GQ GMC-500+ (Plus) Geiger Counter Nuclear Radiation Detector Monitor Beta Gamma X-Ray Dosimeter

Measuring Radiation is complicated to understand, at least for me.All I want to know is if the levels are safe or not.This very well thought out & uncomplicated product tells you exactly that.Short press of power button illuminates the screen while showing the power remaining in the replaceable battery.Long press turns it on.Charging is via supplied usb cable but no plug supplied, im using a usb mains charger plug that charges my phone.The screen rotates as you turn it so it can be set on its side or bottom.The backlit screen is dimmable with time out, brightness and contrast & you can set the screen to off or constant on.If the screen times out (depending on settings) then moving the detector will make the back light come on.The display is nice and easy to read with black font against what looks to me like a very pale blue white light.Its not too cluttered with info either.Its also a dose meter & has a food setting.Dont know how long the battery lasts but I have used it with the back light on for around 5 hours and its still got 80% left.It clicks and a green light flashes, you can turn these off, im really impressed with this, its so well thought out.I also bought the GQ EMF-390 for measuring Electro Magnetic Fields.Same design and user interface & screen as the Radiation meter, meaning you dont have to learn 2 devices.Fantastic products which l highly recommend & I think are a good price too.

Is one of the best choices you can do for the money. It has two Geiger tubes for a better counter and accuracy. It could be better for food measurements (a bit longer than others on the market) but this is not a problem for me, the device fulfills all my expectations of a good Geiger counter. I was looking for the 600+ model, due the α particles detection capability of that model, but it's always out of stock and I couldn't wait anymore. This model cover all my needs and probably for the most of you, who are reading this. Recommended.

This is one of the detectors with best value for money that you can find. It has almost everything needed: accumulated dose, recording in internal memory every second/minute/hour (not present in competitors), long lasting rechargeable lithium battery (user replaceable), updateable firmware, good screen, WiFi to store data in an online server, etc. The enclosure finish (plastic) is much better quality than the GMC-3XX models. There is also a very responsive community forum in the manufacturer’s website.As drawbacks, the buttons are a bit hard to press, sometimes it misses button pressing events (this has to be firmware/CPU power related), the firmware has some unsolved bugs (it can be updated by contacting the manufacturer by email), and the default calibration of the GM tubes (needed only for the conversion from CPM to uSv/h) is a bit estimative for higher than background radiation. If you can afford it, the GMC-600+ has a much better GM pancake tube, but unless you are a geek you should not need that!

I bought one of these and I love it. I also have a GMC-320e and a Radex 1503+. This twin tube device uses a second tube for higher levels of radiation and can display a much larger range more accurately. The hardest part was setting the wifi using the menu keys but later realised you can type it all in in the software and send it to the device.... Accuracy is good when compared to my Radex 1503+. The best part is that the large display can be set to about ten levels of brightness and also be set to stay on continuously so I have it set at the lowest setting and lit 24/7 so it it is always uploading to the world map and always on display whilst plugged into the laptop via the usb. You can do a multitude of things with the software, logging, display on screens and control the device to some extent remotely. The menus on the device are also quite comprehensive and not just limited to a few options. Basically for the money, you cannot do better.

Lots of features, reasonable quality. Quirky interface. Good value compared to others. Would recommend for someone just starting.

First off, i'm not a nuclear scientist, so take my opinions with a pinch of salt.Like many though, the dramas, documentaries and renewed news footage of Chernobyl over the last couple of months has renewed my interest in it and radiation in general and I was keen to take some recordings around the house, the back garden, on the plane and at the world famous Ukrainian power plant.PositivesFairly cheap for the quality of readings.Large display with battery lifeRechargeable and replaceable battery recharged over USB, which lasts a day or more continuously switched onRecords data in the 3 most common units uSv/h, mR/h and CPM, which can all be viewed on screen at the same timeIt clicks similarly to an old style reader, but thankfully the sound can also be turned off as it can get very annoying on a coach partyNegativesDoesn't use the best plastics, so feels a little cheapIt isn't water resistant, so would probably need to be in a sealed bag to prevent water damage if using in the rainIt takes time to record more accurate readings. I think around 20-40 seconds held near something of interest, so in many cases you'll never see a true high reading for something.It also takes a similar length of time to revert to normal readings.I think it's a good price for the unit, but ultimately it's not as fast to record results as the professional units (which cost many times more), so much better for taking longer readings than for quickly recording sudden spikes of activity. It's nice to have a personal meter for reassurance though, especially if you live or work near a radioactive facility or are a scrap metal dealer.If you use it on a plane then make sure the sound is off as even a short flight to Europe is many times more radioactive than a day spent on a tour around Chernobyl. My alarm went off almost instantly when I turned it on on the flight over.