Hi-Res TOA Lightning Detection Network

[41south]

The system has found a new home

[Tecsol]

IMG_2129.JPG

Another detector as joined the network, Silvan, East of Melbourne Vic.

That's me! G'day all.

I've been watching our detection rate since setting the station running, and we fall way below others in "the area". We're in a semi-rural zone, 50k out of Melbourne. I notice the station in East Melbourne which would have to endure much more inteference than us often responds and ours doesn't.

Can anyone suggest a check list to optomise a station? Should I add an E-field antenna to the 2 right angle ferrite rods?

My antenna/amplifier is on a pole, approx 4m above ground. It's in an aluminium enclosure with the antennas in an assemble made of electrical conduit parts. I'm using unshielded cat5 cable to the controller in a shed below, which then connects to a microwave link back to our main building. From there our internet runs through 60 year old paper wrapped, lead pipe enclosed copper wires, but that's another story...

[tgsnoopy]

Changing from the Ferrite Rod style aerials, to the big loops made a huge difference to my reception. Sadly I've had to reduce gain due to unresolved interference, but prior to a couple of good stations joining in NZ and having loops with reasonably high gain, I was frequently the best station in NZ. I'd suggest they would definitely be worth considering.

[lokeynz]

I'd recommend using shielded cat5 for the link between the amp and controller, the shielding and metal connectors act as a ground path for the amp.
The general advice is to use shielded cable between the controller and your router/switch but I've had both positive and negative results depending on the model of switch so that's something to experiment with.
Also make sure your controller is well grounded, the recommendation for low noise is a separate earth stake but the household electrical earth seems to do the trick.

E-Field definitely helped detection rates on my stations, if you have the boards it's worth the effort.
You'll need a bit of physical separation between the E and H amps so perhaps move the H halfway down that pole and mount the E antenna/pre-amp on top, main E amp can be inside with the controller.

[tgsnoopy]

A new detector in Dunedin, doing very well too!

[ricky]

And looks like it's using only an E-field detector! Must get mine assembled to try..

[Tecsol]

Changing from the Ferrite Rod style aerials, to the big loops made a huge difference to my reception. Sadly I've had to reduce gain due to unresolved interference, but prior to a couple of good stations joining in NZ and having loops with reasonably high gain, I was frequently the best station in NZ. I'd suggest they would definitely be worth considering.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll definately check the system ground. Currently it's powered via a USB outlet on the network hub. I should have thought about switching power supply noise. I'll change to a transformer and linear regulator and add a good ground.
Can you suggest links to a good loop antenna design please? Sounds like a good long weekend project!

[tgsnoopy]

I'm using 10 turns of wire with 80cm per side. From memory the recommended design in the Blitzortung pdf document was 8 turns on a 1m sided square. I didn't have sufficient room inside the ceiling cavity to fit one, hence going for a smaller one. Suggest having a look at the pdf documents you can download from the website. I think I've put a couple of photo's of mine in this topic. It has an aluminium shield added too. I did use their support frame, which is really simple and cheap to make.

I bought a coil of copper tube a while back, but have never got around to building a new set of loops, my intention is to eventually relocate them outside on the roof.

[tgsnoopy]

Another detector, describes itself as: "South Sydney 2, NSW E field test".

[tgsnoopy]

Another detector, describes itself as: "Brisbane Nth E field test, E field test".

[tgsnoopy]

Another detector, describes itself as: "Doha, @daveauld, System Red, Qatar"

[Manukau heads obs]

Hi i have Ricky's older green board working here now ,
thanks Ricky
so that might help a bit in detecting strikes

[tgsnoopy]

OK time for me to Chime in:

<Abridged before & after bit below>

System Green Users will be given a good discount on the new System Blue and will be given first dibs on system blues and will have get a title on the Blitz forum to say they were part of founding of Blitzortung.

Yawn... Still waiting for my offer of a discount on a new Blue etc.

I wonder when my Green detector will stop working on the network. At this point I now have zero desire to spend more money buying a blue and upgrading. Not to mention turning on the red one I bought for the radio site up at Takaurunga. Sad really, but the system will live without me.

[41south]

Seems pretty quiet in here. What's new - system blue? Is availability of kits still a dirty question?

[tgsnoopy]

Blue is available now, think it's only built up though, not as a kit.

[41south]

Cheers

[tgsnoopy]

I have to wonder how they calculate their stats....

TOA is weird.jpg

No idea why my station has apparently detecting 0%, it's gain has been down for a while now due to interference. Having difficulty justifying to myself why I should keep it powered up anymore. It had at times previously been the #1 station in the world, now it seems it's unable to detect anything according to their website.

Sad really, I had high hopes they would pro-actively look after the people who got this network going in the first place.

[41south]

Hmmmm, hope you find some answers, I've just ordered my system blue for Wellington. I'm hoping I haven't invested in a sinking project

[tgsnoopy]

It's not a dead duck by any means, just weird, my station is detecting, but that doesn't show in their statistics for whatever reason.

That said, the huge delays waiting for System Blue & the fact it was claimed the original Green Owners would be offered a deal to upgrade which never transpired has me somewhat frustrated. Combine the statistical data and yeah, not quite throw toys from toybox, but it's weird and frustrating.

[41south]

Yeah I get what you mean about weird and frustrating. Fingers crossed it comes right and you feel like a satisfied contributor again

[Mozi]

Have you looked into WHERE the strikes are that your station is detecting? And what other stations are detecting the same strike? Now that there are a lot more stations in Oceania, not every station contributes to every strike any more.

My two Darwin stations used to detect (and contribute) to strikes as far as NZ and certainly along the east coast of Australia. I'm still detecting those strikes but they are not showing up in the statistics because other stations are closer and thus provide better data for the same strike.

Similarly my station is overwhelmed by closer strikes. And there are now plenty of Australian and Asian stations that can pick those strikes up instead.

I very much agree with you snoopy about the way they handle the sale/distribution of new boards. I guess they are enthusiasts with daytime jobs. Maybe they would need more of a business manager among them nowadays. I must say I don't bother following their forums any more.

[tgsnoopy]

A contributing factor might be the fact I didn't register myself, I was registered as a group by a third party. Maybe that 3rd party (whom co-incidentally I think was the person whom mentioned the upgrade deal that didn't happen). I sure hope that person did not receive that offer and fail to forward it. Best I leave it alone right now.

[Tornado Tim]

I have not registered anyone into the system as I am not an admin.

All of that has to go through Egon. Egon or Tobias would have set you up with your blitzortung account.

I also have not received any correspondence about the upgrade since, will need to email Egon about it.

[tgsnoopy]

Thanks Tim, would appreciate it.
Maybe my grizzling will benefit all us original starters? One can only hope.

[41south]

Got my system blue kit last week, now just have to find a day or 2 to put it all together - and figure out what to do about antennas