More unfeasible electronics?

Can anyone think of a way it would be possible to simulate areas of varying radioactivity in a LARP, with a way for players to measure how safe they are? I was thinking about something like a fake Geiger Counter programmed to increase/decrease the rates of clicks depending upon the distance from a certain target. Not the most realistic thing to do, I know, but the only way up from there would be to use real counters and actually nuke something. Not being an electronics guy and exhausting every variation of “Simulation of Radioactivity” I could think of in Google I thought I might as well pitch the idea here.

The setting I have in mind for this is the early 1950s, so a digital display method wouldn’t be appropriate. Anyway, any ideas would be appreciated.

Here’s my low-tech, totally achievable solution: sound.

This would work an absolute treat in a metal warehouse or somewhere with lots of nooks and crannies for sound to reflect around, or in a forest where soundscapes are hard to detect.

Basically, hide something that is making the “detector” sound in the place of your choice. You could have lots of these. As people get closer, the “Geiger counter” beeps louder, just like magic :slight_smile:

The problem with that is that a Geiger Counter’s volume is meaningless as it’s measuring the rate of decay. The less time between clicks, the higher the radioactivity. In the presence of high radioactivity you’re just as dead with a quiet counter as with a loud one.

I think that Craig means that you place a Audio device somewhere, and as you get closer, the clicks from it seem louder to you, letting you know that you’re getting a larger dose.

AJ’s got it. While not fully authentic, this is a believable, playable and relatively low-tech solution to a high-tech problem.

I demand you change the name of this topic to “feasible electronics”!

How about replacing the ‘geiger counter’ with a device that clicks faster or slower based on the signal strength of a certain radio frequency?

Then you hide a (very weak) transmitter in your ‘radioactive source’ that is transmitting a constant signal on a set frequency, probably a very low frequency so it attenuates quicker (or would that be a very high frequency? err, i forget)

As the ‘geiger counter’ gets closer, the radio signal gets stronger, so your electronics increass the click rate.

You could even have a counter in your ‘geiger counter’ that counts the clicks, giving an indication of radiation dosage…

You could use a baby monitor

Or at least “INfeasible”

Actually, I believe nzlarps owns some walkie talkies. You may find by removing the aerial from a walki talki it reduces the broadcast (or receive) range to the point where it is very much more localised. Plug an iPod into the microphone jack of the broadcasting walkie talkie and play a soundtrack on endless loop that goes “click click”

[quote=“Steve Shipway”]How about replacing the ‘geiger counter’ with a device that clicks faster or slower based on the signal strength of a certain radio frequency?

Then you hide a (very weak) transmitter in your ‘radioactive source’ that is transmitting a constant signal on a set frequency, probably a very low frequency so it attenuates quicker (or would that be a very high frequency? err, i forget)

As the ‘geiger counter’ gets closer, the radio signal gets stronger, so your electronics increass the click rate.

You could even have a counter in your ‘geiger counter’ that counts the clicks, giving an indication of radiation dosage…[/quote]

I was initially thinking something like this might be possible. This would be ideal if we know sources for the equipment we need. It also eliminates problems such as players without access to detection equipment or background noise occurring when equipment is turned off. Battery life isn’t too much of a problem as long as crew battery runs don’t have to be too regular.

There’s a question mark. It’s a question. Even if the answer is leaning towards no, it’s still relevant.

Sorry to necro post.

Easily doable, what were you after?

About $100 for a source and one reciever.
$50 per reciever after than.
100m and 1600m models for about $20 extera per unit.

If you want to go the whole hog

Geiger counters are $8,000 each but…
Ionisation detectors are much cheaper.

Also I know two beaches in New Zealand where you can get some naturally occuring radioactive sand from. This is an alpha emitter so it won’t be particularly harmful unless you actually eat it.

If you want something cheaper you can just buy a metal detector or a stud finder and set up a small magnetic field. Or if you make a small electronic bug as per the instructions in the Dick Smith book on bugs, you can get anice feedback squeal going with an ordinary transistor radio for under $40.

Here you go, a electroscope for detecting radiation or any other ionisation and it only has 3 components.

amasci.com/emotor/chargdet.html

For a radiation source, grab some smoke detectors for about $10.00 each.

Nice little device :stuck_out_tongue:

Only problem I can see is, it will be overwhelmed by the static on most people.
So could not ‘see’ past them to the desired source.

A bigger resistor?