Naqueda detectors

Jess Parker · Naqueda detectors

I know there are a few of these in various forms kicking about, but whilst perusing the web for prop ideas I saw this baby listed at nearly £500!!

This is a blood tester used in the episode 'New Ground'. I haven't seen the episode yet but I also havent found another canon blood tester on the web (although I will be looking further just in case).

A little research turned up its source which is this.

This is an 80's fishing game that is still available for between £5 and £20.

Is this something we as a society would be interested in using as a canon prop? If so I will look out for a couple to convert.

All the SG-1 prop makers did was spray theirs silver, leaving the screen with titles like 'FISH' and 'SONAR' on it. Although this is fine for a brief on screen distant shot I would be tempted to make an overlay with more relevant information on it Smile

My thoughts are that if we have a standardised naqueda detector from the series (if this is what it is - more research to follow) people would know what to look for and could be trained in its use...we could even have an SEF manual for it if we wanted.

Anyway, enough froth from me, now I would like your thoughts please Smile

darren1

That looks cool. In the past anything from pda's to multimeter's to enviromentomitors(?) have been used.
Having a standardised prop would allow people to recognise on side what that prop does. I think Nigel has supplied the majority of Naquada detectors in the past.

sm0keyb

Indeed, I have. As you say all manner of kit has been used for them, usually my latest acquisition in hand held devices, to try to suggest a "development process" for the detector. I'm all in favour of a standard piece of kit for the job. Well researched Tonya.

Olivia Chase

Looks fab. And I am all for a store of Cannon props, especially if they are small!

the hand device you did was very simple but effective, so if you are willing to do any more that would be wonderful.

Jess Parker

Hehe I was thinking of making more of the hand devices anyway in varying colours so that the Goa'uld in question could accessorise with his costume (and we would have spares). As they cost less than a fiver and are half an hours work I am more than happy to put some more in the props store.

As for the naqueda detectors, how many do you think we will need? Will two be enough as society props and will other players want me to get in and make them personal devices for their characters? I am mainly thinking gate staff and medical staff here as I am guessing we wouldn't all carry them in our back pockets.

If I can get a figure I can get the base items in and go from there. If you want your own personal kit naqueda detector I will happily do it at cost price (I am not gonna charge the £500 like the one used on set, lol). I am guessing that cost price, at a high estimate, will be no more than £10.

Tabitha Becker

I'll have one at that sort of price. Kate's often on base and can never find a %&*@$ detector when needed - please make sure these ones don't have invisibility cloaks like those other ones Smile

Olivia Chase

That was Livvie's problem too. Most of the delays in testing was trying to find the wandering tester. However in future there should be one place and one place only where it is kept.

Livvie hopes to have her own. I have a nurses key chain (the extending ones) from my mothers things and it can go on there.

Freeman

I think Tonya's going to pick up two or three... so there should be enough to meet supply.

Earthbinder

we were going through a phase of using diabetic Blood glucose monitoring kits.
they retail at about £3 each. and look relatively space agey

ebay fu ----
[url]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ACCU-CHEK-MONITORING-MACHINE_W0QQitemZ180344444843QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Health_Beauty_Mobility_Disability_Medical_ET?hash=item180344444843&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:15|39:1|240:1318#ht_500wt_1182[/url]

Harry Font

we did have 3 of them that i supplied.. i take it they have disapeared from the thread !!

Tabitha Becker

I'd expect we do still have them as we do have quite a lot of detectors and Dom is very good at wrangling them (although they might be in the caravan, that bourne from whence no small item of kit returns) - but I think they are probably something we can always do with more of.

sm0keyb

I doubt they'e in the 'van, in the white medical flight cases maybe. I want to inventory the 'van so I'll see. Thorne would definitely have one of Tonya's detectors in engineering.

Earthbinder

We still have one of the ones you supplied and the two I added but we have lostthe others to game attrition

Freeman

So the question then becomes, do we want to keep the current ones as an earliy development and move to a more canonical (with the SG Universe) one as a final development, or just keep what we have and only stock up on something new when attrition takes the current stock.

Olivia Chase

I prefer the former route, with the withdrawal of outmoded models and the new models formally replacing them IC.

Jess Parker

Ok so far we have a number of 6 ( Cool

as follows

Society props = 3
Polly (Tabitha Becker)= 1
Debs (Olivia Chase) = 1
Nige (Cnl Thorne) = 1

In order to make them non-invisible I can add a curly keychain if required so that they can be clipped to belts or tables as required.

If anyone else wants one shout soon as I am contacting the seller today re shipping. Saying that, nothing is going to happen before Tuesday now so I would say that Tuesday by noon is a good order cutoff date.

If anyone wants to help with input for the accompanying SEF manual for use please do, as Jess has only ever been poked with the damn things and never actually used one. We can also then add it to the wiki for future reference. My email is aktalike@hotmail.co.uk.

darren1

Hii;

I think Andrews could use one. He often can be seen waving a geiger counter around and has been known to search for naquada in the past.

Jess Parker

I will put you on the list Darren Smile

Ok, heres a poser (brought up by Darrens request and his need to scan things other than blood). Up until now I personally have only seen naqueda testers used for blood specimins and I cannot find anything on them on any of the numerous stargate wikis out there.

So what if our testers not only tested fluid samples (such as blood) for naqueda, but they could also detect it in larger quantities as well. The detector would have to have two settings, one for the blood test and another for scanning larger amounts, otherwise it would scream everytime someone was tested near the gate and every returning team would be shot!

That leads me to ask another question. If the above is true, do we want one unit with multiple settings or do we want to go all complex and have one that scans for large amounts and one that is for medical use? Personally I am all for the 'multi-tool' option, as with its 10 buttons it could easily be switched from one setting to another, hence the need for a manual.

I am also thinking that this thing needs a maximum range, so that we cannot stick it on a planet and scan for planet-wide naqueda. As cool as that would be it could very well break plot teams and also be very dangerous in the wrong hands.

I am gonna be doing a lot of research on this one, but I am throwing ideas out there so please comment Smile

Jacqueline

The simple answer to range, is to make up something that would relate to the nuclear physics I know...
How about a suggested range of 10 feet per unit of naquada that's there to detect?
Thus a person with very low levels in the blood would be detectable at 2-3 feet, and the power plant of a mothership could be spotted a few hundred yards away. And of course, this leaves a simple formula for shielding too.
Example: 100 units of Naquada (normally could be detected from 1000 feet) has 75 units of shielding, which leaves 25 detectable units, thus making the range you can spot it at as 250 feet,

If we set the unit as 1 goa'uld's worth, then that makes life easy, right? Able to spot a host at 10 feet is enough. If that's too far, simply change the unit size to double that, and you can pick up a goa'uld (now a half unit's worth of naquada) at half of ten feet, ie 5 feet away.

sm0keyb

In the UKGC/SEF universe, there have always been 2 devices. Various miscellaneous bits of hand held test kit were used for blood naquadah detectors (sound level meter, environmental meter, DIY distance meter, multimeter et al) & there is a separate "naquadah detector" based on a spectrometer for larger quantities.

I believe that one difference between the two is that the blood detector actually scans for naquaglobin. I couldn't quote a series/episode but I think Carter & the first doc had a discussion about it. That's my understanding of why someone has to have had a symbiote to work some Goa'uld devices. Plain naquadah in the body just accumulates like other heavy metal poisons such as lead & beryllium. The body can't excrete it. That's why Thorne over reacted to Capt. Blaze's "high levels of naquadah"

The spectrometer device works by looking for the "spectral lines" of naquadah in the light from a incandescent object, or by vapourings a small quantity of the material. Detectors for specific materials have "windows" that are tansparent to light of the appropriate frquency. The spectrometer naquadah detector is the silver tube connected to a readout, in Thorne's case of portable instruments (& before that, Connor Armstrong's, who he inherited it from.

Olivia Chase

You will need to check with JD to see what research projects and cannon friendly tech is out there at the moment to ensure it is compatible.

The current IC naqueda test needs an actual sample, a pin prick to detect the presence in the blood because it is so tiny compared to a normal mineral scanner (if such exists). I have checked with JD and the current ones in use will detect naqueda regardless of the source, but separate research has been going on regarding detecting the protein marker that is present with a symbiote, the only working prototype being with Doc Benton as it was his research.

So at the moment, if anyone detects positive for naqueda, a separate test will need to be done by specialist staff to find the protein marker. This means that the new tester won't be able to detect naqueda at a distance without IC research happening to make the technology happen, and it certainly won't detect a symbiote. There are other things that could possibly be included though, drugs being a good one (knowing some of the character's weekend habits).

I think viewing the episode it featured in and seeing how it was used is the best way to go, and then we can go from there.

I am also cautious about letting anyone who wants one, have one. IC they would be allocated to specific roles, not people so there will be at all times -

One by the gate
One in the infirmary
One spare, held by the doctor in charge.

And that's it. If there are too many about folks will get lack as 'we can use another one' so keeping the numbers down, and giving them a definate place to be, will hopefully prevent 'wandering'...

Jess Parker

Olivia Chase

Trust me, you will want to make so many things!

You'll need the ark to put them all in LOL.

But yes, cannon pops are good. Currently looking into cannon costume at my end.

Jess Parker

I have spoken to JD and he is happy for there to be as many as are required as it it standard tech created in game. However, anyone ordering one should know the following.

The current detector only measures levels in the blood. It cannot manage scanning for naqueda on a larger scale. A seperate scanner would be required for such functions.

If you havent ordered yet and want one please sign up so that I can add you to the list. If you have previously ordered one with the intent of scanning external amounts and wish to cancel please let me know by Tuesday at noon. However if you still want one for future characters or for Stargate show prop ownership thats fine Smile

Olivia Chase

Cool, put me down for one.

darren1

Ah OK, can you take me off the list. I was planning to use it for environmental scanning, looking for objects off world for example.

Jess Parker

Kk no probs Darren.

Tempest

Stick me down for one please, i tend to hang around base quite alot and spent large amounts of time at the last event checkin people as they came through the gate.

Jess Parker

I have placed an order for 7 units as follows.

Society props = 3
Polly (Tabitha Becker)= 1
Debs (Olivia Chase) = 1
Nige (Cnl Thorne) = 1
Tempest (Dr. Carter) = 1

They will be ready for the June event (Shipping permitting Smile

)

There are likely to be a few spares also as I have negioated a discount on 10 units so if anyone decides they want one at a later date there will be a few in stores.

Jess Parker

Stocks are now in from the States (despite Parcel Force and the Post Office doing their best to lose the parcel) and transformation will commence very shortly Smile

They will be ready for the June event for those who have ordered them.

There will be two spare units should anyone else want one at the event.