Topic: NEXSTORM vs LIGHTNING 2000 SOFTWARE

[n0meq]

I am looking at either the Nexstorm or Lightning2000 software for use with the Boltek PCI stormtracker card.  Does anyone have any experience, comments or opinions with either one?  I am also using Weather Display in which both are supported by it....

Thanks   
N0MEQ 

[Anthony]

Personally I use Nexstorm. If you choose Nexstorm. I recommend having the map made for your area. Do not have any experience with the other software. And as for updating the data on my web site. I have choose to only update it during the active storm months (March thru October).

No offense. It's not necessary to make multiple posts about the same subject or question. One will surfice.

[SLOweather]

I've used both. Nexstrom is preferred if you want to send your data to StrikeStarUS for triangulating with other NexStorm users for better strike location. Then you can get that data back for your area with their WASP2 application. Nexstorm also has a time lapse JAVA applet you can put on your site, and an app for cell phones.

L2K is preferred if you are a statistics fanatic, as it records more and different data.

I believe NexStorm will also let you test the program on your detector for 30 days, while L2K only runs in demo mode, not on the hardware, until you pay for it. At least that's how it was several years ago.

And, to answer the question you haven't asked yet, no, you can't run them simultaneously on the same hardware.

I much prefer NexStorm.

[talbert1952]

I own both Nexstorm and Lightning2000 and have run them side-by-side on 2 Stormtracker PCI systems. In every comparison the lightning detection engine in Lightning2000 outperformed Nexstorm's engine in ranging accuracy. In Spring 2008 some significant improvements were made to L2K's detection engine which greatly improved its ability to properly range nearby lightning. The enhancements also significantly improved L2K's overall ranging accuracy and widened the performance gap even more.

Lightning detection software should excel at one thing: lightning detection and ranging. Everything else is secondary. In my opinion Nexstorm doesn't even come close to matching L2K's detection and ranging capabilities. This opinion is my own and is based on several months of informal observations of the two products and comparisons with USPLN data. I don't endorse/sell either product. Your mileage may vary.

[kray1000]

If nearby terrain might be an issue for you (like it is for me and Tom), I'd recommend Lightning 2000.  They're also much easier to deal with.

If you want pretty, go with Nexstorm.

[longmire]

I agree with Tom - Mike @ Aninoquisi (L2K) has been phenomenally easy to real and helpful for probelms with both L2K and with m Boltek setup from time to time. This is the reason I have stuck with L2K despite the StrikeStar and other fun stuff offered by Nexstorm.

I bought a lightning detector to detect and range lightning strikes - and L2K does this very well - Mike frequently sends out an email to notify of even minor fixes and tweaks that just keep making it better and better.

Steve

[Bluthunder2k]

I am looking at either the Nexstorm or Lightning2000 software for use with the Boltek PCI stormtracker card.  Does anyone have any experience, comments or opinions with either one?

I've ran both, currently using Nexstorm mainly for the Strikestar network.   

I do agree with numerous others who have said that L2k does a better job with ranging, I noted that when I switched to Nexstorm.     

The Nexstorm developer has made some improvements over the past few revisions that improve ranging, I haven't compared the two  since the newer versions.   

It took some time, but I built my ranging table by hand and have it pretty decent now.     

So, I will agree.  If you want looks and features, Nexstorm is the way to go.  If you want simplicity in setup and somewhat better accuracy, L2K is the way to go.

Sorry this probably doesn't help the decision making process much, but this one has no magic bullet 

[racenet]

Just wait until the new version of Nexstorm comes out. It will blow your socks off I'm sure.
And no, I don't know when and I can't say what. 



Bob