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This paper describes the development of an instrument for radiological monitoring, identified as Gamma Alarm (GAMAL01). The instrument monitors the increment of radiation count rate and produces an alarm signal, when the count rate becomes superior to a fixed threshold value. The threshold is fixed to assure that the signal emission will start when the value of the radiation count rate may cause a non acceptable radiological exposition of the personnel, according to the radiological safety regulations existing in the country. Following the signal the personnel must be evacuated from the affected place. The instrument consists of two sections, an analogical section and a digital one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection and measurement of nuclear radiation have turn into an important aspect in the application of nuclear detectors and specifically, the Geiger Muller tubes. Endowed with high detection sensibility, robust construction and a relative simplicity of the associated circuit, the Geiger Tubes are still one of the most widely used detectors in all areas of application in physics and nuclear research. A new design of the instrument enables measurements of the environmental external dose rate of g (gamma) radiation from 0.05 μSv/h to 10 mSv/h. It consists of three elements: Geiger-Muller detector, a data acquisition and control card and the application software. The instrument is connected to the computer through a USB interface only to vary and adjust the calibration parameters. The software was developed in C programming language using the PICC4.08 compiler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]