High readings at FSM19

The high readings yesterday were the result of me playing with my new setup. Some were due to a poor connection with the Geiger tube, and others due to the proximity of some sources. I hope to try a new location in the next couple of days, but don't be surprised at strange readings.

Readings seem a bit strange. Background is a lot higher, on average, than my previous location in West London. My counter is located in a stone built semi-basement at the moment, the stone is mostly schist. There is also a marked diurnal variation, with lows in the night and highs during the day, I think this may be due to out-gassing. I am also about 60k from a former uranium mine. I plan to move the counter, or at least the tube assembly on the next month or so, either outdoors or just inside a window.

Actually I am in Portugal I was previously in the UK. Just looked at a map of household radon levels, and the typical level here is 10-100 times that in the previous location. Of course the location of the counter is a serious issue here, currently in a semi basement cellar built from local rock - schist - which is relatively porous. The whole area is highly mineralised with abandoned mines all around including lead, silver, tungsten, manganese and about 20k uranium There are more than 20 abandoned uranium mines east of my location. I am working on a couple of new counters at the moment, one with an exterior probe, and one that will be about 50 metres from the house.