Owning your own geiger counter is a great way to be aware of your local radiation levels, and quickly detect increases in those levels. But you also need to be sure that your detector is operating correctly.

You need a safe way to test out your geiger counter - such as our vaseline glass bead. Vaseline glass is a type of glass with a small amount of uranium oxide added, which makes it glow under ultraviolet light (it is also called depression glass). This also makes it slightly radioactive. These beads are sold for use in costume jewelry, so they are safe to handle.

With the GM-10, we get about 100-200 CPM (counts per minute) with the bead directly in front of the detector window. The exact reading is not important, what is important is that your detector picks up the radiation, and that it is the same today as it was when you last checked it.

The bead is available for just $9.99. these beads are about 1/2 inch (12 mm) long. We're having a special right now, you can get 5 beads for just $39.99!

This item is safe to handle, and legal to own. It is under 70 Bq/g, so it is not considered radioactive.

Note: we can only ship within the USA, no foreign orders.