Yea I see your point...
Looks like it has been elevated for some time.
Before we start let me say that I'm not disputing your reads in any way. I'm simply trying to eliminate simple things that could account for the increase, one thing at a time. Each time you eliminate something you get closer to the answer you need.
View ALL the stations below on 2 years for this comparison. Ignore the spikes and concentrate on the average "long term" reads for this look...
...This is how to find fallout with a simple GM counter as the spike will linger in the way of a increase in average reads for extended periods after the deposition that comes with a real release.
Looking at your charts set to 2 years, you had averages around 16 - 17. Then there was a spike on Aug. 23 2013 and your averages jumped to 19, another spike on Oct. 9 2013 and the averages again jumped to 20-22. This was after the fall off of the window sill correct? If so, no guarantee that the tube or other components did't slip out of calibration.
This could account for the increased averages and would not be deposition if this is the case.
Kinda like dropping a guitar and knocking it out of tune it may still play well by itself but will not be in tune with the rest of the band so to speak. As most GM tubes are simply a wire stretched between two points this is a possibility so I included it in this post.
Take a look at your neighbor to the west that is also indoors. Obvious problems at first with the voltage pot on his/her 320 but after getting accurate reads the averages are around 16-17...
http://netc.com/chart/view.php?n=1%3AC526C4EE.3And the outdoor station in Novi, MI is showing around a 18 average even after some obviously false spikes making this graph a little hard to read...
How do we know these spikes in Novi are false? No sustained increase in average over time. Which means no deposition and that is the increase we would expect to see if these spikes were real. Especially when considering the two back to back spikes of over 1000 cpm. These spikes are absolutely inaccurate and we can know for sure simply by looking at the averages afterward. No increase in average count means no deposition means no fallout means no spike from radiation.
Naught into naught = naught X naught equals? not radiation...
http://netc.com/chart/view.php?n=1%3AEBDFE579 My indoor site in Mint Hill, NC also averages 16-17
http://netc.com/chart/view.php?n=1%3AEB702D3FOK so we know you have a increase in AVERAGE over the norm of 16 - 17 cpm which is something that needs to be addressed and understood.
Here's a few inexpensive moves you can make today to get you started.
Start by getting a Radon testing kit. Follow the instructions to the letter and send it off for testing. I'm not saying it's Radon but this test will not only prove or disprove this fact it will also provide clues to the daughter isotopes involved. It's inexpensive, comes from a independent lab and testing is usually completed quickly. As a side note you should also test your water...
Please post the results from this test as soon as you get them.
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Make sure the sun is not hitting the unit at anytime throughout the day. My backdoor has windows and my unit sits near it so I installed heavy curtains that block the direct sunlight completely from that area of my home.
As the seasons change so does the track of the sun so if the sun is hitting the unit during certain times of the day (maybe when you are not there to see it) due to a different track or the leaves not being on the trees, this could account for the increases.
Place a dark blanket over the window for a few days to see if the averages decrease or stay the same.
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Get some canned air and clean the internals of your counter. Check for any damage. Check (I'd use a magnifying glass) that the wire inside the tube is not deformed in any way and there are no foreign materials inside the case.
Make sure there are no cracks or gaps/holes in the case and the cover.
Keeping the unit "totally stock" gives you a "one on one" comparison with the other indoor units throughout the country.
Also change the batteries using the same type even if you are connected to power full time. It may seem silly to change them but if they are charging incorrectly or more often than designed or even overcharging and producing gasses you may see both spikes and higher averages that are not actually occurring in the environment.
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And the big one!!!
KEEP the unit in the exact same location! DO NOT relocate it after cleaning it.
Keeping the unit in the exact same spot gives us the ability to see any real changes to the averages and spikes. Move it and you are starting over as all the reads up to that point will no longer be relevant.
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These actions will simply rule out easy to do things that could be upping your averages.
Again I really hope you don't have a problem and all indications are nothing has happened around you so if it is a prob it will most likely be inside your home or simply with your counter.
We are all here to help so contact me anytime and post your updates here so we can all see what happens and what (dates/times included) you have done to eliminate any chances of false elevated reads. By posting the information here you can help others that have problems like this in the future!
Read my other posts here:
https://www.netc.com/bb/search.php?keyw ... mit=SearchStay safe, don't panic, eyes open...
KingCobra wrote:
I just studied your stations graphs and compared it to mine (South Beloit, Illinois) after all I am straight West from you. Please compare my stations highs yours. You will see the same patterns on yours only shortly after mine in time frame.
As for why the station next to you does not show the same pattern, I am not sure. I had a New Mexico station setup sometime ago that had a graph that looked much like your neighbors graph. The New Mexico stations graph always looked like the same pattern all the time, no real noticeable pattern with weather storms.