What's Good Fusor Forum

[Reid Byron]

Hello All,

My name is Reid Byron. I am a senior undergrad studying mechanical engineering and minoring in physics at LMU in LA. Physics is my real passion and I have the privilege of having a set of keys to the physics lab where I have set up a number of experiments over my college career.

I started reading fusor.net at the beginning of the summer. I got involved with the LMU fusor group recently, you may have seen the posts from ahomeke, the driving force on the fusor project. Coming in late to the project, pretty much all the work is done and fusion will hopefully be achieved in the next couple months.

My personal drive however, is constructing and using a Gamma Spectroscopy system soup to nuts. From construction of the bias circuitry, coupling the scintillation crystal to the PMT, selecting a proper PMT and finally the design and integration of the probe into a thermoeletrically cooled housing to shield the unit from stray magnetic fields and reduce dark current. Pending a grant from sigma xi (oh dear god I hope it comes through) I will purchase a dia50mm x 50mm NaI(Tl) from a chinese vendor, Epic Crystal, and purchase one of Steven Sesselmann Gamma Spectacular Units. My goal is to understand and work through the design of a probe capable of preforming Gamma Spectrosopy.

And, now that LMU has a fusor this probe will give its existence a purpose. I am really excited to attempt some activation experiments. My personal goal will be to transmute an element and detects is gamma emission. I will be so stoked to turn one element into another, what could be better!

Anyways, I am absolutely floored by the people on this forum. I was reading Carl Willis's blog, watching Bio Nerd's videos and considering the purchase of Steven Sesselmann's Gamma Spectacular before my eyes ever read a word on fusor.net. Prowling the bowls of this blog as been inspiring. The depth and thoroughness of experimentation and collaboration is astounding.

Since I got most of my inspiration and information from the people who use this site, I find it only fitting to provide updates as construction and experimentation progresses. I feel posting under the neutron detection category may be most fitting.

Best Regards