Evaluation workflow
The sequence of an IEC 60846-1:2009 evaluation in this tool — instrument details, background measurement, test entry, verdicts and Excel export — and the decisions that must be made before the first irradiation.
Last reviewed
An evaluation has a fixed order. Some of the decisions taken at the start cannot be changed afterwards without repeating the irradiation, so they are worth settling before beam time is booked.
Decisions before the first irradiation
Operational quantity
Establish whether the instrument is declared for ambient dose equivalent H*(10) or directional dose equivalent H′(0,07). This determines the reference radiation quality, and therefore the value every relative response is normalised against. It cannot be changed after the fact. See the guide on the distinction.
Unit system
The tool works in either dose equivalent (sievert) or air kerma (gray). Switching afterwards carries the SI prefix across but does not convert the values, so the choice should match what the calibration certificate states.
Readings per point
Linearity and statistical fluctuation share the same readings. The count applies to both and must be the same at every point. Selecting a low count to save time weakens the fluctuation evaluation, which is the one that depends on it.
Lower limit of the measuring range, H₀
Required for the statistical fluctuation limit. Without it the tool withholds that verdict. It comes from the instrument specification and must be expressed in the same unit as the test points.
Sequence
1. Instrument details
Title, instrument name, model, manufacturer, serial number, intended use and test date. The title identifies the session in the history list and is used in the exported file name.
Registering the setup as a preset makes it reusable: the same instrument model tested again starts from the stored details rather than from a blank form.
2. Background
Take at least five background readings with no radiation applied, up to twenty. The mean is subtracted from every subsequent indication in every test.
Background must be measured with the instrument in the configuration it will be tested in — same range, same time constant, same probe. A background measured on a different range does not apply.
If no background is entered, no subtraction is performed. That is a valid choice for an instrument whose response at background level is negligible relative to the test points, but it must be a choice rather than an omission.
3. Required tests
Three tests are required for a complete evaluation:
- Linearity — §8.7
- Statistical fluctuation — §8.7.4, from the same readings
- Energy response — §8.4.2
Enter linearity first. The fluctuation evaluation compiles automatically from its readings, and the energy evaluation uses its curve for the dose rate correction.
4. Optional tests
Five further tests apply according to what the instrument declares and what is to be demonstrated: angular response, overload, response time, dose rate dependence and alarm accuracy.
An optional test affects the overall verdict only if it is performed. A test left empty does not count as a pass and does not count as a failure.
5. Verdicts and export
Each test returns a verdict, and the session returns an overall verdict. Export to Excel produces a workbook with one sheet per test, the computed quantities, and the disclaimer.
Data handling
All entries are held in the browser’s local storage. Nothing is transmitted to a server, and there is no account. The practical consequence is that clearing browser data clears the history, and it cannot be recovered because it was never held remotely. Export anything that must be retained.
Verification of the calculation
The calculation engine is checked against a fixed set of reference vectors on every change, so results are reproducible across versions. That is a statement about the arithmetic only. It is not a warranty about a result, which depends on the traceability of the reference field and the correctness of the entered values. See the Disclaimer.