USED VICTOREEN CDV-715 Radiological Survey Meter.
GAMMA RADIATION DETECTOR, (Geiger Counter) CDV-715
Apparently the Cold War is over …….. or at least a Federal regulatory agency apparently thinks so! These were distributed to Civilian Bomb shelters throughout the country during the cold war. The unit is marked with the Civil Defense logo - a blue circle with a white triangle and red letters CD in the center of the circle.
- Detects dosage rates from .01 to 500. roentgens/hr wit +- 15% accuracy
- Detects high levels of Gamma radiation only
- Zero Adjust Knob
- Analog screen range 0-5 roentgens/hr (r/hr is multiplied by the appropriate
range scale as selected with range switch)
- Selector Switch Settings: Circuit check, Off, Zero (calibrate), X0.1 (0-.5 r/hr, X1 (0-5 r/hr), X10 (0-50 r/hr), X100 (0-500 r/hr)
- Unaffected by EMP (electro magnetic pulse), a phenomenon created by an atomic
detonation which renders most electrical systems inoperative.
- Ruggedized, Sealed meter is watertight, and resists shock and vibration damage.
- Civil Defense Department instrument issued for civilian use during and after nuclear
attack or reactor meltdown.
- Operates on standard D-Cell batteries (not included)
- Operates for over 150 hours continuous, much longer if used intermittently
- Manufactured in the early 60's
Most Civil Defense Geiger Counters were issued by the United States Civil Defense during the 1960s in the midst of the Cold War in an effort to help prepare citizens for a nuclear attack. Although referred to as geiger counters, most CD devices were radiological survey meters capable of measuring only high levels of radiation that would be present after a nuclear event.
CD meters were produced by a number of different firms under contract. Victoreen, Lionel, Electro Neutronics, Nuclear Measurements, Chatham Electronics, International Pump and Machine Works, Universal Atomics, Anton Electronic Laboratories; Landers, Frary, & Clark; El Tronics, Jordan, and Nuclear Chicago are among many of the manufactures contracted. Regardless of producer, all counters exhibit the same basic characteristics, albeit with slight variations between some production runs: a yellow case with black knobs and meter bezels. All meters had a "CD" sticker on the side of the case
CDV-715 - By far the most popular meter on the market today. This is the simplest radiological survey meter, specifically designed for high-radiation fields for which geiger counters will give incorrect readings (see above). Survey meters do not read alpha or beta radiation. They work by radiation penetrating the case of the unit and the enclosed ionization chamber to produce a visible reading between .1R/hr and 500R/hr. If you can get this unit (or any other like it) to react to any source of radiation evacuate the area immediately!
