysTQjpI/AAAAAAAACaY/2yGcpi3NNv4/s400/RIMG0131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158795079201099410" border="0" /></a>Just about a foot (~30cm) from the check source surface, the readings are not too terrifying - but still well over the admissible maximum. The values below indicate about 4 times the background reading. That's certainly a lot more than I would like to have in my house - at least for prolonged exposure:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e5QcTQjsI/AAAAAAAACaw/tiS8swz2fnU/s1600-h/RIMG0138.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e5QcTQjsI/AAAAAAAACaw/tiS8swz2fnU/s400/RIMG0138.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158795590302207682" border="0" /></a>Aaand this is where the fun begins. The TERRA-P has an user adjustable alarm limit. The maximal value what you can enter is 9.99uSv/h. If the radiation level is over the set value - the device will warn you with a loud beeping. (Instead of the standard clicking - chirping count sound.) As you can see, this is well over the alarms limit, and violates every possible health regulation. I don't even know how this went through the customs???:) Anyways, this picture shows the radiation 115 times over the normal levels. Even though this is a direct reading - I would not carry the check source in my pocket... ;) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e5GsTQjrI/AAAAAAAACao/WXQkyJO3vmA/s1600-h/RIMG0134.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R5e5GsTQjrI/AAAAAAAACao/WXQkyJO3vmA/s400/RIMG0134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158795422798483122" border="0" /></a></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-68049112100590513522007-12-30T17:56:00.000+01:002007-12-30T18:02:23.135+01:00The Battle of Chernobyl<div style="text-align: justify;">The Battle of Chernobyl is a recent documentary made by Discovery Channel. Describes both the catastrophe and the aftermath and presents well informed neutral picture of the events. Some documentaries in my opinion are very biased and too demagogue - but this is not one of those. Contains rare original footage, pictures and some good re-enactments. Michael Gorbachev is also interviewed several times throughout the movie. Playtime is over 90 minutes, but it's well worth watching if you are interested in the topic. Hopefully it will not be removed soon due to the (obvious) copyright issues.<br /></div><embed style="width: 425px; height: 350px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-5384001427276447319&hl=en" flashvars=""></embed>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-81166915835606327822007-12-29T16:33:00.002+01:002008-01-16T15:46:39.162+01:00Unpacking the TERRA-P<div style="text-align: justify;">The ECOTEST TERRA-P dosimeter finally arrived - fortunately unharmed by the journey. As you can see from the picture, the original package is very small - even compared to a pen. I was expecting the device to be relatively tiny, but in reality is even smaller than I imagined. It's like thick cellphone.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3Zo6_4qtyI/AAAAAAAACRo/zZ6JDYV8P9c/s1600-h/RIMG0258.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3Zo6_4qtyI/AAAAAAAACRo/zZ6JDYV8P9c/s400/RIMG0258.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149418586735556386" border="0" /></a>The box contained the device itself, with batteries already installed. The batteries should actually last around 6000h in sleep mode and with normal radiation, but are user changeable. In addition to the device itself there is a detailed user's manual (in English:) and a colorful "Quick start" guide included by default. The manual shows the serial number of the dosimeter, quality check and calibration protocol and the warranty.<br />Somehow I did not expect such a nicely marketed product. I guess this is a common prejudice against post-communist countries. I have to tell that both the customer support and the product itself is flawless.<br />As soon as I took the device out of its plastic cradle, I managed to drop it on the floor. It is not a good idea to drop anything with a Geiger tube on the floor - since the component is pretty fragile Fortunately it survived the fall. I shall add that to the positive side of its properties;) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3ZqXf4qtzI/AAAAAAAACRw/aYXFMUtZQoU/s1600-h/RIMG0264.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3ZqXf4qtzI/AAAAAAAACRw/aYXFMUtZQoU/s400/RIMG0264.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149420175873455922" border="0" /></a>And here is the dosimeter itself with the dose rate measurement taking place. Fortunately I have not found anything radioactive around me - and that's a good thing. :) The background radiation in my house is around 0.1microSv/h. Shows some slight variation, but that's due to the measurement precision. This is at the lower end of the background radiation still considered to be normal. I have no idea what is the actual long term exposure limit in my country, but supposedly in the Ukraine that is 0.3microSv/h. The device makes a "click" sound at each count, just as you would expect from a Geiger counter.<br />The back of the device has a second hinged door. It is hard to open, I'm kinda worried that it may break after a time. Anyways, under this door is the Geiger tube itself. The door has a thin lead lining, which blocks out Beta radiation. If one wants to measure Gamma radiation, leaves the door on. If you want to measure Gamma + Beta exposure you open the hatch. Logically the difference of the two measurements gives just the Beta radiation.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3Zqjf4qt0I/AAAAAAAACR4/edK7Rl8MC58/s1600-h/RIMG0266.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3Zqjf4qt0I/AAAAAAAACR4/edK7Rl8MC58/s400/RIMG0266.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149420382031886146" border="0" /></a>Well that's about it for now. These are the first impressions, I will write a review with more details as soon as I have the chance to play around with the device. I took some video footage too, will edit it into a usable form soon.<br /></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-81949972498785291022007-12-28T17:00:00.000+01:002008-01-16T15:45:27.767+01:00The package<div style="text-align: justify;">It took exactly ten days to get my dosimeter from the Ukraine to Slovakia. The parcel arrived in good condition. I'd like to thank Oxana from <a href="http://www.ecotest.ua">ECOTEST</a> for the very careful wrapping. This way the TERRA-P survived the journey, and I also got some bubble wrap to play with:)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyways, more pictures to come soon. Right now I'm to lazy to do that. So I will post the pics and some first impressions very soon. And no, I did not find anything radioactive in my house. At least nothing over the background. That's a good thing. ;)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3Uep_4qtwI/AAAAAAAACRY/Ke6jwnTWzDU/s1600-h/RIMG0246.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3Uep_4qtwI/AAAAAAAACRY/Ke6jwnTWzDU/s400/RIMG0246.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149055455840614146" border="0" /></a></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-43080262731332340402007-12-27T22:25:00.000+01:002007-12-27T22:56:21.881+01:00Chernobyl Street Art<div style="text-align: justify;">Street art in the Zone? This sound bizarre enough, doesn't it? But if you've seen recent pictures from Pripyat, you may have noticed some strange graffiti on the walls. Most of these depict people, supposedly in their original environment. Screaming faces, playing children. Dark and disturbing images.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Right before the twentieth anniversary of the disaster, seven artists from Moscow, Minsk and Berlin traveled to Pripyat. As a strange artistic and social project, they've painted graffiti on the walls of homes and other buildings - interacting with the dead city. You can read more about the project and see their work <a href="http://www.26-04-1986.com/">on this site</a>. Radiating Places - A requiem of a special kind.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.26-04-1986.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R3QaI_4qttI/AAAAAAAACRA/0vVwGPY9kOY/s400/scrmface.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148769015881709266" border="0" /></a></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-7023125276784034782007-12-23T18:09:00.000+01:002007-12-23T18:14:13.458+01:00Inside the Sarcophagus<div style="text-align: justify;">There is a BBC Horizon documentary about Chernobyl on Google Video at the moment. I guess the upload violates every possible copyright law. Since it's been "dugg", I don't expect it to stay around much longer. But I highly reccomend to watch it.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is some incredible archive footage I've not seen before. And believe me, I've seen a lot about Chernobyl. The film crew went inside the infamous reactor 4 control room and the sarcophagus. Even if I had the chance, there is no way I would do that. Especially with highly radioactive dust and extreme radiation around. Some of the footage makes me shiver, truly creepy:</div><div align=center><embed style="width: 425px; height: 350px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=441614481664437249&hl=en" flashvars=""></embed></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-40479432857031907152007-12-17T18:05:00.000+01:002007-12-17T18:14:17.782+01:00Lookin' good!<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R2auXv4qtdI/AAAAAAAACOQ/pu0XqmiAYjM/s1600-h/gears.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R2auXv4qtdI/AAAAAAAACOQ/pu0XqmiAYjM/s200/gears.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144991347331741138" border="0" /></a>Looks like the transfer went all right afterall. I was kinda worried, since the transcript from the bank did not show half of the information needed... I was already planning intricate conversations in my head: things to yell at the bank people. "Hooow could you screw this up, you sorry excuse for a human being" - you know, all the works. ;) But today I've received an email - from the best customer service I have encountered so far:<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left; font-style: italic;">Dear G[...]<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I am writing to inform you that today we have received your payment[...]. Thank you very much. We are planning to dispatch the TERRA-P to you tomorrow. I let you know about the shipment additionally.<br /></div>With kind regards,<br />Oxana</div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-84136179573805737562007-12-16T22:15:00.000+01:002007-12-16T22:25:59.114+01:00Money transfer<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R2WXzv4qtbI/AAAAAAAACOA/mDop36LYGCo/s1600-h/money.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R2WXzv4qtbI/AAAAAAAACOA/mDop36LYGCo/s200/money.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144685064623928754" border="0" /></a>I've made the money transfer to the Ukrainian company, which makes the geiger counter I've ordered. This was not so easy as it sounds. Unfortunately it is a royal pain in the ass to make a simple bank transfer. Even between two neighboring countries, like Slovakia and Ukraine. It is pretty sad, that you need to fill out endless forms - which even contains the home address of the beneficiary. Then the money travels from bank to bank, halfway across the world. Yeah, like it would be as simple as changing a couple numbers in a database. Or is it? I'm starting to value the power of Visa and MasterCard.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Right now I'm wondering whether the transfer was even successful. I'll know in a couple of days. Keep reading, will let you know. :)<br /></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-29843990974504714472007-12-13T19:31:00.000+01:002007-12-13T19:43:55.095+01:00Green light<div style="text-align: justify;">I've talked to my thesis supervisor today. Actually he is also Danex's supervisor. We are supposed to have quals (preliminary exams) this spring, the question was whether the date would conflict with the planned trip to the Zone.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R2F9JM-lq1I/AAAAAAAACNI/1XPza2nTH_w/s1600-h/greenlight.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R2F9JM-lq1I/AAAAAAAACNI/1XPza2nTH_w/s200/greenlight.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143529846489852754" border="0" /></a> According to the professor, the date for the exams is set to the end of February or beginning of March. That means we have about two months less to write up a first draft of the dissertation thesis. Not all that great. Especially that I have to use LaTeX . But hey, look at the bright side: we are clean to go to the creepy vacation :-)<br /></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-79749765135655807622007-12-11T21:46:00.000+01:002007-12-11T21:51:25.933+01:00Some pics I've stumbled upon...<div style="text-align: justify;">Some pictures I've stumbled upon tonight, while browsing English Russia. Of course there are lots of good collections out there on the Internet, but I have not seen these ones yet. Eerie and dark as always. You can check out the <a href="http://englishrussia.com/?p=293">first set here</a> and the <a href="http://englishrussia.com/?p=1309">second one here</a>. You might want to look around on <a href="http://www.englishrussia.com/">englishrussia.com</a> for more on the topic.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://englishrussia.com/?p=1309"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R1737M-lqxI/AAAAAAAACMQ/8t5cKNQi-18/s400/cherpic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142820420971768594" border="0" /></a></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-55336157101646209372007-12-05T21:51:00.001+01:002007-12-05T22:01:19.142+01:00Aaaand, we're back...<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R1cRdM-lqnI/AAAAAAAACKo/e12JLrZ-JFk/s1600-h/dosimeter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/R1cRdM-lqnI/AAAAAAAACKo/e12JLrZ-JFk/s200/dosimeter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140596693064329842" border="0" /></a>By that I mean, I'm back to Slovakia from Oxford - now I will have more time to deal with our little brain-child. It would be a shame to abandon this blog, wouldn't it?<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyways, one of the reasons why there was no post lately was the lack of actual developments regarding the Chernobyl trip. Up to a couple of days ago.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">About a month ago I made contact with a very nice lady from <a href="http://www.ecotest.ua/ua/mks-u.html">Ekotect</a>, and agreed on the price and conditions of sale of a dose/dose rate meter. I told her, that I will have time to actually sort out the payment in december. Well, she did not forget about it either - so contacted me before I had a chance to do the same. Riht now we are negotiating the details, so the whole Chernobyl project is back on tracks again - assured by my travelling / blogging companion Danex as well.<br /></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-34368228434768113552007-11-07T18:11:00.001+01:002007-11-08T09:22:13.310+01:00Geiger-Mueller counter<div style="text-align: justify;">My Geiger-Mueller counter just arrived. Unfortunately i am not at home at the moment, so i cant play and fiddle with it as i wish, but still i managed to get a few pics - kudoz to me mom! She said its really yellow and looks like a radio ;-). Enjoy!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzLGF8eDWRI/AAAAAAAAAGU/_2KOU4NPYkE/s1600-h/DSCN4091.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzLGF8eDWRI/AAAAAAAAAGU/_2KOU4NPYkE/s320/DSCN4091.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130380730962237714" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzHzyIlQy7I/AAAAAAAAAFs/FpUWA2tPU6I/s1600-h/DSCN4092.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzHzyIlQy7I/AAAAAAAAAFs/FpUWA2tPU6I/s320/DSCN4092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130149493174487986" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzHzyIlQy8I/AAAAAAAAAF0/gq3td6rLNx0/s1600-h/DSCN4093.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzHzyIlQy8I/AAAAAAAAAF0/gq3td6rLNx0/s320/DSCN4093.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130149493174488002" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzLGF8eDWSI/AAAAAAAAAGc/VSsZpwQp3v0/s1600-h/DSCN4094.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_SJAYRO-8E98/RzLGF8eDWSI/AAAAAAAAAGc/VSsZpwQp3v0/s320/DSCN4094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130380730962237730" border="0" /></a></div>danexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07361596219777043608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-66650393201030458922007-11-07T10:44:00.000+01:002007-11-07T10:58:59.004+01:00Customer service<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/RzGMSF7m2GI/AAAAAAAACBI/TTjhmgjB2vc/s1600-h/custserv.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/RzGMSF7m2GI/AAAAAAAACBI/TTjhmgjB2vc/s200/custserv.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130035693009426530" border="0" /></a>I've done a little research on my own regarding the Geiger counters. I would like to have one, unless it costs an arm and a leg. So I've started to dig up some sites, have a look at e-bay and I've found one device, called <a href="http://www.terra-p.com/en/">Terra-P</a> from an Ukrainian manufacturer. (Will write about the device itself some other time.) It is small, portable and not too expensive. Maybe it is not an "object of desire" like <a href="http://www.chernobyl-project.com/2007/11/impulse-buyers-guide.html">danex's Victoreen</a>, but it might be more useful and somewhat accurate. Although I will miss the retro look:)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So I've contacted the manufacturer "<a href="http://www.ecotest.ua/ua/terra-p.html">Ekotect</a>" and received a fast reply from a very nice and helpful lady, called Oxana - supposedly their sales department manager. The price of the device is acceptable, although I found the shipping price somewhat high. After I asked if it would be possible to find another ways delivery, Oxana contacted me through ICQ right away and offered me several different options. After we agreed on one, she even reserved one device for me...<br />That's what I take as excellent and personal customer service. I was very pleased with that. It's extremely annoying when you want to contact a company, and have to follow through endless automated forms / phone-bots and the like to actually be able to communicate with a human.<br />I will most probably make an order when I get home from Oxford, and will tell more about the device itself.<br /></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-7625487319370570552007-11-01T12:14:00.001+01:002007-11-07T10:59:18.262+01:00Impulse buyer's guide<div style="text-align: justify;">So I've talked to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">danex</span> about going to Chernobyl, about a week ago. This was not the first time, but we have not been so serious about it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">before</span>. I asked him yesterday, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">wether</span> he wants to come with me. He said something like: "Hell yeah I want!" So that settled, we continued on chatting.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not more than five minutes have elapsed, and he already bought a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Geiger</span> counter on e-bay. Not any counter, but a real cold-war era relic: a civil defense dose-rate meter.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So congrats to him, I'm really curious of his new toy. Although this device (at least according to the seller) is in perfect working condition, it is not calibrated. But it looks insanely cool with all its "retro <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">mojo</span>", and it makes the clicking / chirping sound. The one you'd expect from a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Geiger</span> counter. Isn't all that we need?:)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Rym1Q17m1qI/AAAAAAAAB9A/XsKepX9C-uU/s1600-h/geiger.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Rym1Q17m1qI/AAAAAAAAB9A/XsKepX9C-uU/s400/geiger.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127828951697643170" border="0" /></a>He chose (after 2 minutes of careful research) a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Victoreen</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">CDV</span> 700 6b, which is a true counter for fairly low level beta and gamma radiation. Although this is just what we need on our trip, in a real nuclear event - this type of device would give a false reading. At extreme high levels of radiation, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Geiger</span> tube tends to saturate and give a low figure. This is exactly what happened in Chernobyl, after the incident <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">occurred</span>. They've sent out a guy, who came back with the information that the levels are safe. For such cases a so called survey meter is needed, which can measure radiation from 1-500rad (up to 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Sv</span>)... These are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">enormously</span> high levels, 500rad would certainly kill anyone in an hour.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Rym2PV7m1rI/AAAAAAAAB9I/5_6edtD0EO0/s1600-h/geiger2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Rym2PV7m1rI/AAAAAAAAB9I/5_6edtD0EO0/s400/geiger2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127830025439467186" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You can read more about the civil defense <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Geiger</span> counters on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Defense_Geiger_Counters"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Wikipedia</span></a>, or you may also check out <a href="http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=geiger+counter&category0=">e-bay.</a> More on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Victoreen</span> CD survey meters on "<a href="http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/cdmuseum2/radkits/cdv700.html">Civil Defense Museum</a>" (excellent site, you can even see the original manual scanned) and there is a <a href="http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/science/victoreen-cdv-700.htm">schematics page as well</a>.<br />Hopefully when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">danex</span> gets his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">CDV</span>-700, he will write an extensive review for us.</div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-81593383829972083832007-10-30T21:50:00.001+01:002007-11-04T12:14:21.663+01:00Post zero<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Ry2phl7m11I/AAAAAAAAB-c/_J-ihzhlx54/s1600-h/radsign.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Ry2phl7m11I/AAAAAAAAB-c/_J-ihzhlx54/s200/radsign.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128941945227761490" border="0" /></a>Just not to leave this blog lingering around, I will make a post - let's call it "post zero". The blog will begin, as soon as I make up my mind about the trip to Chernobyl. My <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">intetnions</span> are, that after a definitive decision I will hopefully start to document the preparations and the tour in the Zone itself.<br /></div>If you are interested, please check back in a month or two.Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8153127807177608551.post-50066710026016787402007-10-30T17:13:00.000+01:002007-11-02T13:14:59.104+01:00Disclaimer, please read carefully<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Ryn64l7m1tI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/7AZUtdU80eI/s1600-h/law.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_snOoDmqp_gk/Ryn64l7m1tI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/7AZUtdU80eI/s200/law.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127905500899759826" border="0" /></a>Before we start, we shall take care of some legal business. Its meant to cover our bases in the case unanticipated events, and from readers (idiots) who believe that other people should think and assess dangers for them. So before you go out in the wild and do something stupid, please read this:<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">DISCLAIMER:</span><br />- </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Although we do believe there are no health related consequences of a short term visit to Chernobyl, the ultimate responsibility lies on the reader. The authors of this site bear no responsibility and are not liable - including but not limited to: health damage, potential loss of life, loss of property or finances as a result of using information published on this site. Please interpret published data, measurement values and figures with caution, take them rather as recommendations than facts.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- </span><span style="font-style: italic;">If you find a significant source of radiation with your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Geiger</span> counter / dose rate meter, immediately call the police or the proper law enforcement agency in your country. Do not try to disassemble or dispose of the source yourself, leave the area immediately to minimize exposure. Geiger counters designed for low to medium radiation levels can get saturated when exposed to extreme levels of radiation, and give false readings. Such devices are not suitable to survey the environment in the unlikely event of a nuclear disaster or attack.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- </span><span style="font-style: italic;">This site is not recognized or endorsed by any official institution. This site is not endorsing in any way particular radiological instruments, or other equipment. We are not connected in any ways to manufacturers, tour <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">organizers</span> etc.</span><br /></div>Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04630304813250823272noreply@blogger.com1