The PIBETA collaboration is focused on making a precise
measurement of the pion beta decay rate, 
.
Because the pion beta decay is a relatively simple 
transition, and its
radiative corrections are well understood, this measurement will
provide a stringent test of the theoretical components of the decay.
Specifically, the results will test the Conserved Vector Current
Hypothesis, as well as the unitarity of the Cabbibo Kobayashi Maskawa
(CKM) quark mixing matrix.
In order to measure the pion beta decay rate successfully, a
portion of the PIBETA calorimeter has been tested with a
measurement of the Panofsky Ratio. This ratio is defined as the ratio
between the rate of single charge exchange and that of radiative pion
capture for 
atoms. The single charge exchange reactions are
defined as [19]
and the radiative pion capture reactions are
