Last year, we shared a story about the BhangmeterV2, a device designed to detect nuclear events. At its core is the HSN-1000, an old-school nuclear event detector. It was designed to alert other devices on the network when an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) was on its way, giving users a chance to power down their electronics. But, as time went on, the HSN-1000 became hard to find.
Fortunately, Bigcrimping stepped up. He’s creating a new detector called the BHG-2000. This DIY project aims to replicate the unavailable HSN-1000 and needs support to complete it.
So, how does this new detector work? The HSN-1000 detected the gamma rays that appear during a nuclear explosion. Interestingly, Vela satellites used similar technology to spot gamma-ray bursts.
Bigcrimping built his gamma ray detector using four BPW34S PIN diodes. He painted these diodes black to block visible light while allowing gamma rays to pass through. Using four diodes increases the detection area and ensures that only a genuine gamma ray activates the device. This is crucial. No one wants their homemade detector triggered by cosmic rays!
Once the gamma rays hit the diodes, a transimpedance amplifier boosts the tiny current they produce. This current goes through a second amplifier that produces a low pulse signal, indicating an event has occurred. All of this technology is compacted into a four-layer PCB, making it a pin-compatible replacement for the HSN-1000L.
But there’s a catch: without actual gamma rays, the effectiveness of the BHG-2000 is still uncertain. Bigcrimping is seeking anyone in Europe with a Cs-137 or Co-60 source to help test the device. He’s made his contact information available on GitHub.
The ongoing developments in this field highlight a growing interest in personal safety in our unpredictable world. As fears of nuclear threats rise, tools like the BHG-2000 may offer some peace of mind. Plus, as technology evolves, community-driven projects like this show how collaboration can lead to innovative solutions.
In a time of uncertainty, a little knowledge can go a long way. If the BHG-2000 does its job, it could be a game-changer. But let’s hope we never have to test it in real-life scenarios.
