Lost Places - Chornobyl Zone

Technical characteristics. Impressions of operation.

I was looked at Lvover’s from "Sparing-whist" working with delight for a long time, but purchase turning point, there was just one unique pinning of my old radiometer "Pripyat" in one of "dirty" places of the Chornobyl Zone. I remember, how we with Evgenie Samoilov in thoughtfulness contemplated the empty screen of "Pripyat" with “one” in the senior category (pinning of the device), listened to hysterical trills of its sound signalling device and with a clever kind, on frequency of squeal and speed of leaving in pinning, gave out various figures of a prospective gamma background :).

How many there was? I do not know. A limit of measurement by EDR (exposition dose rate) at radiometer "Pripyat" - 20 mR/h. All that I can tell definitely - there was more than 20 mR/h.

The device together with a leather cover has come to $221 ($209 a dosimeter and $12 for a cover)... Actually it is not quite assured that the cover was very much necessary to me... But have decided - let it be.

The first impression – it is very small (in three times less than my "Pripyat" and in three times easier).

The case is by sight made good, plastic thick enough, creaks nothing, covers of a battery compartment and the gauge stand reliably. Very much pleases a power supply from two elements ААА (since the childhood I do not trust to 9В batteries :). Gauging time is established automatically from 1 to 70 seconds (depending on speed of change of intensity of radiation by gamma/beta), ranges are switched automatically. There is a function of calculation of the picked dose. There is a screen illumination (I am not assured that it is necessary to me, but in the same time I like that it is :). In difference from the consumer version with the letter "P" - the screen here is more simple, without indication of units of measure and without a scale of the category of the battery. Simple seven-segment 4 digit liquid-crystal display (a victim in favor of the raised frost resistance).

• Purpose of use

• Measurement of gamma and X-ray radiation equivalent dose rate.
• Measurement of gamma and X-ray radiation equivalent dose.
• Measurement of surface beta-particles flux density.
• Measurement of equivalent dose accumulation time.
• Real time measurement (clock).

• Features

• Five independent measuring channels with alternate indication of data on the single liquid crystal display.
• Built-in gamma, beta sensitive Geiger-Muller counter.
• Prompt evaluation of gamma background within 10 seconds.
• Automatic subtraction of gamma background at measurement of beta contamination.
• Measurement results averaging, manually and automatically interrupted.
• Automatic setting of measurement intervals and ranges.
• Audio signalling of each detected gamma-quantum and beta-particle with possible switching off.
• Two-tone audio alarm of exceeded programmed threshold levels.
• Digital display backlight.
• Two AAA size batteries.
• Power supply discharge indication.
• Shock resistant frame.
• Small weight and dimension parameters.

• Specifications

I press the buttons, esteemed a manual... Here and the thirst fly in the ointment - programming of threshold levels at device deenergizing does not remain. I.e. in the device is by default sewn up to "squall" at level excess in 30 mcR/h (0,3 mcSv/h)... And if after inclusion this parameter not to lift, the device will start to "wail" already on approaches to Chornobyl. And it is impossible to disconnect this function in the device (unless, to pick open and insert any toggle-switch into chain rupture of the " tweeter"). Or as a variant: to expose threshold levels and not to switch off the device, till the battery will not be discharged yet. The manufacturer promises 2000 working hours from new elements of type LR03 - i.e. somewhere 2,5 months it should work without problems, and then you should put new Power supply elements and program it anew.

And so, from the moment of purchase has passed already almost two years. It is possible to formulate already impressions of operation of the given device.

Absence of the non-volatile memory, which has slightly spoilt my first impression, is well compensated by profitability of the device - i.e. we insert batteries, we expose thresholds on equivalent dose rate, equivalent dose and beta-particles flux density and... The minimum on half a year can be forgotten about the device.

That is agreeable: quality of manufacturing, modest dimensions, paltry power consumption (at use of the device in the conditions of an average gamma background 15-20 mcR/h (0,15 - 0,2 mcSv/h) suffices two elements of type LR03 at 6000 hours, instead of declared 2000!). Quite authentic indications at measurement as gamma and beta (compared to indications of a professional dosimeter MKS-U).

That is not agreeable: not so friendly interface. Very hard and unsuccessfully located buttons of adjustment and a mode choice (a situation rescues only what to use them it is necessary very seldom).

The resume.

Despite some lacks, the excellent device in every respect (especially for such money :).

Terra MKS-05 in a mode of measurement of equivalent dose rate - 120 mcSv/h (12 mR/h)	Terra MKS-05 in a mode of measurement of beta-particles flux density -  15270 CPM

Author: Yevgen "KRANZ" Goncharenko