And I thought this thread was about Hugh Jones being on his way to China for the Olympics.
Silly me.
Anyway, I'll echo Pete's experience with a measuring tape. The screeners usually take a look at a measuring tape more than once just to make sure it's benign.
And there's really nothing in a Jones Counter that would cause alarm. To be safe i think I'd treat it like fluids or gels- put it in a clear plastic bag, and pull it out of your carry-on bag and into one of those trays by itself.