Lightning detection with a GPS synced radio receiver...

Hi

I have always had a very special place for lightning.

One can merely look at my flickr photostream and gather as much.

Strangely I live in the moist lightning devoid area on the planet...

So in the name of science, In November of 2020 I decided to buy a System Blue.

Essentially a lightning detector that is GPS timed synchronized with other detectors on a network and that uses the principles of Time of arrival TDOA to determine where a Radio Frequency event to place, in this case lightning...

Here is a live map of this network in action.

That would look something like this...

There is the antenna kit version that is for sale and I opted for the self build option and this kit comes at a price of 270 EUR. . .

I decided to build this as the first test antenna.

This is the first antenna a 100cm mobius coax antenna.

I decided to take what timber I had, which turned out to be 3x70cm pieces, and constructed a cross firstly, added some hooks.

I did some calculations based on the information I could gather on these loop antennas from the blitzortung forums.

I then spun three loops with 10 turns each having a diameter of 0.48m

I then proceeded to setup this device according to the correct guidelines as best as possible.

The E-Field antenna is a length of wire(~1000mm) stung up in a tree with rope and contained within 50mm PVC housing.

Here is one of my first hits with all four channels.

My live data can be tracked at Blitz, although I will admit that this system needs a serious upgrade...

Kind Regards

Ohan

Zs1SCI

Huzzah