> I would like to learn: what it would take to design my own radon gas mete=
r?
> (For fun, not commercially) Any advice or links to resources (formulas,
> charts) would be greatly appreciated.
>
>

The setup you describe doesn't measure radon perse, but alpha particles.=20
As far as harm to you that doesn't matter much.

The detector you describe is a Geiger-Muller tube. The main challenge=20
(apart from filling the tube with a specific gass at a low pressure) for=20
detecting alpha particles is that nearly everything (including a sheet=20
of paper, to give you an idea) will block alpha particles. A very thin=20
sheet of mica seems to be the preferred window material. Summary: don't=20
try to build your own alpha-detecting GM tube, buy one.

The rest of the circuit isn't that special and examples can be found on=20
the web.

You probably won't gain much in 'instanteneous readout': the amount of=20
(detected) alpha particles is very low, so averaging over some period is=20
required to get a measurement with some accuracy.

--=20
Wouter "Objects? No Thanks!" van Ooijen

--=20
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