VICTOREEN Radiation Monitor Model No. 1A (Geiger Counter)

Circa 1962 to 1964

A high-range radiological survey meter originally designed for Civil Defense use during the Cold War.

Use Cases:

• Post-Nuclear Attack Operations: Designed for radiological monitors to determine contamination levels and safety following a nuclear disaster or enemy attack.

• Surface Monitoring Surveys: Primarily used for general area surveys to locate high-intensity gamma radiation fields.

• Emergency Services: Some units remain in use today by state emergency services and fire departments for modern hazardous material (HAZ-MAT) monitoring.

Historical Significance:

The CD V-715 is historically significant as the most widely produced Civil Defense radiation instrument, with over 567,000 units manufactured. It marked a technological shift by using a transistorized circuit and a single D-cell battery, replacing earlier models that required multiple specialized batteries. Unlike common Geiger counters, it uses a hermetically sealed ionization chamber, making it capable of measuring extremely high radiation levels (up to 500 roentgens per hour) that would overwhelm standard Geiger-Müller tubes.

NOTE:

• 2-Units available.

• The included "HAZ-MAT UNIT RM-3" makings are mounted on magnetic sheet—and can be removed if desired—to reveal the original Civil Defense markings.

(H-15.5cm x W-22.5cm x D-11.5cm)