Topic: USPLN Sensor Request

[DaleReid]

Looking forward to the pictures and narrative of any hints for the rest of us still waiting.

How long did it take from the time you got approved til the box came?
Dale

[WeatherHost]

Mine will ship next week I hope.  If early in the week, I should have it by the weekend.  That sort of matches with the two week window noted above.

[44085weather]

Looking forward to the pictures and narrative of any hints for the rest of us still waiting.

How long did it take from the time you got approved til the box came?
Dale

Sandy was out of town for a week, it took 3 weeks.

[miraculon]

Greg, how can you possibly relegate the poor Blitz box to a remote location where you cannot be mesmerized by the blinking lights! 

Nice install.  I was going to ask if you had a heater in the enclosure for those sub zero nights

The heater is that rectangular "Hoffman" device with the grey cable just to the left of where the cables route. It is self-limiting PTC so there is no need for a controller. It helps somewhat, but it only raises the cabinet temperature a few degrees.

As far as blinky lights go, the GPS, Comm, Power LEDs are all lit. I haven't seen any activity on the "threshold" LED yet, but we haven't had much close-in lightning.

The mast has a little sway when the wind picks up, but doesn't seem any worse than the vertical Ham antenna or my 2 meter mast. I ordered some J-mast struts from Amazon for additional stabilization. There are six lag screws holding in the base of the J-mast (a re-purposed DirecTV one).

They gave me the login for the Google Earth based map. It shows CG, GC and CC strokes. There is a chart that shows on the Google Earth and on the web page that you login on, if you select it.

My "remote USB" trick is also working well. I can see the stroke counts increasing, so it is working. A couple of receive errors cropped up overnight, not sure what that means.

So far, so good. I think that it was worth the effort.

Greg H.

[DaleReid]

Greg,
Thanks for the detailed update.  I was referring to the BO board for blinky lights as part of the reason to have LEDs on the board.  Just me, I like bright flashy stuff.  Gotta watch me carefully at a hamfest flea market or take my wallet from me when I wander off.

I'm excited and would never have thought of many of the things talked about here, so the interchange is wonderful.

Thanks again.

[44085weather]

So I got outside and got everything setup. Took me a few hours and a small cut on my finger .

Here are a few pics of the install:
View from ground looking up at the antenna. The antennas seen on the tower are recieve only and should not cause any RF interference.

View from roof looking at the antenna


Was nice to be able to get outside and get something done on the first nice weekend here in months. 

[DaleReid]

Very nice.  Hope you had a climbing belt!

Is the apparatus very heavy or one handed grip do it setting it onto the top pipe?

The efforts are great.  I see a lot of similar thoughts and interests with Blitz, FlighRadar24 and TOA as well as weather recording and reporting in general. 

The services we do for our hobby and country is outstanding, if not downright fun.
Dale

[44085weather]

Very nice.  Hope you had a climbing belt!

Is the apparatus very heavy or one handed grip do it setting it onto the top pipe?

The efforts are great.  I see a lot of similar thoughts and interests with Blitz, FlighRadar24 and TOA as well as weather recording and reporting in general. 

The services we do for our hobby and country is outstanding, if not downright fun.
Dale

No climbing belt... I did lock my leg in like I was on a ladder though.

It weighs maybe 10 pounds as it is mostly PVC pipe.

It is fun for sure.  Hoping since it just started to rain here that it may pick up some strikes. I sent the photos that they required to them but seeing as it is Sunday I figure they won't respond until tomorrow. I won't know if it registering strikes or not.

[WeatherHost]

I'm going to have to modify the mount.  I have things that nibble wires, so I want everything inside conduit before it enters the garage.  Got a plan laid out, but I can't pre-assemble anything until I get the kit.

Already have a new UPS in place along with a router acting as a wireless bridge to the LAN.  I've been testing that for a few days with a LAN cable connected to this notebook.  So far, it's been fine.

[DaleReid]

44805
The old leg inside and toes hooked under the rung technique.  I did that when I was younger and less arthritic. Sometimes the cramps interfered with the project, though.  10# and no wind isn't bad, though.

I also never did it more than 40' up, but my wife reminded me a 10' drop would hurt, 20' kill so I tried to take the belt along and be able to use both hands, too.

I thnk Greg had a way of plugging in a USB on the front of the gizmo and watching with a monitor program to see strikes and all. 

[44085weather]

44805
The old leg inside and toes hooked under the rung technique.  I did that when I was younger and less arthritic. Sometimes the cramps interfered with the project, though.  10# and no wind isn't bad, though.

I also never did it more than 40' up, but my wife reminded me a 10' drop would hurt, 20' kill so I tried to take the belt along and be able to use both hands, too.

Being a firefighter I'm used to locking in to a ladder. This was one of the easier things I've had to do that far off the ground.  It helped that my better half stayed in the house while I was up there. She would have probably made me rig something up so I didn't fall, but it's too late for her to be mad now.

There was only a light wind around 2 mph while I was up there so that was good as well.

The hardest part of the install for me was getting the cables into my computer room from the basement without destroying the hardwood flooring. Since I just drilled into the trim and silicone it. The Mrs. wasn't too mad about that.

[WeatherHost]

So, what am I looking at?  Are you saying the second is more accurate and detailed?

Is that from their website that we get access to after we're installed and accepted?  Or is that a local program on your PC?


There was a post with an image or two there.  Now there isn't.  ::scratches head::

[hankster]

Even though the data was old I decided that maybe that was more information than what I should share. The screen shot was from the the TOA Google earth view that you, as a contributor, are allowed to see.

I'm not saying one is more accurate that the other, that they were just different. I don't have enough personal experience with close storm to draw any opinion. I have found out is that Blitzortung estimates they are only showing about 25% of the possible strikes as they need 6 stations to confirm a strike and rule out interference. TOA shows many more strikes. My estimate of what Blitzortung is showing is closer to 10%. They also do not show CC activity.

[WeatherHost]

I have GE Pro installed.  Is this a KMZ file then that we add on?  Or is it only viewable on the web version?

Or should I just wait to get it installed and get their instructions?

[hankster]

It uses a KMZ file.

[WeatherHost]

OK, that one was TOO close.  Big flash,, power glitch, then the BaBOOM!! and the ground shook.  Then the web went out.  Took a few minutes for something to reboot upstream from me.

Not sure what got hit, but it was close.

[miraculon]

I have GE Pro installed.  Is this a KMZ file then that we add on?  Or is it only viewable on the web version?

Or should I just wait to get it installed and get their instructions?

Look at the "Other Documentation" at http://www.uspln.com/documentation.html for the Google Earth instructions. The actual representation has changed a little from this documentation, but it gives you the basics.

Once you get your login info, the KML file will download and you will get the "open with" dialog box. Once you open with GE, it will zoom into your local area with a 10km ring and a strikes chart and an alarm strikes chart (within the 10km). You can then zoom out and look at the entire US and beyond a bit. You can zoom back into the lightning areas and click to see details and the time stamp info.

I unchecked a lot of the default Google Earth photos, landmarks, etc. since the map got too "busy".

Greg H.

[ALITTLEweird1]

 There sending me my equipment.  Reading through the manual it says to install it in a quite place.  Id like to mount it in my shop,  the loudest thing in there would be a impact gun.  You think that would be alright?

[44085weather]

I believe the "quiet" is meaning from RF interference, machinery and such. You could clarify with them on that.

[ALITTLEweird1]

I was thinking more of the rf noise too, but they really don't specify. Ill ask them.  Thanks

[WeatherHost]

The PDF brochure they sent me about siting mentions:

"For the absolute best performance, it is imperative that the antennas, specifically the stroke antenna, be located away from any RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) and other noise sources. The following are examples of noise sources that might interfere or produce false lightning detection: Power Lines (High Tension Lines), Motors (elevator, HVAC, exhaust/ventilation fans, motorized satellite tracking antennas, etc.), Power Sub Stations, AM Radio Towers, Spark Producing Equipment (welding shops, electrical fences, etc.), Guy wires, High Wattage Power Inverters"

An electric impact tool might be an issue, but not a pneumatic one.  The compressor however might be.

They're also talking about the antennas, not the gadget box.

[ALITTLEweird1]

Thanks for the info.  It is pneumatic. The compressor it self will be about 50 feet away from the antennas.

[hankster]

I doubt the compressor will be a problem. My air conditioner is only about 30 foot away isn't causing any problems.

[PaulMy]

I did get a reply that "and we believe an additional sensor in your area participating in the USPLN will help improve detection efficiency in the region" [/font]and I have the questionnaire to complete and looking at that I have some questions:

The most logical location to mount is using the existing mounting brackets on an unused chimney where I have my sunrecorder sensor pole attached.  This pole is a 1.3/8" metal pole and the sunrecorder sensor unit is at the top about 18 ft above the chimney.  There are mature trees within 20 feet of that pole.

Question 1: will the trees impact the install location and signal reception?
Question 2: would the existing metal pole have any adverse impact (the TOA antenna would be within a foot of the pole)?

The questionnaire also asks about any potential obstructions for the sensor.  I do have an A/C unit, electrical motors for water pump and furnace but these are about 30 feet to the other end of the house.  Would this be any potential obstruction?

Thanks,
Paul

[hankster]

Yes, the metal pole will shield the strike antenna. I had to move mine as I first had it mounted to the same pole as my ISS. I am not sure about the trees as I have none around mine.