Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

"Bart Bailey" wrote in message
...
In

posted on Tue, 27 May 2008 13:48:14 -0700 (PDT), David wrote: Begin


- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

I'd try a lower freq in AM mode, away from on-air stations.
IOW: Just out of band at the lower edge, maybe 520kcs AMBCB.
Also use as wide IF bandwidth as you have.

Also use a tube type radio... a lot of SS sets don't take kindly to
lightning, and can be destroyed by even a moderately close strike (I had one
give up the ghost from a strike about a mile away).

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

RHF wrote:

* Sometimes the weak sounding ones are over a
Hundred Miles away.


Can I get a radio that works directly in kilometres? At this time I have
to use 5/8 wavelength antenna to do the miles/km conversion.




mike

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

David wrote:
- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

Well, you don't state what your goal is...nearby storms, storms from a
1000 miles away, VLF "whistlers"?

For nearby storms, an interesting thing you can do is take a neon bulb
(typically an NE-2) and put one of its leads to the hot side of your
antenna and the other lead to ground. Even with a 15 or 20 foot long
wire, you will see it flash when storms are 5-10 miles away. BTW, the
NE-2 fires at about 60 volts. (So now you know why to disconnect/ground
your antenna when a storm is approaching). :-)

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

On May 28, 3:24 pm, Billy Burpelson wrote:
David wrote:
- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

Well, you don't state what your goal is...nearby storms, storms from a
1000 miles away, VLF "whistlers"?

- Well, how about storms close enough to light up a Neon NE2 ?

For nearby storms, an interesting thing you can do is take a neon bulb
(typically an NE-2) and put one of its leads to the hot side of your
antenna and the other lead to ground. Even with a 15 or 20 foot long
wire, you will see it flash when storms are 5-10 miles away. BTW, the
NE-2 fires at about 60 volts. (So now you know why to disconnect/ground
your antenna when a storm is approaching). :-)


Nice trick, Thanks !

Rat Shack has a bunch of neon tubes; - but the employees there know
less than I do about them.

- any Idea which one would do the trick ?

http://www.radioshack.com/search/ind...%20La mp&sr=1

Probably nice on a summer night, have a flashing light telling you to
Unhook the Frigging antenna
&, in certain parts of the country, head toward the shelter

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

David wrote:
On May 28, 3:24 pm, Billy Burpelson wrote:
David wrote:
- header says it all
Have a good receiver
Have a decent antenna..
have a thunder storm in the area
- any responses would be appreciated
Tks
Well, you don't state what your goal is...nearby storms, storms from a
1000 miles away, VLF "whistlers"?

- Well, how about storms close enough to light up a Neon NE2 ?
For nearby storms, an interesting thing you can do is take a neon bulb
(typically an NE-2) and put one of its leads to the hot side of your
antenna and the other lead to ground. Even with a 15 or 20 foot long
wire, you will see it flash when storms are 5-10 miles away. BTW, the
NE-2 fires at about 60 volts. (So now you know why to disconnect/ground
your antenna when a storm is approaching). :-)


Nice trick, Thanks !

Rat Shack has a bunch of neon tubes; - but the employees there know
less than I do about them.

- any Idea which one would do the trick ?

As stated above, an NE-2 should do the trick and it should be marked as
such, even at Radio Shack. Any of the ones you point out will work. They
are the equivalent of the NE-2 but just have a series resistor you can
remove.The NE-2 has wire leads; the NE-51 is the same bulb but has a
bayonet base. If all else fails, find a night light that uses a neon
bulb; these are usually an NE-2 or equivalent with a series resistor.
Just remove the resistor. These are (usually) readily available at your
neighborhood 'Dollar Store'.

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

I never did have any frequency for picking up wimmins.
cuhulin

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

In article
,
David wrote:

- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks



Characteristic average power spectra is in the range of 25 to 100MHz but
the signals generated are very broadband pulses.

Here is a page to build simple lightning detectors that operate around
300KHz.

http://www.techlib.com/electronics/lightning.html

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

I have an old 1960s Popular Science magazine around here somewhere.The
magazine has an article by a guy how to tune a tv set to show when a
tornado is very nearby.
cuhulin

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

In article ,
wrote:

I have an old 1960s Popular Science magazine around here somewhere.The
magazine has an article by a guy how to tune a tv set to show when a
tornado is very nearby.
cuhulin

Tornados generate the most spectral power around channel 2 I believe.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

dave wrote:

wrote:
I have an old 1960s Popular Science magazine around here somewhere.The
magazine has an article by a guy how to tune a tv set to show when a
tornado is very nearby.
cuhulin

When the TV gets sucked out the window there's a tornado very close.

Duh!

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

When my house gets sucked up and away by a tornado, po little doggy and
I are Goners!

GTT, Gone To Texas.
cuhulin

(OT) Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

wrote:

When my house gets sucked up and away by a tornado, po little doggy and
I are Goners!

Nah, you'll wake up in OZ, and, if you're lucky, your house will fall on the
evil Witch of Washington.

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

On May 29, 8:49 am, dxAce wrote:


When the TV gets sucked out the window there's a tornado very close.

Duh!

No wait!

It might be The Invisible Man on a crime Spree !

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

Or, Harvey the giant Invisible Rabbit.
cuhulin

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

On May 27, 4:48*pm, David wrote:
- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

You don't really need a good receiver or a decent antenna to pick up
the noise from thunderstorm lightning. Indeed I would not risk good
equipment for such a venture. Any cheapo AM radio will get lots of
static. Just pick a frequency.

Your question is somewhat ambiguous. I assume you want to hear the
lightning and not literally pick up the strike by becoming a lightning
rod of sorts.

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

Radioguy wrote:
On May 27, 4:48 pm, David wrote:
- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

You don't really need a good receiver or a decent antenna to pick up
the noise from thunderstorm lightning. Indeed I would not risk good
equipment for such a venture. Any cheapo AM radio will get lots of
static. Just pick a frequency.

Your question is somewhat ambiguous. I assume you want to hear the
lightning and not literally pick up the strike by becoming a lightning
rod of sorts.
I hear storms 700 miles away on the HF bands. I don't think I'm risking
anything.

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

On May 31, 6:10*am, Dave wrote:
Radioguy wrote:
On May 27, 4:48 pm, David wrote:
- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

You don't really need a good receiver or a decent antenna to pick up
the noise from thunderstorm lightning. *Indeed I would not risk good
equipment for such a venture. *Any cheapo AM radio will get lots of
static. *Just pick a frequency.

Your question is somewhat ambiguous. *I assume you want to hear the
lightning and not literally pick up the strike by becoming a lightning
rod of sorts.

- I hear storms 700 miles away on the HF bands.
-*I don't think I'm risking anything.

Dave,

Gee Wow 700 Miles away would be about a Half-a-Millionth
the RFI/EMF present at 1 Mile away from you.

I can usually hear most of the Lightning Strikes along
the Sierra Nevadas from up at the Lake Tahoe; down to
Mount Whitney; and across to Mount Diablo.
http://www.sierranevadaphotos.com/ge...getation_l.jpg

If you can see the Flash and Hear the Clash on the Radio
at the same time. It's time to think urgently about personal
safety.

FWIW - Remember seeing a TV program about a Forestry
Fire Lookout Tower that was mostly made of Metal. The
Fire Lookout Lady had a Wooden High Chair that had it's
Legs set in Heavy Thick Glasses. At the sign of nearby
Lightning Up-in-the-Chair she went. Be Safe Not Sorry [.]

Don't Be One of the Annual 80+ Statistic :
Who are Kill by Lightning.

being safe is acting safely and doing safety ~ RHF

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

On May 31, 9:10*am, Dave wrote:
Radioguy wrote:
On May 27, 4:48 pm, David wrote:
- header says it all

Have a good receiver

Have a decent antenna..

have a thunder storm in the area

- any responses would be appreciated
Tks

You don't really need a good receiver or a decent antenna to pick up
the noise from thunderstorm lightning. *Indeed I would not risk good
equipment for such a venture. *Any cheapo AM radio will get lots of
static. *Just pick a frequency.

Your question is somewhat ambiguous. *I assume you want to hear the
lightning and not literally pick up the strike by becoming a lightning
rod of sorts.

I hear storms 700 miles away on the HF bands. *I don't think I'm risking
anything.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The O.P wasn't asking about storms 700 miles away. He wanted to "DX"
storms a couple of miles away.

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

Radioguy wrote:
On May 31, 9:10 am, Dave wrote:
Radioguy wrote:
On May 27, 4:48 pm, David wrote:
- header says it all
Have a good receiver
Have a decent antenna..
have a thunder storm in the area
- any responses would be appreciated
Tks
You don't really need a good receiver or a decent antenna to pick up
the noise from thunderstorm lightning. Indeed I would not risk good
equipment for such a venture. Any cheapo AM radio will get lots of
static. Just pick a frequency.
Your question is somewhat ambiguous. I assume you want to hear the
lightning and not literally pick up the strike by becoming a lightning
rod of sorts.
I hear storms 700 miles away on the HF bands. I don't think I'm risking
anything.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The O.P wasn't asking about storms 700 miles away. He wanted to "DX"
storms a couple of miles away.
We don't have electrical storms around here.

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

Bob Dobbs wrote:
Dave wrote:
I hear storms 700 miles away on the HF bands. I don't think I'm risking
anything.

Something to help determine where the activity might be coming from;
http://tinyurl.com/25nf7h

Cool. Looks like the Rules Committee is getting thrashed.

Best frequency for picking up Thunderstorm Lightning
 

On May 31, 1:03*pm, Bob Dobbs wrote:

Dave wrote:
- - I hear storms 700 miles away on the HF bands.
- - *I don't think I'm risking anything.

- Something to help determine where the activity
- might be coming from;
- http://tinyurl.com/25nf7h
-
- --
-
- Operator Bob
- Echo Charlie 42

OB - Nice Lightning Map Resource. ~ RHF

Vaisala - Free Lightning Explorer
http://thunderstorm.vaisala.com/explorer.html