Question 1

Would this device be able to tell if there was leftover radiation from a nuclear blast or contamination? Or radiation from dirty bombs?

Accepted Answer

The GMC 320 Plus's upper range limit is 32 millirem per hour. (A millirem is 1/1000th of a rem).
According to the scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a Facility of the U.S. Department of Energy, in their 1987 "Nuclear War Survival Skills", small doses of around 6 rem per day should "produce no incapacitating symptoms. The human body usually can repair almost all radiation damage if the daily doses are not too large."
   They go on to say, "Instruments that measure only milliroentgen-range dose rates are sold for war use by some companies. Since most Americans have no idea what size of radiation doses would incapacitate or kill them, and do not even know that a milliroentgen is 1/1000 of a roentgen, some people buy instruments that are capable of measuring maximum dose rates of only one roentgen or less per hour." (One roentgen is equivalent to one rem.) The book further says that a meter that "can measure one roentgen (rem) per hour is far too low to be of much use in a nuclear war."

Question 2

I'm a novice wanting to check for radiation levels. Is this device easy to understand? What can I use this for to measure for radiation?

Accepted Answer

The GMC-300 is easy to use and low priced as an entry level radiation detector. I use mine to monitor background levels of radiation as I have yet to find an highly active source. Here in central BC, Canada I get 14 to 22 cpm, with a high of 30 cpm. It appears to decrease after a rain fall. The only thing missing with the GMC-300 is a radiation standard but I can understand why.

Question 3

Will this measure the radiation level present in gemstones?

Accepted Answer

Not all gemstones emit high enough levels of radiation that can be discerned above ambient levels of radiation and it depends on the actual level of radiation the stone emits. Stones that have been exposed to radiation to change their color will probably not register. I have some uranium marbles that are not detected by this counter. My wife was subjected to a PET scan, last year and read 790 CPM from a distance of 6 feet.

Question 4

can I use this to measure Fukushima radiation in seafood?

Accepted Answer

I've read articles regarding radiation in seafood indicating the levels you read may be may be misleading. The GMC-300 will measure this  radiation. Here in Northern Indiana the ambient level is normally 30 - 40 CPM. As shown in the video, levels in sea life can be higher.  http://www.opb.org/news/article/scientists-say-stop-worrying-about-fukushima-radio/ Rick

ASIN	B00IN8TJYY
Are batteries included?	Yes
Batteries	1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included)
Best Sellers Rank	#112,819 in Industrial & Scientific ( See Top 100 in Industrial & Scientific ) #171 in Indoor Air Quality Meters
Brand	GQ
Colour	white
Customer Reviews	4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (549)
Date First Available	15 January 2013
Item Dimensions LxWxH	12.7 x 7.1 x 2.5 Centimeters
Item Height	1 Inches
Item Weight	170 g
Item Width	2.8 Inches
Item model number	GQ 300 E Plus
Lithium Battery Packaging	Batteries contained in equipment
Lithium battery energy content	2.6 Watt Hours
Lithium battery weight	0.7 Grams
Model number	GQ 300 E Plus
Number of lithium ion cells	1
Power Source	battery powered
Product Dimensions	12.7 x 7.11 x 2.54 cm; 170.1 g
Voltage	5 Volts

GMC-300E-Plus Digital Geiger Counter Nuclear Radiation Detector Monitor Meter dosimeter Beta Gamma X ray data logger recorder realtime monitoring test equipment

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