Unleash your superpower: This gadget lets you detect nuclear radiation

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Radiacode 103 is a radiation detector available from Amazon for $325. If you have more modest needs, the slightly lower-spec Radiacode 102 is only $255.
• It’s a fantastic, versatile, highly accurate nuclear radiation detector.
• The capability of the iOS app is behind that of the Android app.

I love using technology to give me superpowers, especially when it comes to enhancing my senses. Modern tech offers incredible tools that let us see things otherwise invisible to the naked eye.

From thermal cameras to night vision to a weird plastic sheet that’s reactive to magnetic fields, I love having the ability to uncover hidden aspects of the world around me. These advanced technologies open up new dimensions of perception, making the invisible visible and transforming our interaction with our environment.

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In my quest to harness technology for superhuman abilities, I recently purchased a Geiger counter — but not just any Geiger counter. The Radiacode 103 nuclear radiation detector is an ultrafast sensitive scintillation detector designed for searching and measuring Gamma, X-ray, and hard Beta radiation in real time. With this high-performance tool, I can accurately detect and analyze various types of radiation, further expanding my ability to uncover hidden aspects of the world around me.

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Radiacode 103 tech specs

• Detector: Thallium doped cesium iodide (CsI:TI) 10 x 10 x 10 mm crystal and solid-state photomultiplier 6 x 6 mm
• Energy resolution: 8.4% ±0.3% (FWHM) for Cs-137
• Energy range: 0.02 – 3.0 MeV
• Display: Monochrome graphic LCD, 128 x 48 pixels, 34 x 13 mm
• Battery: Lithium-polymer 3.7 V, 1000 mAh up to 200 hours on single charge (charging takes approximately 2 hours)
• Dimensions: 124 x 35 x 20 mm
• Connectivity: Bluetooth and USB-C
• Weight: 65 g 
• Dust and moisture protection: IP64

The Radiacode 103 is a top-tier portable radiation detector, dosimeter, and spectrometer, utilizing a highly sensitive scintillation detector for precise environmental radiation analysis. This is currently the highest-spec unit available from Radiacode, although the company is planning to release a version that uses a different detector — called the Radiacode 103 G — in June.

Versatile and user-friendly, the Radiacode 103 functions as a standalone unit or can be connected to iPhone or Android devices via Bluetooth. The Android app currently offers more features compared to its iOS counterpart. In Radiacode’s defense, the iOS app has been receiving significant updates recently, suggesting it will soon align more closely with the Android experience. 

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What can the Radiacode 103 do? This advanced device offers four distinct modes to cater to various radiation detection needs:

• Monitor mode: Provides real-time dose rate and count rate measurements, similar to the familiar clicking Geiger counter. This mode ensures continuous monitoring of radiation levels, giving you instant feedback on environmental conditions.
• Dose mode: Displays cumulative dose measurements, transforming the device into a personal dosimeter. This mode helps you track your long-term radiation exposure.
• Search mode: A graphical mode showing count rate in either CPM (Counts Per Minute) or CPS (Counts Per Second). This mode is ideal for pinpointing sources of radiation with precision.
• Spectrum mode: Offers a graphical display of the energy spectrum of gamma radiation on a linear or logarithmic scale. This mode is used to identify specific radioactive materials accurately.

I’ve been wandering around looking for things to test, and one thing that I found to really set off the Radiacode was tritium vials for glow tags (if you want to know the science behind why these do this, check out this informative Stack Exchange post), which pushed the counts so high that it set off an alarm.

I also live in an area where there are varying amounts of granite rock, and, by extension, radioactive radon gas, so it’s been interesting to wander about from place to place watching the background radiation vary.

Well, interesting for me.

Because the Radiacode 103 has a spectrum mode, you can use it to identify radioactive substances, which pushes it far behind what a cheap Geiger counter can do, and into the realms of serious scientific instruments.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I’m the first to admit that not everyone needs a radiation detector. For those merely curious, there are cheaper — albeit less capable — units available, such as the GQ GMC-800 (avoid the cheap, no-name brands, they’re mostly garbage). 

If you desire a true superpower and want a highly capable unit that goes well beyond just detecting radiation exposure, however, the Radiacode 103 is well worth considering. It’s the best pocket radiation detector I’ve used, packed with advanced features that far surpass basic models. With the Radiacode 103, I’ve enjoyed uncovering things I was completely blind to before, making it a valuable tool for anyone serious about radiation detection and exploring the surrounding environment.