PASCO PS-3238 User manual

Wireless Geiger Counter (PS-3238)
What’s Included
•Wireless Geiger Counter
•Threaded handle
•USB cable
Features
Battery status light
Indicates the status of the Bluetooth connection.
Light Status
Red, blink Low battery level
Yellow, solid Charging
Green, solid Fully charged
Power button
Turn the sensor on or off by pressing the power button until
the lights turn on. Turn the audible count indicator beep on
or off by pressing the power button for a half-second; two
beeps indicate that the audible count indicator beep is
turned off, and one beep indicates that it is turned on.
USB port
Charge the battery by connecting the USB port to a USB
wall charger using the USB cable. You can also use the
USB cable to connect the Wireless Geiger Counter to a PC,
Mac, Chromebook, or Android device.
Bluetooth status light
Indicates the status of the Bluetooth connection or remote
logging. See the SPARKvue or PASCO Capstone help for
instructions on using remote logging.
Light Status
Red, blink Ready to pair
Green, blink Paired
Yellow, blink Remotely logging data
Device ID
Use the device ID to identify the sensor when connecting
using Bluetooth.
Threaded hole
Attach the threaded handle to the hole for mounting the
sensor to a rod stand.
Sensor window
Place a radioactive sample in front of the window to detect
alpha, beta, and gamma particles. A built-in metal mesh
screen protects the mica window in front of the Geiger-
Müller detector tube.
First use tasks
Perform the tasks in this section before using the sensor with
students. You should also perform these tasks at the beginning
of each semester to minimize disruptions.
Charge the battery
Charge the battery by connecting the USB port to any standard
USB charger. The battery status light is solid yellow while
charging. When fully charged, the light changes to solid green.
Get the software
You can use the sensor with SPARKvue or PASCO Capstone
software. If you’re not sure which to use, visit
pasco.com/products/guides/software-comparison.
SPARKvue is available as a free app for Chromebook, iOS, and
Android devices. We offer a free trial of SPARKvue and
Capstone for Windows and Mac. To get the software, go to
pasco.com/downloads or search for SPARKvue in your device’s
app store.
If you have installed the software previously, check that you have
the latest update:
SPARKvue
Go to Main Menu > Check for Updates
PASCO Capstone
Go to Help > Check for Updates.
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Check for a firmware update
SPARKvue
1. Press the power button until the lights turn on.
2. Open SPARKvue.
3. Select Sensor Data on the Welcome Screen.
4. Select the sensor that matches its device ID.
A notification appears if a firmware update is available.
Click Yes to update the firmware.
5. Close SPARKvue
PASCO Capstone
1. Press and hold the power button until the lights turn on.
2. Open PASCO Capstone.
3. Click Hardware Setup.
4. Select the sensor that matches its device ID.
A notification appears if a firmware update is available.
Click Yes to update the firmware.
5. Close Capstone.
Getting started
Follow these procedures to begin collecting data from the
Wireless Geiger Counter using SPARKvue or PASCO Capstone.
SPARKvue
1. Turn on the Wireless Geiger Counter.
2. Launch SPARKvue, then select Sensor Data.
3. From the list of devices on the left, select the Geiger
Counter with the ID number that matches the device ID
(XXX-XXX) printed on your sensor.
4. Select the Digits template from the Templates list on the
right to enter the Experiment Screen.
5. Optional: By default, this template will display Count Rate
on the left and Interval Count on the right, as seen in Figure
1. If desired, you can click one of the boxes listing the
measurement name to select a different name. (See "Count
Types" for an explanation of the different measurements
offered by the Wireless Geiger Counter.)
6. Click Start to begin recording data.
7. Once you have finished, click Stop to end data
recording.
Figure 1. The default digits template for the Geiger Counter in
SPARKvue.
PASCO Capstone
1. Turn on the Wireless Geiger Counter.
2. Launch Capstone, then select Hardware Setup from the
Tools palette.
3. From the list of devices, select the Geiger Counter with the
ID number that matches the device ID (XXX-XXX) printed
on your sensor.
4. Click Hardware Setup again to close the Hardware Setup
menu.
5. Double-click the Digits icon in the Displays palette to
create a Digits display.
6. Click "<Select Measurement>" in the top left, then select
the desired measurement from the dropdown list. One of
the Live Count Sensor measurements is preferable, as
these readings update continuously instead of only at the
end of each sample. (See "Count Types" for an explanation
of the different measurements offered by the Wireless
Geiger Counter.)
Figure 2. The digits display in Capstone, set up to read Count Rate.
7. Click Record to begin recording data.
8. Once you have finished, click Stop to end recording
data.
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Further usage information
For more information on using the Wireless Geiger Counter,
including step-by-step instructions on using the sensor with the
software, see the SPARKvue or PASCO Capstone help:
SPARKvue
Software Main Menu > Help
Online help.pasco.com/sparkvue
PASCO Capstone
Software Help > PASCO Capstone Help
Online help.pasco.com/capstone
Search for the bold terms below to learn more about the
following features:
•Analyze the data using the tools in the Graph display.
•Control the Wireless Geiger Counter, including varying
the G-M tube voltage for Geiger plateau experiments.
•Collect data long-term by using remote data logging.
•Visualize data in a Histogram display (Capstone only).
Count Types
The Wireless Geiger Counter offers three options for measuring
and displaying the count of radioactive particles detected. Two of
these quantities are related to the sample interval, an amount
of time specified by the user in place of a sample rate. Once
data recording begins, Capstone waits the length of the sample
interval, measuring the number counts detected during that time.
At the end of the interval, it then records that measurement as a
data point and begins a new sample interval with a separate
measurement.
The different measurement options are as follows:
Count Rate
A measurement of the number of counts which were recorded
during the last complete sample interval. This value only
updates at the end of each sample interval and is measured in
units of counts/sample.
Interval Count
An ongoing measurement of the number of counts recorded in
the current sample interval. This measurement resets to 0
whenever the current interval is completed. The value updates at
a fixed rate of 10 Hz and does not include units.
Running Count
An ongoing measurement of the number of counts recorded
since data collection started. This measurement does not reset
after the software completes a sample interval. The value
updates at a fixed rate of 10 Hz and does not include units.
Mounting the sensor
The sensor can be mounted in the following ways:
•Insert the sensor into the Geiger Counter Sample Holder
(NU-3344). This option provides superior position control
for inverse square law and radiation shielding labs.
•Attach the threaded handle to the sensor, then attach the
handle to a rod stand.
Specifications and accessories
Visit the product page at pasco.com/product/PS-3238 to view
the specifications and explore accessories. You can also
download experiment files and support documents from the
product page.
Experiment files
Download one of several student-ready activities from the
PASCO Experiment Library. Experiments include editable
student handouts and teacher notes. Visit
pasco.com/freelabs/PS-3238.
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Technical Support
Need more help? Our knowledgeable and friendly Technical
Support staff is ready to answer your questions or walk you
through any issues.
Chat pasco.com
Phone [phone] x1004 (USA)
[phone] (outside USA)
Email [e-mail]
Regulatory Information
Limited Warranty
For a description of the product warranty, see the Warranty and Returns page at
www.pasco.com/legal.
Copyright
This document is copyrighted with all rights reserved. Permission is granted to non-
profit educational institutions for reproduction of any part of this manual, providing
the reproductions are used only in their laboratories and classrooms, and are not
sold for profit. Reproduction under any other circumstances, without the written
consent of PASCO scientific, is prohibited.
Trademarks
PASCO and PASCO scientific are trademarks or registered trademarks of PASCO
scientific, in the United States and in other countries. All other brands, products, or
service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of, and are used to
identify, products or services of, their respective owners. For more information visit
www.pasco.com/legal.
Product end-of-life disposal
This electronic product is subject to disposal and recycling regulations
that vary by country and region.
It is your responsibility to recycle your electronic equipment per your
local environmental laws and regulations to ensure that it will be
recycled in a manner that protects human health and the environment.
To find out where you can drop off your waste equipment for recycling, please
contact your local waste recycle or disposal service, or the place where you
purchased the product.
The European Union WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment) symbol
on the product or its packaging indicates that this product must not be disposed of
in a standard waste container.
Battery disposal
Batteries contain chemicals that, if released, may affect the environment
and human health.
Batteries should be collected separately for recycling and recycled at a
local hazardous material disposal location adhering to your country and
local government regulations.
To find out where you can drop off your waste battery for recycling, please contact
your local waste disposal service, or the product representative.
The battery used in this product is marked with the European Union symbol for
waste batteries to indicate the need for the separate collection and recycling of
batteries.
CE statement
This device has been tested and found to comply with the essential requirements
and other relevant provisions of the applicable EU Directives.
FCC statement
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept
any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
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