BlitzOrtung - real-time lightning detection

[saratogaWX]

There is a lightning detector hobbyist network called Blitzortung.org (main page at http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page=3 ) that was started in Germany, and has now spread to North America.

The members build (from kit parts) the detector which monitors H-field (and now can do E-field) emissions from lightning strikes, and has a set of servers in Europe to correlate the Time-Of-Arrival at detectors v.s. GPS-time and uses that to locate strikes.

There is a great (and somewhat hypnotic) map at:

http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page_0=30 for North America

where you can see real-time strike info, and which stations participated in the location of that strike.

There is a companion site that offers the same data and uses a zoomable Google Map for display

http://www.lightningmaps.org/blitzortung/america/index.php?lang=en

For those interested, there is a Blitzortung forum in the US at http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?board=115.0
and a public forum at http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page=6 .. to access the internal forum,
there, you'll need to have a Blitzortung member id.

I've been providing Blitzortung data (as station 802) for a while now.  I recently added some automation to my site to
offer Blitzortung data maps for the SouthWest and USA at
http://saratoga-weather.org/SWN-lightning.php and
http://saratoga-weather.org/USA-lightning.php

Best regards,
Ken

[Blicj11]

This is very cool Ken. Thanks for posting. It is indeed rather mesmerizing to look at that map.

[elagache]

Hi Ken, Blick, and WeatherCat tinkerers,

Very interesting Ken! 

The members build (from kit parts) the detector which monitors H-field (and now can do E-field) emissions from lightning strikes

. . . .


I've been providing Blitzortung data (as station 802) for a while now.

As your display suggests, California may not be the best location for one of these detectors, but it does appear to be an interesting project!

Since you have a detector, can you tell us a little about the skills involved in assembling a detector?  Is there a How-To webpage that gives a reasonably clear and step-by-step description of how to go from buying the parts to getting a detector assembled and hooked up?

Thanks again!

Cheers, Edouard 

[saratogaWX]

Since you have a detector, can you tell us a little about the skills involved in assembling a detector?  Is there a How-To webpage that gives a reasonably clear and step-by-step description of how to go from buying the parts to getting a detector assembled and hooked up?

Sure.. the skills required to assemble are:
1) fairly good eyes (and/or a large magnifying glass) as the parts are small
2) soldering skills and a thermostatically controlled soldering iron
3) fairly good dexterity with small wire cutters and pliers.

If you've never built a HeathKit or assembled a printed circuit board, it can be a fairly steep learning curve.  Some of the components are surface-mount technology and so are very small and easy to mis-install (been there, done that).

For ordering, you need to use the guide at http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page=3 and send a message (via the website there) to Egon in Germany.  Read the PDF file on that page which gives a bit of the history, the principles of operation of the system, and the details about the controller and amplifier board(s) you construct from kit-parts.
If you decide to build a system, the parts are available from Egon and shipped from Germany.  The developers are taking a summer holiday in July, so won't be answering requests or sourcing kits until August, 2014.  You don't have to be a radio amateur (HAM), but it likely helps because the components/terminology will be somewhat familiar.  My degree was in Electrical Engineering, so it was no issue for me, but if you've never wandered around the insides of modern electronic devices, it may be a large learning experience.

Cost for a controller and H-field (magnetic) sensor/amplifier ran me ?206.04 (Euros) or about $281.84 at today's exchange rate. Payment is through PayPal, and you only need to order some of the kit, and source things like cables/wall-wart power supply locally (which saves a bit of money).  I'm looking to order the new E-Field (electrical) sensor amplifier to add to my existing setup, but I'll wait until August to do that.

The most active discussions about Blitzortung, setup, operation, enhancement are on WXForum.net and the internal Blitzortung forum.

Hope this helps...

Best regards,
Ken

[elagache]

Hi Ken and WeatherCat tinkerers,

Thanks for the details on how to assemble a BlitzOrtung detector.  It is rather as I expected.  I've never assembled anything like a HeathKit and only have a Weller WLC100 electronic soldering station.  The WLC doesn't have a thermostat, only a power adjustment - so it would be dicey at best.

However, perhaps someone else on the WeatherCat forum will have more interest and be in a better location.  Coastal California atmosphere is very quiet electrically speaking and there are many other spots in the world which are - to pardon the pun - much more electrifying! 

Thanks for sharing the information with all of us! 

Cheers, Edouard