[sdiy] Popcorn Noise Generator?

[Glen]

At 11:25 PM 7/8/2005, harrybissell wrote:

>I'm not familiar with a random-blink neon circuit.  Is that a single stage, or
>is it formed by a number of neon bulbs ???
>
>H^) harry

It's just a single neon lamp, but I was thinking of picking one that was 
dying and blinky. Surely, you've seen faulty old neon indicator lamps that 
flickered and had trouble staying on?

A totally separate idea is to use a neon lamp as a radiation detector. I've 
seen a circuit for doing this somewhere on the net. I'm having trouble 
remembering at the moment, but I _think_ you bias the lamp to be near 
conduction and radiation will push the circuit "over the edge" and make the 
bulb flash. Hmm, I wonder if the radioactive element from an old smoke 
detector would be a usable radiation source?

take care,
Glen