7/22/2019 K43 Manual

1/3

K43 New Age SBT-11A DIY Geiger Counterby Atomic Dave Atomic.Dave@yahoo.com

This custom hand-made geiger counter built by Atomic Dave is based on a kit from DIY Geiger Counter. All

nfo to create this kit is available on the website below so if you want you can create your own. Schematic

nd very detailed instructions are available at that site. This is more of a kit for someone who knows a bit

bout electronics but doesn't have the time or patience to build it. It was not built in a lab but by me person-

lly, so there are some imperfections to it, although minimal. The components are all new, except the Geiger

Tube which is Russian made New Old Stock, but well tested- SBT-11A.

http://www.sites.google.com/site/diygeigercounter/

has a mini USB port on the lower right side that is used for data logging with Free arduino software (FTDI

river required) and also used for programming and customizing the unit within Arduino. I am including a CD

with all the necessary software, drivers and the sketch used to program it as it is. YOU will be able to take the

ketch and change it to however you want. You can put your name on the screen, It just takes a little pro-

ramming skill but all can be learned from the developers website listed above. It also has a 3.5mm digital

utput on the left side for Geiger Bot hookup with the included cable. Make sure and plug the 4 conductor

lug into the iphone and the 3 conductor into the geiger counter.

http://sites.google.com/site/geigerbot/S

NOW THE 3.5MM IS A MULTI FUNCTIONAL PORT:Not only is this port used for Geiger Bot, but now with an optional TTL-RS232 cable, you can also run Geiger

Graph, and RAD OSX.

To purchase the optional cable go to: www.mouser.com, and do a search for: FTDI/TTL-232R-3V3-AJ

NEW MENU MODE SWITCH:

1. When you first turn on the unit, it will prompt you to set the Alarm. If you have not set it yet, it will say

Alarm OFF. However if you hold the mode button down the alarm set amount will climb in increments of 10

pm till it gets to 100, then it climbs in sets of 50 until it reaches a max of 600 cpm, until you let go, and once

ou let go, that is what the alarm threshold will be until you reset it. As long as you don't reset it, that is the

mount it will remain at.

2. The first display that comes up is the current CPM and below it is the level of uSv/hr. To the right of the

CPM is a bar graphic representative of the level of Radiation occuring by the second. The CPM and uSv por-

on is updated every 4 seconds.

3. Press the mode button and a new display will come up. It is like a stopwatch and as soon as you

ress it for the first time it will start the timer process where it will give you average counts in a 1 minute and

0 minute period. Until it reaches 1 minute or 10 minutes it will show current total counts. After it reaches

hose points it will show the uSv conversion on the right column.

4. Press the mode button again and it will go back to the first menu.

ALARM Speaker and LED:

The alarm has its own red LED, speaker, and mute switch. You can mute the event piezo and you will still

ear the Alarm piezo if the threshold is met, unless you mute it. You can mute both the event speaker and

larm speaker, but both LEDs will flash accordingly, with the Red alarm LED shining solid till the level goes

ack down below the set alarm threshold.

Select options Select Geiger Counter Select Custom GM Tube Adjust Conversion

factor to your tube:

360 for LND7317

100 for LND712

175 for SBM-20

Select I/O Settings

Auto Adjust OFF

(you may need to play

with this setting)

RMS Window 1

Delay Window 30

Volume Thresh 20000

Ultrafast Rates ON

7/22/2019 K43 Manual

2/3

Software and Serial-USB connection information:

ON the cd you will find the FTDI driver and Arduino program version 1. Install both and restart your mac.

Copy the Geiger Sketch folder to the same folder as your Arduino program is and remember where that is as

hat will be where you go to save your sketch everytime you make a change to it.

ARDUINO SETTINGS:

. Open Arduino

. Open the saved sketch .ino file, connect your Geiger counter to the USB with power switch off.

. Verify the file by clicking the little check mark icon.

. Click TOOLS, and Select Board type as Arduino UNO, and select serial port as the top tty choice.

. Click Serial Monitor (top right looking glass icon). Set Baud rate to 9600 and you should see the CPM, uSv

nd geiger counter voltage data coming up once per minute.

or more info go to website under Software section on the DIY geiger counter website. Or go to Arduino.cc

HARDWARE:

. Power System by (4) Tenergy AA Nimh 2500mah (please charge the unit for minimum 3 hours before use)

A. You can power the Geiger in 3 different ways

1. With included rechargeable NIMH batteries

2. With any type of alkaline AA batteries.

3. With USB cable plugged into mini USB port on RIGHT side of geiger then plugged into:

a. Computer or laptop USB

b. Wall charger block (included)

c. Standard 5v USB Cigarette adapter (not included)

d. To power and operate the unit this way make sure POWER SWITCH IS IN OFF POSITION

- Its ok to have switch on for a little while, but DAMAGE WILL OCCUR if left this way for

long periods.e. For long usage of geiger counter (constant on for long periods) the preferred way to power it

would be with power switch OFF and USB cable powering from right side, but turn off the

backlight, and use care while operating this way.

B. Pololu 5v UP/DOWN regulator

Size: 0.35 0.475 0.11

Weight: 0.4 g1

Minimum operating voltage: 2.7 V

Maximum operating voltage: 11.8 V

Maximum output current: 1 A2

Default output voltage: 5 V

Russian Geiger TUBE Counter SBT-11A

nstalled inside this nicely planned out kit is a SBT-11A which senses Alpha, Beta and Gamma. The tube is

mounted to the case by a solid copper bracket, with a galvanized 1/8" mesh for protection and silicon feetwhich covers the screws to open the case and an extra set of feet in case you need to replace it.

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Voltage of start of counting 260-320 V

Operating Current each section (uA) 0.5-1.1

Recommended Operating Voltage 400 V

Plateau Length/ Inclination 80V/0.5%/V

Own Background (Pulses/s) 0,6

ength 55 mm

Width 29 mm

http://www.sovtube.com/product.php?id_product=610

ENCLOSURE:

New Age S-784114

: 7.8'' W: 4.1'' H:1.4''

Material: ABS

OTHER SOFTWARE LINKS:

http://www.blackcatsystems.com/GM/download.html

http://www.imagesco.com/geiger/geiger-graph.html

7/22/2019 K43 Manual

3/3