[UK] Interesting ebay find, possible cosmic ray detector? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 08:22:21 am
content: spotted this on ebay, i would love to buy it and take a closer look for my channel but i dont have the cash at the moment.looks like it's been on display somewhere with the printed labels but i am thinking its some kind of cosmic ray detector, there are two detector panels above and below the spark gap, probably scintillators with photomultiplier tubes as they are connected to one of the HV power supplies (that Oltronix power supply seems to date from the mid 1960s) then into the coincidence / triggering section, not sure what the spark gap could be for, maybe it's designed so a specific energy particle might trigger it to spark over? - any thoughts?http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291547312114?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 10:52:35 am
content: Yes - cosmic ray detector - they used to have one on display at the London Science museum.This one looks a bit small to be able to see tracks thugh.Bear in mind this probably needs a vacuum pump and possibly supply of gas fill - not sure what these typically use.And looks somewhat ancient. Could be a thyratron in the HV switch box.

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 11:05:55 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 25, 2015, 10:52:35 ami'm not sure i would like to turn it on TBH

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 04:31:32 pm
content: Certainly a cosmic ray detector. Detector 1 & 2 are vertically aligned and some coincidence discrimination is done, so that only events are counted that appear in both detectors. This way you only count e.g. particles coming from the sky, passing trough both detectors, and you eliminate background radiation. Detectors 1 & 2 appear to be scintillation detectors with photomultiplier tubes.Not to rain on anyone's parade, but the spark chamber looks rather gimmicky to me, perhaps this setup came out of an university and was a lab experiment for students. So detector 1 & 2 would do the hard measuring and the spark chamber is just to keep the little squirts happy.Man, all those high voltage supplies and two scintillation detectors ...Unfortunately "Postage: Doesn't post to Austria", but it might as well, considering how heavy all that gear probably is.

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 04:34:23 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 25, 2015, 10:52:35 amWe demand a teardown!

author: unitedatoms
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 04:43:21 pm
content: Great find. There is an Youtube demo

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 05:11:43 pm
content: Quote from: unitedatoms on August 25, 2015, 04:43:21 pmnice, right i want to buy it now, what are the chances that it's working?...going to see what i have in the lab i can sell

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 07:30:27 pm
content: Quote from: dexters_lab on August 25, 2015, 05:11:43 pmDo a fast crowdfunding!I love your channel and I can donate £ 20,- so go and find 4 others

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 07:51:07 pm
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on August 25, 2015, 07:30:27 pmwow, thanks!anyone else?i'll put a short video together tomorrow and see if anyone else might be interested in seeing it on the channel

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 09:48:52 pm
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on August 25, 2015, 07:30:27 pmI'm too niggard to give £ 20,-, but put me down for £ 5,-.I didn't see where one could donate to your channel?

author: orion242
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 25, 2015, 11:14:31 pm
content: If you have a paypal email, put me down for another 20 to the cause.Looks like one hell of a bug zapper to me. Cant be bad video.

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2015, 09:47:09 am
content: awesome thanks everyonewell a couple of other friends of mine have thrown some money at me wanting to see it too, so have stuck a bid in and we'll see what happens in a few days time

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2015, 10:07:25 am
content: GreatLet me/us know your paypal if you win.

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 29, 2015, 11:13:16 am
content: missed out, put in a max bid of £120 and was outbid

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2015, 12:06:46 pm
content: To bad ... oh well