Rad Pro: Suggestions for improvement

[DG0MG]

English text below!

Ich möchte hier mal ein paar Verbesserungsvorschläge unterbreiten, die für mich den Wert dieser großartigen, alternativen Software weiter erhöhen würden. RadPro habe ich bisher auf dem BOSEAN FS-600 und dem FS2011 zu laufen. Natürlich weiß ich, dass das hier kein "Wünsch Dir was" ist, aber loswerden möchte ich eine Menge von Vorschlägen trotzdem :) . Ich werde die Änderungen so beschreiben, dass sie "optional" wären und das bisherige Bedienkonzept nur ergänzen, nicht komplett über den Haufen werfen. Die Reihenfolge gibt die Wichtigkeit aus meiner subjektiven Sicht an:

1. Größer und dreistellig

Die Anzeige ist größtenteils vierstellig. Also 0,019 µSv/h oder 10.23 cpm oder 7,524 cpm oder 0,134 cps oder 10,89 µrem/h. Ich finde 4 Stellen unnötig, insbesondere bei diesen kleinen Zählrohren täuscht das eine Genauigkeit vor, die gar nicht vorhanden sein kann. Andererseits ist die Größe der Ziffern nur ca. 1/3 der verfügbaren Displayhöhe. Grundregel bei Strahlungsmessgeräten: Weit weg vom Körper halten! Ist das Display zu klein, geht das nicht, weil man die Anzeige nicht mehr ablesen kann. Ein positives Beispiel ist der RANGER: https://www.geigercounters.com/Ranger/ mit riesengroßen Ziffern. Das wäre auch für die Mineraliensammler wichtig, die ihre Geräte an einen Stock pappen und am Boden führen, wie einen Metalldetektor.

Vorschlag: Nur 3 Stellen anzeigen, dafür einen größeren, fetten Font verwenden. Um nun niemand vor den Kopf zu stoßen, der die jetzige (4stellige) Anzeige gut findet, könnte man dem zyklischen Umschalten zwischen "Instantaneous", "History", "Dose", "Average" einen weiteren Screen "Instantaneous BIG" hinzufügen, auf dem keine Standardabweichung, Time usw. angezeigt wird, sondern nur der Messwert in möglichst großen Ziffern und vielleicht kleiner noch die Messeinheit. Falls man das noch weiter ausbaut, wäre vielleicht auch ein Menüpunkt sinnvoll, mit dem man nach persönlicher Vorliebe auswählen kann, mit welchem konkreten Screen RadPro immer startet.

2. HOLD weg!

Die "HOLD"-Funktion finde ich geradezu gefährlich, eigentlich würde ich sie gerne weggelassen oder zumindest versteckter sehen. Wenn man nicht gerade den Ticker an hat, merkt man im HOLD nicht, wenn man in einem gefährlichen Strahlungsfeld steht: Die Anzeige zeigt weiter 0,12 µSv/h, obwohl nebenan ein Röntgengerät arbeitet oder ein fetter Pechblendebrocken neben dem Gerät liegt. Auch bleibt HOLD aktiv, ohne nach Ablauf einer Zeit x wieder in den Normalmode zu wechseln. Falls das doch jemand gut findet:
Vorschlag: Vielleicht könnte man die Tasten und deren bei Druck aufgerufene Aktionen konfigurierbar machen? Also ein Menüpunkt: Was soll passieren, wenn man außerhalb des Menüs "ZURÜCK" oder "OK" drückt? HOLD würde ich in diesem Fall komplett wegkonfigurieren. Alternativ: HOLD nur mit einem Doppeltastendruck erreichbar.

3. Ruhe/Mute

Schließt an Vorschlag #2 an: Ich fände es sehr sinnvoll, wenn man den Ticker mit einem einzigen Tastendruck ein und wieder ausschalten könnte. Es ist auf dem Flohmarkt ziemlich unpraktikabel, sich jedesmal durch das Menü zu hangeln, um diese total wichtige Funktion ein- und wieder abzuschalten. Wenn man die Aktion der "ZURÜCK"- oder "OK"-Tasten einstellbar hätte, würde ich auf "ZURÜCK" die Aktion "Mute Ein/Aus" legen. Dazu korrespondierend müsste am oberen Rand neben dem Batteriesymbol ein leeres oder durchgestrichenes bzw. ausgefülltes Lautsprechersymbol den aktuellen Status optisch vermitteln. Per Definition würde MUTE jegliche akustischen Signale stummschalten.

4. HV-Regelung

Wie wir ja schon festgestellt haben, lässt sich durch Änderung der PWM-Parameter die Stromaufnahme des Gesamtgerätes gut senken. Man weiß aber als Bediener nicht so genau, wann es denn "zuviel des Guten" mit Verkürzen des Duty cycle oder Herabsetzen der PWM-Frequenz ist. Deswegen hätte ich gerne die Möglichkeit, eine echte "Regelung" zu verwenden. Das geht natürlich nur mit einer Hardwaremodifikation, die ist nicht jedermanns Sache. Man könnte die beiden 200V-Z-Dioden parallel zum Zählrohr nach GND ausbauen und diese dann gleich wieder in eine Rückführung Richtung Prozessor wiederverwenden. Einen genauen Schaltungsvorschlag müsste man diskutieren. Wenn der Prozessor über die Rückführung Signal bekommt, dass die 400 V vorhanden/erreicht sind, kann er die Abstände zwischen den Pulsen verlängern, wenn nicht, dann wieder schneller aufeinanderfolgend pulsen. Der zugehörige Menüpunkt im "Custom Profile" müsste dann etwas wie "Hardware control loop" heißen. Die Breite der Impulse müsste einstellbar bleiben.

5. Logging

Beim Logging ist mir die Funktion unklar, in der Doku ist das auch nicht deutlich genug beschrieben: https://github.com/Gissio/radpro/blob/main/docs/users.md

"To log data using Rad Pro, select a data logging interval in the settings. Data is automatically logged in the background."

Die Intervalle können 1, 5, 10, 30, 60 Minuten sein. Aber was wird da genau geloggt? Der Mittelwert zwischen den Logging-Zeitpunkten, also z.B. über 60 Minuten? Oder der "Instantaneous"-Wert? Oder der "Average"-Wert, mit der bei "Average Timer" eingestellten Mittelungszeit? In allen Fällen könnte man wohl kurzzeitige Dosisleistungserhöhungen in den gespeicherten Messwerten nicht wiederfinden.

Mir schwebt deshalb noch etwas vor, wie: Nur loggen, wenn ein Threshold überschritten ist - z.B. der bei "Rate Alarm" eingestellte Wert. Oder ein spezieller "Logging Threshold". Oder noch besser: Ein Schwellenwert in Prozent des "Instantaneous" über dem "Average"-Wert. Dann würde man "Average" auf 1 Stunde stellen und den Schwellenwert z.B. auf 30%. Steigt der Messwert "Instantaneous" ggü. des Langzeit-Mittel "Average" auf 130% an, beginnt das Loggen  in eingestellten Intervallen bis die Bedingung nicht mehr gegeben ist. Das wäre entweder, wenn der "Instantaneous" wieder abgesunken ist oder der "Average" bis auf den neuen, höheren Dauerwert hochgelaufen ist. Klar ist, das damit die maximale Loggingzeit nicht mehr vorhersagbar wäre, sondern von der Anzahl Ereignissen abhängen würde.

Wozu wäre das nützlich? Wenn man über eine längere Messzeit kurze Ereignisse nachweisen will. Z.B.: Wann wird in einer Arztpraxis geröntgt? Oder: Wann fährt irgendwo ein radioaktiver Transport vorbei? Hinterher in der Auswertung interessieren nur die Zeiten mit den erhöhten Werten, nicht die Messwerte dazwischen.

. . .

Inzwischen weiß ich, dass man mit einem FS-600 bei 1-Minuten-Intervallen 2 Monate loggen kann, das ist enorm. Vielleicht werde ich doch mal ein diesbezügliches Praxisexperiment starten. Vielleicht wäre stattdessen die Auswahl, ob bei vollem Speicher das Logging abgeschalten oder alte Daten überschrieben werden, wichtig. Ich kann mir für beide Varianten Anwendungsfälle vorstellen.

6. Backlight

Eine zusätzliche Option "Display" ==> "Backlight" ==> "On for 10 seconds" wäre schön.

7. Impulszähler

Ein Impulszähler. Oder "Counter". Mit einer einstellbaren Messzeit: z.B. 10, 100, 1000 sec, unendlich. Nach Ablauf der Zeit bleibt der Zähler mit der reinen Impulszahl stehen. Ein Druck auf eine Taste setzt den Zähler zurück auf Null, lässt die MEsszeit erneut loslaufen und zählt die einlaufenden Ticks hoch. Wäre sinnvoll z.B. für Kontaminationsmessungen an Lebensmitteln mit einem Pancake-Zählrohr.

8. Bargraph-Display

Ein waagerechtes, logarithmisches Bargraph-Display. Also ein Balken, der einen großen Bereich (1, 10, 100, 1000, 10.000 cpm) abdeckt. Soetwas wäre zur Suche wichtig. Das History-Diagramm der letzten 10 min ist zwar auch schön, eignet sich aber nicht zum Suchen, da zu wenig agil.

9. High Accuracy

Abgeschaut vom 6150AD6 und FH40F2: Ein Modus, der solange misst, bis genügend Impulse eingegangen sind, dass die Standardabweichung bspw. unter 5% liegt. Dazu sind 400 Impulse nötig, das kann bei niedriger Dosisleistung und/oder kleinem Zählrohr eine ganze Weile dauern. Bis das nicht der Fall ist, zeigt der FH40F2 gar nichts, an, der 6150AD6 hat solange einen blinkenden Messwert.

10. Pulse flashes invertiert

Die Funktion "Backlight" ==> "Pulse flashes" ist eine großartige Sache, das hat niemand anders. Aber wenn man sie benutzt, merkt man eine Schwäche: Im Hellen ist alles okay, kommt man aber in eine düstere Ecke, kann man das Display nicht mehr lesen. Bei einem Tastendruck geht aber auch das Licht nicht mehr an.
Vorschlag: Könnte man nicht "Pulse flashes" als extra Menü-Option ON/OFF machen, unabhängig von der eingestellten Einschaltzeit des Backlights? Wenn das Licht aus ist, lassen es Pulse kurz aufblitzen, also so, wie bisher. Wenn es aber schon AN ist, könnten die Pulse das Licht kurz AUSgehen lassen. Damit wäre die Funktion auch im Dunklen zu benutzen und mit der jetzt vorhandenen Displaybeleuchtung (spätestens bei Tastendruck) ist das Gerät dann auch wieder im Dunklen zu bedienen.

11. Tastenklick

Die Betätigung einer beliebigen Taste darf das Gerät gerne mit einem Beepton, der etwas länger, als ein "Tick" ist quittieren - natürlich im Menü ein- und ausschaltbar. Das verbessert die Haptik bei diesen Folientastaturen. Schliesst an #3 an, bei Übersteuerung der Einstellung durch MUTE wären die Tastenklicks auch aus.

12. Haptic Clicks

Abgeschaut vom RADEX ONE: Mindestens eins der unterstützen Geräte (der GC-01) besitzt ja einen Vibrationsmotor. Ein sinnvolles Feature für "konspirative" Messaufgaben (z.B. auf dem Flohmarkt) ist, die Ticks, die ja schon mittels Buzzer (akustisch), LED oder Backlight (optisch) wiedergegeben werden können, durch kurzes Aktivieren des Vibros auch "erfühlbar" zu machen. Man muss dann das Messgerät weder sehen, noch Unruhe durch den Buzzer verursachen.

13. Batterieprofil

Auch wenn der FS-600 für 3 AAA-Zellen vorgesehen ist, könnte man in das Batteriefach auch eine flache Li-Ion-Zelle einbauen. Wenn man dazu unter "Battery Type" neben Alkaline und NiMH zusätzlich auch Li-Ion einstellen könnte, sollte niemand anderen stören.

14. Zwei-Tasten-Bedienung

Der BOSEAN FS-1000 hat ja laut Fotos nur 2 Tasten. Dessen Bedienkonzept muss also etwas anders, als beim FS-600 oder FS2011 mit 5 Tasten sein. Leider habe ich keinen FS-1000 und mit dem RadPro-PC-Simulator kann man auch nur die 5-Tasten-Bedienung simulieren. Ich könnte mir als Bastelprojekt vorstellen, einen FS2011 zu "schlachten" und die Platine in einen defekten Uralt-Geigerzähler einzubauen. Dort, wo das Zeigerinsrument war, kommt das Display hin. Zwei Tasten oder wenigstens Durchbrüche im Gehäuse sind meistens schon vorhanden, so dass es von Vorteil wäre, z.B. die FS2011-Hardware optional auch mit 2-Tasten-Bedienung benutzen zu können.

An alle Leser: Schaut auch mal ins deutsche Geigerzaehlerforum: https://www.geigerzaehlerforum.de

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I would like to make a few suggestions for improvements that would further increase the value of this great alternative software for me. I have RadPro running on the BOSEAN FS-600 and FS-2011 so far. Of course I know that this is not a "make a wish", but I would like to get rid of a lot of suggestions anyway :) . I will describe the changes in such a way that they are "optional" and only supplement the existing operating concept, not completely overthrow it. The order indicates the importance from my subjective point of view:

1. larger and three digits

Most of the display has four digits. So 0.019 µSv/h or 10.23 cpm or 7.524 cpm or 0.134 cps or 10.89 µrem/h. I find 4 digits unnecessary, especially with these small counting tubes, it gives the illusion of an accuracy that cannot exist. On the other hand, the size of the digits is only about 1/3 of the available display height. Basic rule for radiation meters: Keep it far away from your body! If the display is too small, it will not work because you will no longer be able to read the display. A positive example is the RANGER: https://www.geigercounters.com/Ranger/ with huge digits. This would also be important for mineral collectors who attach their devices to a stick and carry them on the ground like a metal detector.

Suggestion: Display only 3 digits, but use a larger, bold font. In order not to offend anyone who likes the current (4-digit) display, you could add another screen "Instantaneous BIG" to the cyclical switching between "Instantaneous", "History", "Dose", "Average", on which no standard deviation, time etc. is displayed, but only the measured value in the largest possible digits and perhaps the unit of measurement in smaller digits. If you expand this further, it might also be useful to have a menu item that allows you to choose which specific screen RadPro always starts with, depending on your personal preference.

2nd HOLD gone!

I find the "HOLD" function downright dangerous, I would actually like to see it removed or at least hidden. If you don't have the ticker on, you don't notice in HOLD if you are standing in a dangerous radiation field: The display continues to show 0.12 µSv/h, even though an X-ray machine is working next door or a fat chunk of pitchblende is lying next to it. HOLD also remains active without switching back to normal mode after a time x has elapsed. In case someone does like this:

Suggestion: Maybe you could make the buttons and their actions configurable when pressed? So a menu item: What should happen if you press "BACK" or "OK" outside the menu? In this case, I would configure HOLD completely away. Alternatively: HOLD can only be accessed by pressing a button twice.

3. silence/mute

Ties in with suggestion #2: I would find it very useful if you could switch the ticker on and off again with a single keystroke. It's quite impractical at the flea market to go through the menu every time to switch this totally important function on and off again. If the action of the "BACK" or "OK" buttons could be set, I would assign the "Mute On/Off" action to "BACK". Corresponding to this, an empty or crossed-out or filled-in loudspeaker symbol should visually convey the current status at the top edge next to the battery symbol. By definition, MUTE would mute all acoustic signals.

4. HV control

As we have already established, the current consumption of the entire device can be reduced by changing the PWM parameters. However, as an operator, you don't know exactly when it is "too much of a good thing" to shorten the duty cycle or reduce the PWM frequency. That's why I would like to have the option of using a real "control". Of course, this is only possible with a hardware modification, which is not everyone's cup of tea. You could remove the two 200V Z diodes in parallel to the counter tube to GND and then reuse them in a return path towards the processor. An exact circuit proposal would have to be discussed. If the processor receives a signal via the feedback that the 400 V is present/reached, it can extend the intervals between the pulses; if not, it can pulse more quickly in succession. The corresponding menu item in the "Custom Profile" should then be called something like "Hardware control loop". The width of the pulses should remain adjustable.

5. logging

The logging function is unclear to me, and it is not described clearly enough in the documentation: https://github.com/Gissio/radpro/blob/main/docs/users.md

"To log data using Rad Pro, select a data logging interval in the settings. Data is automatically logged in the background."

The intervals can be 1, 5, 10, 30, 60 minutes. But what exactly is being logged? The average value between the logging times, e.g. over 60 minutes? Or the "Instantaneous" value? Or the "Average" value, with the averaging time set for "Average Timer"? In all cases, it would probably not be possible to find short-term dose rate increases in the stored measured values.

I therefore have something in mind, such as: Only log when a threshold is exceeded - e.g. the value set for "Rate Alarm". Or a special "Logging Threshold". Or even better: A threshold value as a percentage of the "Instantaneous" above the "Average" value. Then you would set "Average" to 1 hour and the threshold value to 30%, for example. If the measured value "Instantaneous" rises to 130% compared to the long-term average "Average", logging starts at set intervals until the condition is no longer met. This would be either when the "Instantaneous" has dropped again or the "Average" has run up to the new, higher continuous value. It is clear that the maximum logging time would no longer be predictable, but would depend on the number of events.

What would that be useful for? If you want to detect short events over a longer measurement period. FOR EXAMPLE: When is an X-ray performed in a doctor's surgery? Or: When does a radioactive transport pass somewhere? Afterwards in the evaluation, only the times with the increased values are of interest, not the measured values in between.

...

I now know that you can log 2 months with an FS-600 at 1-minute intervals, which is enormous. Perhaps I will start a practical experiment in this regard. Perhaps the selection of whether logging is switched off or old data is overwritten when the memory is full would be important instead. I can imagine use cases for both variants.

6. backlight

An additional option "Display" ==> "Backlight" ==> "On for 10 seconds" would be nice.

7. pulse counter

A pulse counter. Or "Counter". With an adjustable measuring time: e.g. 10, 100, 1000 sec, infinite. After the time has elapsed, the counter stops with the pure pulse count. Pressing a button resets the counter to zero, starts the measuring time again and counts up the incoming ticks. Would be useful, for example, for contamination measurements on food with a pancake counter tube.

8. bargraph display

A horizontal, logarithmic bargraph display. In other words, a bar that covers a large range (1, 10, 100, 1000, 10,000 cpm). Something like this would be important for searching. The history diagram of the last 10 minutes is also nice, but is not suitable for searching as it is not agile enough.

9. High Accuracy

Taken from the AUTOMESS 6150AD6 and FAG FH40F2: A mode that measures until enough pulses have been received for the standard deviation to be below 5%, for example. This requires 400 pulses, which can take quite a while if the dose rate is low and/or the counter tube is small. Until this is not the case, the FH40F2 does not display anything, while the 6150AD6 has a flashing measured value.

10. pulse flashes inverted

The "Backlight" ==> "Pulse flashes" function is a great thing, nobody else has it. But when you use it, you notice a weakness: in bright light everything is okay, but if you get into a dark corner, you can no longer read the display. But when you press a button, the light no longer comes on either.

Suggestion: Couldn't you make "Pulse flashes" an extra ON/OFF menu option, independent of the set switch-on time of the backlight? When the light is off, the pulses flash briefly, as before. However, if it is already ON, the pulses could cause the light to go OFF briefly. This would allow the function to be used in the dark and with the existing display illumination (at the latest when a button is pressed), the device can also be operated in the dark.

11. button click

The device can acknowledge the pressing of any key with a beep that is slightly longer than a "tick" - which can of course be switched on and off in the menu. This improves the feel of these membrane keyboards. This follows on from #3, if the setting is overridden by MUTE, the key clicks would also be off.

12. haptic clicks

Copied from the RADEX ONE: At least one of the supported devices (the GC-01) has a vibration motor. A useful feature for "conspiratorial" measuring tasks (e.g. at the flea market) is to make the ticks, which can already be reproduced by buzzer (acoustic), LED or backlight (optical), "tangible" by briefly activating the vibro. You then do not have to see the measuring device or cause any disturbance with the buzzer.

13. battery profile

Even if the FS-600 is designed for 3 AAA cells, you could also install a flat Li-Ion cell in the battery compartment. If you could also set Li-Ion in addition to alkaline and NiMH under "Battery Type", nobody else should be bothered.

14. two-button operation

According to the photos, the BOSEAN FS-1000 only has 2 buttons. Its operating concept must therefore be somewhat different from that of the FS-600 or FS-2011 with 5 buttons. Unfortunately, I don't have an FS-1000 and with the RadPro PC simulator you can only simulate 5-button operation. I could imagine "butchering" an FS-2011 and installing the circuit board in a defective vintage Geiger counter. The display would go where the pointer instrument used to be. Two buttons or at least openings in the housing are usually already present, so it would be an advantage to be able to use the FS2011 hardware with two-button operation, for example.

To all readers: Have a look at the German Geigerzaehlerforum: https://www.geigerzaehlerforum.de

[Gissio]

Will be considered for Rad Pro 2.1 the next release.

[gkulka-web]

+1 from me for big numbers on additional screen of GC-01, Very useful feature while scanning pile of rock pieces.

[Gissio]

DG0MG:

A lot of your suggestions made it to 2.0rc3.

Regarding your fifth suggestion: I always try to apply the KISS principle and "the best part is no part". What I did add is 30-second and 10-second data logging options.

Your seventh suggestion was already available in 2.0rc2 with the "average timer". Your ninth suggestion is now available as "confidence intervals" in the "average timer".

Your tenth suggestion suffers from a terrible problem: high radiation levels would keep the display dark, which I think would be quite dangerous. What I did add is "display flashes" (also on the FNIRSI GC-01), which flash the display on each pulse once the display timer expires.

Regarding suggestion number 13: isn't it easier to use a USB powerbank? Again, the best part is no part.

In the particular case of the Bosean FS-600, suggestion number 14 is easily achievable. As the FS-600 and FS-1000 share the electronics board, you just need to upload the FS-1000 version of Rad Pro to your FS-600 and should be able to "enjoy" two-button operation. I quote enjoy because it is honestly not very convenient.

I'm eager to hear your comments.

[DG0MG]

Your ninth suggestion is now available as "confidence intervals" in the "average timer".

I've tried this with RadPro 2.0 on a BOSEAN FS-600 with normal background and nothing changed over the measurement.

`20% ~20 min
10% ~1:08 h
5% ~4:45 h

Pulsrate was 5.435 cpm.
`
I thought it was nice that the measurement continues in the background. So if I reach "DONE" at 20% and then set it to 10%, I don't have to start all over again, but the previous measurement is included.
But if I explicitly want to start a new average measurement: Is there a way to "reset" the measurement without turning the device off and on again?

Yes, there is: press BACK (or PLAY/PAUSE on the FS2011) for a longer time. It says so in the documentation but the point is a bit hard to find. :O

A disadvantage or even dangerous is again (as with HOLD) the fact that the display shows a dose rate, which may no longer change when the environment changes (X-ray device switched on), even though nothing is broken on the measuring device.

Not important, but the following suggestion:
Do not completely stop and freeze the measurement display after "DONE", but continue to display the generated average value of the ongoing measurement. If the dose rate suddenly increased significantly, you would see it on the display, slowly, but still.
You really only have to signal whether the displayed mean value has fallen below the preselected confidence interval or not. I wouldn't do this with a tiny "DONE" in text form, but let the measured value (the 4 numbers) flash as long as it is not "finished". So 10% set: 12.5% ​​current: dose rate flashes, as soon as it is below 10%: stops flashing, but measurement ongoing.

[DG0MG]

Wow, that looks great! :D

With the flash tool I didn't have to figure out the syntax of ST-FLASH.EXE for the first time.. ^^

By number 7 I really just meant pulses, not pulses per unit of time or a converted unit. The RadEye B20 also has a mode like this, it's called "Scaler". So you choose a measuring time of x seconds and after it has elapsed you get a pulse number, for example 719 counts.
This could be useful if you connect a pancake counter and measure samples in a lead castle. If it really already exists, then I haven't found it yet.. :)

Number 10: Okay, that Solution works great too and is perhaps more intuitive.

Number 14: Yes, you are right. But I've never seen an FS1000 from a European shipper and if I have, it's quite expensive to tinker with. This also applies to the FS-600 to a somewhat lesser extent. It has a nice case and is actually (NOW, with RadPro!) a device to use. Things look different with FS2011. I would “slaughter” one of these (30 EUR) without any qualms in order to continue using the board. But it was just an idea.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK!

[Gissio]

I just made a minor correction to the source code, as there was a crash under certain circumstances. You might want to update the code.

BTW, you are the first to test 2.0rc4. Try pressing the back key in the measurement views!

[DG0MG]

Now I FEEL the radiation! This are more right parameters for the vibrator! :D
I've ordered an other type of Motor and will try this too: https://www.pollin.de/p/miniatur-vibrationsmotor-4x11-mm-3-v-310746
The two-button operation isn't that bad, it's easy to get used to.

And the BACK-Button switches between cpm-Rate, Max, Time and the Bargraph.

[Gissio]

I put quite some effort for two button operation to be as smooth as possible.

Did you try both strong and weak? What difference do you notice?

[Gissio]

Can I use the photo you posted above to showcase Rad Pro?

[DG0MG]

yes, of course!

[DG0MG]

With the FS2011 (STM32F051) there are no ticks - neither from the buzzer nor from the backlight. If necessary, I'll open an issue.
Maybe there's just something wrong with the device-configuration, because there's the menu item "haptic pulses", which shouldn't be visible either.

[DG0MG]

As written above, I tried another vibration motor whose technical data is known:
https://www.pollin.de/p/miniatur-vibrationsmotor-4x11-mm-3-v-310746

Under the geiger tube is the transistor Q5 which switches to GND. The motor's positive side must be connected to either 3.3 volts or the positive battery voltage.

The motor is glued to the board with a drop of glue:

and then you can switch on weak or stronger vibrations for each “tick” in the menu under “pulses” ==> “haptic pulses”:

Did you try both strong and weak? What difference do you notice?

Yes, I tried both variants and you can notice a clear difference between the two. If you have the FS2011 in your hand, the "WEAK" option is completely sufficient, for example to check a ceramic vessel at the flea market to see whether it has a uranium glaze or whether an alarm clock has radium color on the hands. All of this without having to look at the display or even disturb the surrounding area with buzzer noises.

[DG0MG]

By number 7 I really just meant pulses, not pulses per unit of time or a converted unit. The RadEye B20 also has a mode like this, it's called "Scaler". So you choose a measuring time of x seconds and after it has elapsed you get a pulse number, for example 719 counts. This could be useful if you connect a pancake counter and measure samples in a lead castle.

Another reason for such a 'scaler' mode would be the use of cheap Geiger counters in schools and educational institutions for many students themselves. Not just for the teacher in Front of the class. Here, in experiments or demonstrations, measurements are not taken in µSv/h, cpm or cps, but only in pulses. Sometimes the expensive teaching materials have a measurement time preset of 1, 10, 100 or 1000 seconds and stop the counter at the touch of a button after the measurement has started, once the measurement time has elapsed. Sometimes you also have to run a clock yourself.

An example here: https://www.phywe.de/geraete-zubehoer/messgeraete/radioaktivitaet-zaehlrohre/geiger-mueller-zaehler_2146_3077/
4-digit counting display, fixed measuring times 1/10/60/100/300 sec.

Under this video review of an FNIRSI GC-01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G08jodD11F4 a teacher asks whether it has exactly this counting function. No, it doesn't, but unfortunately re-flashing it to RadPro doesn't help him either :o

I imagine that in RadPro there is an additional item "Counts" or "impulses" under the menu item "Units". If you set that as the unit, the display should count the incoming impulses from 0000 to a maximum of 9999. Possibly with suppressed leading zeros. The start could be done by pressing a button (such as pressing BACK or PLAY/PAUSE), the stop could be done when the measurement time has elapsed or by pressing another button. I think it is particularly important for teaching purposes that you can see the counting, i.e. how quickly the numbers are changing.

[Gissio]

Solution 1: Select "cps" or "cpm" units, go to "Dose" view and use your phone's timer. Start by resetting the dose.

Solution 2: Set up an "Average" timer, go to "Average" view and select the secondary "Dose" view. Start by resetting the average.

[DG0MG]

Okay, thanks - I've tried both versions. The first one is closer to what I had in mind and I like it better, even though there is no timer and you have to quickly read off when the measurement time has elapsed. I will spread this idea in appropriate places.

[Gissio]

Would adding more time averaging options (1 minute, 10 seconds, 1 second) to option 2 be useful?

[alfmck]

Thank Gissio very much for implementing instantaneous averaging function where we can choose adaptive fast calculation.
Long years ago, I had a task to find an active source somewhere in the room or another place. I build simply device which has a counter and a digital indicator showing increasing number of counted particles. The counter also had a reset button. In this case moving in the place, I could fast watch real situation on the tube in exact time and it much helped to find an active source place. I wish this function in radpro too.
And again, very thank for Your Great work.

[Gissio]

Thanks for thanking.

By "has a counter and a digital indicator showing increasing number of counted particles" I understand a display that shows the counts in real time.

How would this be different from the "cumulative dose" view, with the units set to CPS or CPM?

[alfmck]

Cumulative dose would be OK. But the problem is that in my device now it shows 28.09 kcounts and I can see change only after accumulating extra 10 counts. Better is the value of tube life pulses in Statistic menu.
I suggest placing two first rows from Statistics menu into separate window with easy possibility to reset values to zero and faster renew screen data, maybe every 0.15-0.3 sek. BTW for solving my task I used 3 times more sensitive tube than J321.

[Gissio]

Can't you reset the cumulative dose by keeping the back key pressed?

[alfmck]

Really, I can! Thank Gissio for help. And the Time value also is in the left upper corner. And faster renewing of screen data is not very important - in my case helps pulse LED indication.