>From an overall toxicity standpoint, I wonder if tubes containing mercury are a greater threat.
I feel bad, because back in the 1970's, we would find every opportunity to pillage discarded tubes (and light bulbs) so we could pop them in the storm drain. Some tubes even made sparks if thrown hard enough at a concrete wall. On Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at 5:47:17 AM UTC-8 GastonP wrote: > Interesting list... > Perhaps you could test some AlNiCo speaker drivers to see if they are > radioactive too. As the name implies, they used a small percentage of > cobalt to enhance the magnetic properties of its permanent magnet. Of > course they used natural cobalt (not the artificially enriched Co-60) but > there still is the natural percentage of isotopes in the metal. > > Gastón > > On Sunday, November 1, 2020 at 6:32:38 AM UTC-3 SWISSNIXIE - Jonathan F. > wrote: > >> So here are four radioactive tubes! >> The radiation was measured with Ludlum Model 3 and 44-9 probe. Background >> is around 50cpm which is around 15uR/h or 0.15uSv/h. All Values are >> measured directly on the tube with no distance. >> >> 1.) *JAN-CADK-4C35A- Hydrogen Thyratron *Containing a top of uranium >> glass - Measured 500cpm (150uR/h, 1.5uSv/h) >> 2.) *Western Electric 427A* - Voltage Regulator - Contained 4uCi of >> Kr-85, Date-code 6639. So after 54years, probably around 0.14uCi left. - >> Measured only 100cpm (30uR/h, 0.3uSvh) >> 3.) *Western Electric 6141* - Voltage Regulator - Containing Ra-226, >> found out by my spectroscopy. Very Hot for that small tube! - Measured >> 3500cpm (1mR/h, 10uSv/h) >> 4.) *Western Electric 1B22 - *Military Spark-Gap Radar Modulator - >> Containing Ra-226. - Measured 12000cpm (3.63mR/h, 36uSv/h) >> >> No danger is posed from number 1 and 2, if the 4C35A would break, the >> uranium isotope would still be contained inside the glass. And for the 427, >> since Kr85 is a radioactive gas, not a solid element, it would quickly >> merge with the surrounding air and become neutralized. Surely i wouldn't >> crack open or break the samples 3 and 4 since Radium is dangerous, even >> more since its an alpha emitter that could be dangerous when inhaling or >> ingesting some material. The biggest "danger" pose this tubes when >> unknown, for example if someone would dispose a huge amount of 1B22 just to >> the scrap yard and the radioactive parts would get anywhere. For example, >> in the USA alot of home smoke detectors use Americum-241 (what an irony ;) >> ) inside them, which is a radioactive alpha emitter. There is also a >> disposal problem with those, when just thrown away. Here in Switzerland the >> government is still cleaning up sites of watch manufacturers that used >> radium paint for watch hands in the early 1900's. For collectors of tubes, >> radioactive ones do not pose a lot of danger, since collectors do not seek >> to destroy them, or even know about the isotopes inside them. Ive attached >> a spreadsheet with a list of radioactive tubes (not complete, no warranty) >> that i found in a radiation related group, sadly i don't know the source. >> Also there are alot of tubes listed there, that contained radioactive >> sources only for a certain period, special type or manufacturer. For >> example 12AT7 is listed there, but only very few of them contain actually >> the isotopes. >> Leonardo Lisa schrieb am Samstag, 31. Oktober 2020 um 19:51:27 UTC+1: >> >>> Please show us some pictures of the tubes! >>> >>> Il giorno sabato 31 ottobre 2020 alle 15:39:36 UTC+1 SWISSNIXIE - >>> Jonathan F. ha scritto: >>> >>>> I'm also owing a few radioactive tube, specifically purchased because >>>> they are! ;) >>>> Don't worry about Co-60 and Kr-85 most of them had very few amounts of >>>> isotopes in them, and most of them are long gone. For example the 346C >>>> Tube nick mentioned, had 4.5uCi of Kr-85 in them when manufactured, this >>>> would, if new (manufactured today), be inside a shipping restriction >>>> indeed. You can only ship 0.27uCi Kr-85 international. But since Kr-85 has >>>> a half life of around 11years most of it will be gone today if the tubes >>>> are old. There are also some nixies with Kr-85, but these had lower >>>> amounts >>>> in them. Sure there are some "Bad-Boys" out there that still contain >>>> significant amounts of isotopes even if they are old. For example usually >>>> spark-gap tubes. For example there are some 0B2WA Regulator tubes that >>>> have >>>> 6uCi of Ra-226. Even if they are around 50 years old, the amount has not >>>> dropped significally, since Ra-226 has 1600years of half-life. >>>> Technically, >>>> they would also be forbidden to ship without proper declaration. But >>>> usually everything gets trough just fine, i have purchased a few of them >>>> >>>> Also there is nothing to worry about the tubes as long as they are >>>> intact and do not break. Actually a very save way to collect radioactive >>>> items. Rocks for example are more "dangerous" since small bits and powder >>>> can come off. >>>> >>>> If someone interested i can show pictures a few tubes ;) >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> [email protected] schrieb am Dienstag, 27. Oktober 2020 um 16:43:46 >>>> UTC+1: >>>> >>>>> " A scintillator? Wow! That's serious stuff! :)" >>>>> >>>>> Haha, you just don't have the addiction going strong (yet). I'm >>>>> pretty sure I am up over 20 scint probes or parts to make them now, and >>>>> let's just say quite a few G-M detectors. And the different types of >>>>> scint >>>>> detectors. You have plastic, NaI, CsI, CZT, BGO, etc. >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, Oct 27, 2020 at 10:05 AM GastonP <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> The source I use to test my Geiger counters (actually just one, and I >>>>>> switch the GM tubes) is a plastic bag with 3 NOS gas lamp mantles. They >>>>>> are >>>>>> quite hot. >>>>>> I haven't had any luck (or perhaps that was actual luck) trying to >>>>>> detect natural radioactivity at the places I have access to, so every >>>>>> time >>>>>> I take my Geiger counter somewhere, I have to take the mantles too just >>>>>> to >>>>>> show that the counter works. >>>>>> >>>>>> > What kind of GM tube is in it? My entry-level scintillator gives me >>>>>> a background of ~1150CPM at 900V. >>>>>> A scintillator? Wow! That's serious stuff! :) >>>>>> >>>>>> On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 11:24:11 AM UTC-3 Robert G. >>>>>> Schaffrath wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Back in the late 1970's, I purchased an old ARC-44 radio that came >>>>>>> with a warning about Cobalt-60. Seems the 5829/WA and 5787/WA tubes >>>>>>> contained Cobalt-60. However, with a half life of 5.3 years, the tubes >>>>>>> showed no activity on a Geiger counter. By the time I got the radio as >>>>>>> surplus, three half-lives had already passed. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Monday, October 26, 2020 at 6:53:14 PM UTC-4 Pramanicin wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I received a box of dekatrons a couple years ago where some of them >>>>>>>> had radioactive labels on the boxes. Just standard GC10B's, so not >>>>>>>> sure >>>>>>>> what the label was warning me of, alas I don't have a geiger counter, >>>>>>>> but >>>>>>>> maybe I should get hold of one! >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Mon, Oct 26, 2020 at 3:35 PM Paul Andrews <[email protected]> >>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Mine is a GK Mini with a SBM20 tube. Background with it is about >>>>>>>>> 20 CPM. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Oct 26, 2020, at 6:12 PM, Mac Doktor <[email protected]> >>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Oct 26, 2020, at 5:35 PM, Nick Andrews <[email protected]> >>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Haha, the radium is the one that makes me nervous. Tritium, Kr, >>>>>>>>> etc not so much! Just watched Radioactive on Amazon (I think) about >>>>>>>>> Marie >>>>>>>>> Curie. A little slow but not bad. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I read somewhere that the Curies would go out to their workshop >>>>>>>>> after dark and just stand there watching the entire room glow. There >>>>>>>>> were >>>>>>>>> glowing rings on the shelves where bottles had been sitting at some >>>>>>>>> time in >>>>>>>>> the past, who knows how long ago. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Oct 26, 2020, at 6:00 PM, Paul Andrews <[email protected]> >>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I have a couple of old alarm clocks with radium dials. My Geiger >>>>>>>>> counter goes crazy when it’s next to them. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> I also have some Uranium glass glasses and was surprised to get >>>>>>>>> about 20-30 times background off of them. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> What kind of GM tube is in it? My entry-level scintillator gives >>>>>>>>> me a background of ~1150CPM at 900V. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> My dad had prostate cancer a while back. They implanted something >>>>>>>>> with a half-life of two or three weeks. I checked him every half-life >>>>>>>>> to >>>>>>>>> confirm that the count had in fact decreased exactly 50%. 8D >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Terry Bowman, KA4HJH >>>>>>>>> "The Mac Doctor" >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Q: Should car stereo speakers be pointed to the rear for more >>>>>>>>> thrust or up for more traction? >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> A. On long trips, the 20- to 30% improvement in gas mileage >>>>>>>>> you might get with speakers pointing to the rear is certainly >>>>>>>>> worthwhile. >>>>>>>>> On the other hand, if you drive on snow or ice, the extra traction of >>>>>>>>> speakers pointing upward gives you added control. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Don Lancaster >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in >>>>>>>>> the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. >>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>>>>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/neonixie-l/BL83MEnFSbA/unsubscribe >>>>>>>>> . >>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email >>>>>>>>> to [email protected]. >>>>>>>>> To view this discussion on the web, visit >>>>>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/A1A1E624-DE2B-4946-942D-58D48D37EA53%40gmail.com >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/A1A1E624-DE2B-4946-942D-58D48D37EA53%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>>>>> . >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>>> Groups "neonixie-l" group. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>>>>> To view this discussion on the web, visit >>>>>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/9269EE17-C181-47C9-BAED-EFEAE9ACAA5F%40gmail.com >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/9269EE17-C181-47C9-BAED-EFEAE9ACAA5F%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>>>>> . >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "neonixie-l" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>> >>>>> To view this discussion on the web, visit >>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/42cfeedf-c14a-404c-8280-d137259b0072n%40googlegroups.com >>>>>> >>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/42cfeedf-c14a-404c-8280-d137259b0072n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. 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