From: the novel savage (plarceny@semtex.iterror.org)
Date: Sat Oct 11 2003 - 04:13:32 PDT
As an FYI on this, the radium in the paint used to paint such dials is
still sufficiently radioactive to continue lighting the dials. The problem
is the phosphor element in the dials wears out after about 50 or so years.
If you want see if you can find some phosphor/glow in the dark paint, and
just touch up your dials. They'll be good as new.
On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 bjpendleton@charter.net wrote:
> some of the old 50s gages are Radioactive. Mine still have a slight glow to
> them
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "m35products" <m35prod@optonline.net>
> To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
> Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 11:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [MV] RADIOACTIVE stenciled on S250
>
>
> > There are many instances of electronic components containing trace amounts
> > of radioactive material to enhance the operation and efficiency of the
> > component. For instance, certain vacuum tubes contain beta-particle
> > emitters. The common neon pilot light on your Sears multiple outlet strip
> > has a tiny bead of radioactive material to make the pilot light last
> longer.
> > There is probably a government regulation that states that any amount is
> > sufficient to be reportable, or labelled.
> >
> > By the way, here's a neat science experiment:
> >
> > Take an elderly power strip or light switch that has a neon pilot, but is
> > getting weak and flickery. In a dark room, watch the light as you turn on
> a
> > small flashlight. The pilot will suddenly get brighter, and stop
> flickering.
> > That's because the photons (electrons) from the flashlight are helping the
> > weakened neon gas to ionize. The manufacturer puts a tiny amount of
> > radioactive stuff inside the pilot light, as a source of photons, to
> > accomplish the same thing.
> >
> > Thank you, Mr. Science.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Buck & Rami Sharp" <bls@inebraska.com>
> > To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
> > Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 10:34 PM
> > Subject: Re: [MV] RADIOACTIVE stenciled on S250
> >
> >
> > > hope your little smokey dont fall off or you grow any weird extra body
> > parts
> > > maby they hauled stuff around in it that wasnt that big of a deal unless
> > it
> > > got set off like a small bomb? just guessing hope its not still
> > radioactive
> > > is there any other numbers on it that could lead to an explination to
> what
> > > it was used for??
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Bruce Beattie" <bruce@eecs.berkeley.edu>
> > > To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
> > > Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 9:31 PM
> > > Subject: [MV] RADIOACTIVE stenciled on S250
> > >
> > >
> > > > I have a very nice S250. The radios were taken out, but the condition
> > > > inside and out
> > > > is almost like new. In fact, I dought if it ever saw any duty at all.
> I
> > > > have had it for
> > > > about 4 years now, and although I knew there was some stenciled
> letters
> > > > on the back,
> > > > they had been sprayed over by DRMO so I never really paid that much
> > > > attention to it.
> > > > I was more interested in setting it up as a camper.
> > > >
> > > > One day a complete stranger walks by and asks what it is, and I
> tell
> > > > him it's a Radio
> > > > Teletype, and then have to explain what that is. Then he asks me why
> > > > there is this
> > > > stenciled on letters 1 inch high that spells RADIOACTIVE? I snapped
> > > > around and duh,
> > > > there it is hiding under a few splotches of spray paint, but none the
> > > > less quite ledgible.
> > > >
> > > > Any idea what was going on with this unit that they would put that
> > > > on it?
> > > >
> > > > The irony of this whole thing is that Bezerkeley is one of those
> places
> > > > that has declared
> > > > themselves a nuclear free zone. I never did understand that either,
> > > > since I never met a
> > > > bomb that could read and obey instructions from the ground.
> > > >
> > > > So there is your Friday night puzzle.
> > > >
> > > > Bruce MVPA 23824 (Starting to glow in the dark)
> > > >
> > > >
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> > > >
> > >
> > >
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> >
> >
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>
>
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>
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