[Lowfer] AMRAD Vertical - lightning

[Eric Vogel]

Ed,

The SA article is available on the Amateur Scientist CD ROM 
http://www.tinkersguild.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.100.exe/index.html?E+scstore

Joe Carr published a simple design several times including in "RadioScience 
Observing, Volume 2". He says his design is based on a design published bu 
Thomas P. Leary, June 1964 QST. I believe that essentially the same 
material was published in the Feb 1999 issue of Nuts & 
Volts.  http://www.nutsvolts.com/toc_Pages/feb99toc.htm

A sophisticated, modern version is available at http://www.theramp.net/sferics/

A more straightforward approach can be found 
at  http://www.vlf.it/storm_monitor/stormmonitor.htm

Hope this helps.

At 05:18 PM 9/10/2002 -0400, you wrote:

> >
> > A more practical way to detect lightning is to measure the change in
> > the local electrical field.  There is at least one lightning detection
> > system for aircraft which consists of four vertical rods connected, in
> > effect, to the four deflection plates of a CRT.  When a lightning strike
> > occurs the spot will be deflected in a direction corresponding to the
> > stroke, by an amount proportional to the voltage change.  I haven't seen
> > a detailed description of the equipment, but am almost sure it doesn't
> > really use such a CRT.  Watson-Watt, a British radar pioneer (the
> > inventor of radar if you listen to his words - he wasn't) got started in
> > the subject in the 1920's (National Physical Lab, I think) using
> > primitive CRT's in exactly this arrangement.
>
>Ed - I remember an article in a Scientific American magazine - quite  a few
>years ago - I believe it was "Amateur Scoientist" column, which had
>schematics and info on just such a system. I remember it as being very
>simple and  straight-forward...... but unfortunately have no idea of
>the Volume/Year/etc.
>It used an old CRT ( like 5BP1) or that sort of thing, and an amplifier for
>each deflection plate - and a bit of an antenna.
>
>Not much help - but maybe will help trigger someone else's memory..... It
>even showed the direction ! ! !
>
>73
>Mitch VE3OT
>
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Eric Vogel

http://www.flash.net/~evogel/