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Physics 152 Set Up Instructions:
Measuring the Radioactivity of a Smoke Detector
(with Aware Electronics RM-60 detectors)
Lab Directions

Basic Idea:

Number of setups: [an error occurred while processing this directive] Equipment Needed (each setup):

  What: How Many: Where:
Smoke detector 1 Majors storeroom, shelf L1
RM-60 Micro Roentgen Radiation Monitors 1 Majors storeroom, shelf L1
RJ-11 cable (i.e. telephone wire) 1 Majors storeroom, shelf L1
8-pin serial port adapter
(see configuration notes below) 		1 Majors storeroom, shelf L1
Beaker (three-prong) clamp 1 non-Majors storeroom, shelf C4
Short rod & base 1 non-Majors storeroom, shelf A3
Right angle clamp 1 non-Majors storeroom, shelf B3
Other goodies:
Chart of the Nuclides All we have
(place on the benches) 		Majors storeroom, shelf L1
Assorted metal pieces
for blocking radiation 		1 box
(place on front bench)		 Majors storeroom, shelf L3
Computer speakers 1 pair Jeff will take care of these
The following is set up for the Geiger counter demo:
Old oscilloscope 1 Majors storeroom
Baird Atomic Geiger Counter & Timer 1 Majors storeroom, shelf L3
Geiger Tube 1 Majors storeroom, shelf L3
Tube stand 1 Majors storeroom, shelf L3
BNC cables 2 Bewkes 205
BNC (female) to doube-banana (male) adapter 1 Majors storeroom, shelf B2

Computers Needed?

Notes:

The following instructions are obsolete, and are kept only for historical significance!

  • Configuring AW-SRAD software (if installing under Windows 98 with a serial connection for the first time, read these additional notes first):

    1. Connect a serial or parallel port adapter to the back of the computer (if you don't know the difference, you shouldn't be screwing around with the computer!)
    2. Connect the radiation monitor to the port adapter.
    3. Start AW-SRAD program. Choose Setup, Input Port. Select the port to which the monitor is connected, or choose Auto-Find COM Port (for serial connection) or Auto-Find LPT Port (for parallel). After a few moments, the correct port will be selected (if a port is not found, and all connections are correct, follow these instructions for running AW-SRAD in a pure DOS environment).
    4. To save these settings, select the Setup menu, then Disk Write All Settings (if this is not done, the program will forget the rad monitor port).

  • Windows 98 serial (COM) port configuration notes (from Aware Electronics web site):

    Computers running Windows 98 need to instruct Windows not to insert Windows special added code for COM ports; if this step is not performed, Windows will crash (BSOD!) when AW_SRAD is exited (Note: The following does not apply to printer (LPT) port usage):

    Use a text editor to edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Add the following to the bottom of the file:

    C:\AWARE\RESERVE.EXE -A3f8 -I4

    where C:\AWARE is the path to Aware Electronics RESERVE.EXE program (download a copy from Aware's web site); 3f8 is the address of the serial port; and 4 is the IRQ number for the serial port (these settings are for COM1).

  • Running AW-SRAD in a pure DOS environment: If the previous instructions have been followed, and auto-find cannot detect the port where the monitor is connected, configure AW-SRAD to run in a "DOS-only" mode:

    1. Right-click on the AW-SRAD icon, and choose Properties.
    2. Click the Program tab; in the window that appears, click the Advanced... button.
    3. Check the box next to "MD-DOS mode". Click OK to close the window.
  • When the AW-SRAD icon is double-clicked, Windows will exit, and the computer will restart in DOS mode. Then AW-SRAD will start. Configure the port as instructed above; the correct port should now be recognized. When the program is exited, Windows will restart. This fixed the non-recognition of the parallel port.

 

  • Return To Setup Instructions

    ©Jeffrey R. Miller St. Lawrence University Department of Physics
    Revised: 14 Jan 20 Canton, NY 13617