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The γDog Scintillation Radiation Detector (The Gamma Dog)

The γDog Scintillation Radiation Detector (The Gamma Dog)

$1,500.00
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The γDog Scintillation Radiation Detector

The yDog is a specialized, screenless scintillator-based instrument specifically engineered for field prospecting and hot-rock hunting. Conceived and developed by Charles David Young, the device is designed to overcome the limitations of slow-responding Geiger counters when searching for buried or lower-activity specimens. It focuses entirely on massive gamma sensitivity, an instantaneous response rate, and an advanced relative audio feedback system.

Hardware Architecture & Sensitivity

Unlike typical pocket meters with integrated small crystals, the yDog acts as a dedicated control module that couples directly to a high-performance external scintillation probe to maximize field search efficiency.

  • Bicron 38B57 Probe Optimization: The system is built around the Scionix-Holland / Bicron 38B57 probe assembly, utilizing its substantial 1.5" x 2.25" Sodium Iodide—NaI(Tl)—scintillation crystal. This large crystal volume provides roughly 32 times the size of pocket spectrometers, driving an exceptionally high raw count rate (yielding 100–120 CPS at a typical natural background level) to map deep or faint gamma-ray signatures under several inches of soil and rock.

  • Weather-Resistant PETG Enclosure: The control module housing is 3D-printed using heavy-duty PETG filament, offering durable physical shock and weather resistance suited for rugged field terrain.

Advanced Squelch & Relative Audio System

Instead of forcing the user to interpret standard, slow-integrating "clicks" or constantly check a screen, the yDog uses an advanced microcontroller to drive a variable-pitch tone system tailored to the limits of human hearing.

  • Squelch-Controlled Audio: The device allows you to sample the local background radiation of your environment. The audio remains completely silent (squelched) until that specific ambient baseline is exceeded, allowing for a quiet hike until a target is crossed.

  • Exponential Pitch Conversion: Small variations in your count rate are mapped exponentially. An increase of just 30 to 50 CPS above your background causes a massive, unmistakable jump in the audio pitch. This allows an operator to instantly hear tiny, localized fluctuations as small as 5 CPS that a standard meter would hide.

  • Real-Time Responsiveness: The internal system measures radiation data in 1/10th-of-a-second intervals using a 1-second integration time base. This eliminates standard electronic lag, producing an audio tone that shifts the instant the probe swings over a target.

Field Gestures & Operation Modes

The yDog features a minimalist physical interface consisting of two buttons with status LEDs and an internal speaker. It handles setup and mode adjustments entirely via internal orientation sensors (accelerometer/gyroscope) using simple hand gestures.

  • Manual Background Sampling: Re-sampling or locking the background threshold can be triggered directly in the field using physical rolling movements to set "Closed" (completely silent above background) or "Open" squelch baselines.

  • Automatic Shifting Mode: The device can be toggled into an automatic mode that monitors moving baseline trends, dynamically adjusting the squelch as the general geography or ground material changes. It is carefully calibrated to remain stable and avoid constant chatter while walking, though it can be manually re-centered on the fly by lowering the device horizontally to the ground.

  • Inertial Sleep State: If the device is left completely at rest for a prolonged period (such as when placed on the ground while actively digging out a pocket), the internal sensors temporarily power down the probe's high-voltage lines to save battery and protect components. The unit wakes instantly the second it is picked back up.

Wireless Data & Spectroscopy Features

  • Bluetooth Telemetry Logging: The built-in Bluetooth transmitter pairs with standard terminal applications (like Bluefruit Connect) on a smartphone. It streams real-time logs including timestamps, raw count rates, and baseline telemetry for logging GPS waypoints and tracking field finds.

  • ySpec Field Spectroscopy: The control board contains an integrated pulse shaper that outputs pulse-height spectroscopy data wirelessly. By issuing simple terminal commands over Bluetooth, you can run a field spectrum collection and export a two-column raw data array to clean software programs (like Excel or Google Sheets), making it simple to visually distinguish between Thorium and Uranium decay strings right in the field.

Power & Field Charging

  • Dual 18650 Battery Setup: Powered by two EBL 18650 Lithium-ion (3000mAh each) batteries, forming a high-capacity power bank capable of handling a full day of continuous prospecting on a single charge.

  • The Power-On Charging Rule: The charging circuit requires that the physical power switch be placed in the ON position when plugged into a USB cable. The logic will protect the array and will not accept an external charge if the unit is switched off.

  • Acoustic Power Indication: Upon startup, the device emits distinct diagnostic audio tones indicating its current battery capacity status.

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