Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 Question -- If you are setting off the radiation detector, are you " safe " to be around the other passengers in such close quarters for an extended time? How sensitive are those detectors, and how hot are you when you set them off?? bj flying after 131 > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 Question -- If you are setting off the radiation detector, are you " safe " to be around the other passengers in such close quarters for an extended time? How sensitive are those detectors, and how hot are you when you set them off?? bj flying after 131 > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 Question -- If you are setting off the radiation detector, are you " safe " to be around the other passengers in such close quarters for an extended time? How sensitive are those detectors, and how hot are you when you set them off?? bj flying after 131 > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and are well aware of radiation detectors. If they try moving radioactivity through airports/ ports/ stations they are certain to have sympathisers in place at the end of a phone with plausible stories. The likelihood of the security people having much clue about half-life etc is very remote. I was at the receiving end of a security alert in furt airport a year or so after Baader-Meinhof when my (big) calculator set off the metal detectors. It wasn't fun for a kid to be surrounded by 3 BIG men (at least 6 ft - and that was their width) with machine guns. Never again. Ian > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > > This e-mail support group is one of many free services of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. <web site: www.thyca.org>. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by > sending a blank e-mail to: > thyca-unsubscribe > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and are well aware of radiation detectors. If they try moving radioactivity through airports/ ports/ stations they are certain to have sympathisers in place at the end of a phone with plausible stories. The likelihood of the security people having much clue about half-life etc is very remote. I was at the receiving end of a security alert in furt airport a year or so after Baader-Meinhof when my (big) calculator set off the metal detectors. It wasn't fun for a kid to be surrounded by 3 BIG men (at least 6 ft - and that was their width) with machine guns. Never again. Ian > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > > This e-mail support group is one of many free services of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. <web site: www.thyca.org>. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by > sending a blank e-mail to: > thyca-unsubscribe > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 This has been happening in the subway and train stations and at the entrances to the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels in NYC for the past few months. The detectors seem to be pretty sensitive. Two weeks ago I heard of a guy who had a PET scan one morning at the hospital I go to and he set off detectors at Grand Central Station that afternoon. (There are no precautions required for a PET scan.) So I guess you don't have to be too hot to trigger it. --Carmen > Question -- > > If you are setting off the radiation detector, are you " safe " to be around > the other passengers in such close quarters for an extended time? How > sensitive are those detectors, and how hot are you when you set them off?? > bj > > flying after 131 > > > > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 20, 2003 Report Share Posted February 20, 2003 This has been happening in the subway and train stations and at the entrances to the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels in NYC for the past few months. The detectors seem to be pretty sensitive. Two weeks ago I heard of a guy who had a PET scan one morning at the hospital I go to and he set off detectors at Grand Central Station that afternoon. (There are no precautions required for a PET scan.) So I guess you don't have to be too hot to trigger it. --Carmen > Question -- > > If you are setting off the radiation detector, are you " safe " to be around > the other passengers in such close quarters for an extended time? How > sensitive are those detectors, and how hot are you when you set them off?? > bj > > flying after 131 > > > > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 BJ They can be incredibly sensitive. The real issue is the importation of radioactive substances for use in making a 'dirty' bomb. Any isotope would work, the only difficulty is shielding it adequately so that it doesn't set off the detectors - that is a matter of how much lead they can carry. Ian > Question -- > > If you are setting off the radiation detector, are you " safe " to be around > the other passengers in such close quarters for an extended time? How > sensitive are those detectors, and how hot are you when you set them off?? > bj > > flying after 131 > > > > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > > > > This e-mail support group is one of many free services of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. <web site: www.thyca.org>. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by > sending a blank e-mail to: > thyca-unsubscribe > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 BJ They can be incredibly sensitive. The real issue is the importation of radioactive substances for use in making a 'dirty' bomb. Any isotope would work, the only difficulty is shielding it adequately so that it doesn't set off the detectors - that is a matter of how much lead they can carry. Ian > Question -- > > If you are setting off the radiation detector, are you " safe " to be around > the other passengers in such close quarters for an extended time? How > sensitive are those detectors, and how hot are you when you set them off?? > bj > > flying after 131 > > > > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > > > > This e-mail support group is one of many free services of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. <web site: www.thyca.org>. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by > sending a blank e-mail to: > thyca-unsubscribe > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 Sorry about the gobbledegook. This should have read: > Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The > authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and THE TERRORISTS are > well aware of radiation detectors. > Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The > authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and are well aware of > radiation detectors. If they try moving radioactivity through airports/ > ports/ stations they are certain to have sympathisers in place at the end of > a phone with plausible stories. > > The likelihood of the security people having much clue about half-life etc is > very remote. > > I was at the receiving end of a security alert in furt airport a year or > so after Baader-Meinhof when my (big) calculator set off the metal detectors. > It wasn't fun for a kid to be surrounded by 3 BIG men (at least 6 ft - and > that was their width) with machine guns. Never again. > > Ian > > > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > > > > > This e-mail support group is one of many free services of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. <web site: www.thyca.org>. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by > > sending a blank e-mail to: > > thyca-unsubscribe > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 Sorry about the gobbledegook. This should have read: > Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The > authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and THE TERRORISTS are > well aware of radiation detectors. > Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The > authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and are well aware of > radiation detectors. If they try moving radioactivity through airports/ > ports/ stations they are certain to have sympathisers in place at the end of > a phone with plausible stories. > > The likelihood of the security people having much clue about half-life etc is > very remote. > > I was at the receiving end of a security alert in furt airport a year or > so after Baader-Meinhof when my (big) calculator set off the metal detectors. > It wasn't fun for a kid to be surrounded by 3 BIG men (at least 6 ft - and > that was their width) with machine guns. Never again. > > Ian > > > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > > > > > This e-mail support group is one of many free services of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. <web site: www.thyca.org>. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by > > sending a blank e-mail to: > > thyca-unsubscribe > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 Sorry about the gobbledegook. This should have read: > Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The > authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and THE TERRORISTS are > well aware of radiation detectors. > Even with all of this, don't expect to be allowed on your plane. The > authorities are very twitchy about radioactivity and are well aware of > radiation detectors. If they try moving radioactivity through airports/ > ports/ stations they are certain to have sympathisers in place at the end of > a phone with plausible stories. > > The likelihood of the security people having much clue about half-life etc is > very remote. > > I was at the receiving end of a security alert in furt airport a year or > so after Baader-Meinhof when my (big) calculator set off the metal detectors. > It wasn't fun for a kid to be surrounded by 3 BIG men (at least 6 ft - and > that was their width) with machine guns. Never again. > > Ian > > > Some people having taken 131 are evidently setting off radiation > > detectors in airports. Advice that I read said if you are intending > > on flying, to have a letter from your doc saying when your dose was > > given, how much it was, and what its half-life is, with then the name > > & 24-hr phone number of the doc. Preferably all this on a sheet of > > paper with his letterhead or that of the hospital. > > > > > > This e-mail support group is one of many free services of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. <web site: www.thyca.org>. If you do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by > > sending a blank e-mail to: > > thyca-unsubscribe > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 bi asked--How > sensitive are those detectors The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 bi asked--How > sensitive are those detectors The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 " tops43212 " wrote: > bi asked-- > > How sensitive are those detectors > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 " tops43212 " wrote: > bi asked-- > > How sensitive are those detectors > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 oops! can't imagine who pushed the send button before I wrote the letter! " tops43212 " wrote: > bi asked--How > > sensitive are those detectors > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan To add another perspective, we had a member write in that 3 weeks after receiving 150 mCi RAI, she set off the airport customs radiation detector from 6 feet away. - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 Come to think of it--- The guard at a nearby govt installation that I occasionally visit uses a swab on the steering wheel ( & maybe some other part of the car, I can't really see) and puts it in some kind of " machine " . What gets me is that he uses the same swab on 2-3 cars before " measuring " it. Maybe it's that residual radiation he's swabbing for. bj Re: flying after 131 > bi asked--How > > sensitive are those detectors > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 Come to think of it--- The guard at a nearby govt installation that I occasionally visit uses a swab on the steering wheel ( & maybe some other part of the car, I can't really see) and puts it in some kind of " machine " . What gets me is that he uses the same swab on 2-3 cars before " measuring " it. Maybe it's that residual radiation he's swabbing for. bj Re: flying after 131 > bi asked--How > > sensitive are those detectors > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 Come to think of it--- The guard at a nearby govt installation that I occasionally visit uses a swab on the steering wheel ( & maybe some other part of the car, I can't really see) and puts it in some kind of " machine " . What gets me is that he uses the same swab on 2-3 cars before " measuring " it. Maybe it's that residual radiation he's swabbing for. bj Re: flying after 131 > bi asked--How > > sensitive are those detectors > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 BJ, I believe he is swabbing for explosives. It's done in all airports now. I kicked up a storm in Singapore when they wanted to put my film through a scanner. This resulted in a hand inspection and swabbing of 165 rolls of film! Each swab was placed into the machine. Good think I had plenty of time! Gail > Come to think of it--- > The guard at a nearby govt installation that I occasionally visit uses a > swab on the steering wheel ( & maybe some other part of the car, I can't > really see) and puts it in some kind of " machine " . > What gets me is that he uses the same swab on 2-3 cars before " measuring " > it. > Maybe it's that residual radiation he's swabbing for. > bj > > Re: flying after 131 > > > > bi asked--How > > > sensitive are those detectors > > > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 BJ, I believe he is swabbing for explosives. It's done in all airports now. I kicked up a storm in Singapore when they wanted to put my film through a scanner. This resulted in a hand inspection and swabbing of 165 rolls of film! Each swab was placed into the machine. Good think I had plenty of time! Gail > Come to think of it--- > The guard at a nearby govt installation that I occasionally visit uses a > swab on the steering wheel ( & maybe some other part of the car, I can't > really see) and puts it in some kind of " machine " . > What gets me is that he uses the same swab on 2-3 cars before " measuring " > it. > Maybe it's that residual radiation he's swabbing for. > bj > > Re: flying after 131 > > > > bi asked--How > > > sensitive are those detectors > > > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 BJ, I believe he is swabbing for explosives. It's done in all airports now. I kicked up a storm in Singapore when they wanted to put my film through a scanner. This resulted in a hand inspection and swabbing of 165 rolls of film! Each swab was placed into the machine. Good think I had plenty of time! Gail > Come to think of it--- > The guard at a nearby govt installation that I occasionally visit uses a > swab on the steering wheel ( & maybe some other part of the car, I can't > really see) and puts it in some kind of " machine " . > What gets me is that he uses the same swab on 2-3 cars before " measuring " > it. > Maybe it's that residual radiation he's swabbing for. > bj > > Re: flying after 131 > > > > bi asked--How > > > sensitive are those detectors > > > > The article that I read (about legitimate users of 131) said that the > > detectors were sensitive enough to pick up on any radioactivity that > > may have been still on the hands of terrorists after they make > > bombs. So that's pretty sensitive. ===Jan > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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