WXforum.net
General Weather/Earth Sciences Topics => Lightning => Topic started by: abaum on September 07, 2016, 11:35:58 AM
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Hi all.
I'm an operational met for UBIMET North America (www.ubimet.com), and we're currently setting up a lightning detection network in the US/Canada. We're looking for hosts for our equipment.
I appreciate most of you probably will not have heard of us as a company, so we have an "About" and "History" page on our site.
http://www.ubimet.com/company/about/
http://www.ubimet.com/company/history/
With regard to our lightning network, we provide access to our online lightning data and forecast center in return for a place to put the sensor and processor, as well as electric and internet (both very minimal usage). More info on this page: http://www.ubimet.com/technology/lightning-detection-system/
On our data display you'll be able to see the lightning data for your area, along with forecast data from our proprietary modeling systems. The lightning data isn't just strike location, it includes type (CG, in-cloud), amplitude, and also email notification when a strike occurs near you. We do charge a fair premium for paying customers so it's a pretty awesome deal if you're able to help us out. We have a PDF brochure we can send to anyone interested, so let me know if you'd like to see that.
If you're interested in reading about an existing host, a local newspaper in MT ran an article about it:
http://www.blainecountyjournal.com/story/2016/08/24/news/chinook-fire-department-now-aided-by-new-lightning-detection-system/1303.html
Couple of requirements for the sensor:
The host location must be a business (for insurance purposes).
The equipment will require 24/7 internet and electricity access year round.
We can't put the sensor within a couple of miles of an airport or close to some sort of large interference. E.g. we can't use stadiums with large floodlights or roof areas with massive AC units.
We're primarily looking for hosts (currently) within 50 miles of these cities:
Larger locations up first: Houston, TX; Milwaukee, WI; Odessa, TX; Seattle, WA; Sioux Falls, SD; Wichita, KS, Wilmington, NC
Blythe, CA; Cadillac, MI; Cheyenne, WY; Eugene, OR; Eureka, CA; Fort Stockton, CA; Gallup, NM; Honolulu, HI; Houlton, ME; Kalispell, MT; Kahului, HI; Kekeha, HI; Key West, FL; Kualapuu, HI; Lafayette, LA; Santa Maria, CA; Williamsport, PA
Also looking all over Canada. We have a few places filled but since cities are more sparse it's a little more flexible. If you're in Canada, just let me know where you are.
Thanks your time everyone
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I own a business but it's in a strip mall type location in Central NY.
How far from an airport also? I'd be probably 10 miles from KRME.
Thanks.
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Just curious...
in what ways will be your network unique? Just asking because Im sure you are aware of the fact there are already lightning detection networks and the accuracy of any lightning detection network is always primarily based on the number of stations.
So in order for you to be successful, you obviously have to offer some major added value, otherwise I don´t see it as a viable project.
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To establish some credibility with this group of weather enthusiasts, I would suggest that you include the name of your company and a link to you website so we can determine whether we want to get involved with this endeavor. Also, limiting your offer to businesses may very well reduce your success rate, especially with this group as most of us have our weather equipment located on private property and not in a business.
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I hope its not the same guy as last time, about few months ago, with a very similar post, just with a new nick.
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I see a very similar post by the same member that was posted last year (August 13, 2015). A link to that post follows:
- http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=27093.msg260771#msg260771 (http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=27093.msg260771#msg260771)
To be credible, this company needs to fully identify itself and provide some detailed information about itself. I still don't understand the requirement for the location to be a business. He/She states it is for insurance purposes...
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Very suspicious because normally I would expect the name of the company and some URL to be included.
I dont get why I should email you, if you want to discuss things here on the forum, then do so.
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Thanks for the feedback guys. Apologies for sounding vague. So to kill all these birds with one stone...
I'm at UBIMET North America, a branch of UBIMET Gmbh, headquartered in Austria. Here's our site www.ubimet.com. The North America network is just one part of the global network. We're also expanding in Africa as part of a UN tender for providing weather data and warnings to developing countries.
Here's a link if you're interested: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ubimet-selected-by-united-nations-development-programme-to-build-meteorological-services-and-infrastructure-in-developing-countries-569797981.html
The network's sole purpose isn't simply detecting lightning and pushing the data in that form. As you say, we're aware that many existing networks are out there. We ingest our own data into our systems to provide value added products to our clients globally.
It's not a viable option for us to provide liability coverage for the equipment if mounted on residential property, mainly for the added cost of broaching far more legal issues. It's an option that was explored but we decided against. Reaching out to weather enthusiasts with existing stations on their property is something the team would have liked, but alas...
Hope that clears some things up.
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Very suspicious because normally I would expect the name of the company and some URL to be included.
I dont get why I should email you, if you want to discuss things here on the forum, then do so.
Since this is regarding a potential business agreement, personal contact seems more appropriate than openly talking on a forum for anything beyond general information.
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I own a business but it's in a strip mall type location in Central NY.
How far from an airport also? I'd be probably 10 miles from KRME.
Thanks.
While you're plenty far from the airport, unfortunately we do already have coverage for your area. I fully appreciate the interest though!
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Not to be a doubter on this project but I found a site that is selling a Raspberry pi based weather station that looks almost identical to the one shown on the ubimet.com website. Take a look at this URL for more details of the equipment which may or may not be the same as that being used by ubimet.
- http://www.switchdoc.com/2016/09/tutorial-part-14-building-a-solar-powered-raspberry-pi-weather-station-groveweatherpi/ (http://www.switchdoc.com/2016/09/tutorial-part-14-building-a-solar-powered-raspberry-pi-weather-station-groveweatherpi/)
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Not to be a doubter on this project but I found a site that is selling a Raspberry pi based weather station that looks almost identical to the one shown on the ubimet.com website. Take a look at this URL for more details of the equipment which may or may not be the same as that being used by ubimet.
- http://www.switchdoc.com/2016/09/tutorial-part-14-building-a-solar-powered-raspberry-pi-weather-station-groveweatherpi/ (http://www.switchdoc.com/2016/09/tutorial-part-14-building-a-solar-powered-raspberry-pi-weather-station-groveweatherpi/)
I noticed that as well. That is not a "professional grade" setup by any means. I wonder what the lightning detectors look like...
Greg H.
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Not to be a doubter on this project but I found a site that is selling a Raspberry pi based weather station that looks almost identical to the one shown on the ubimet.com website. Take a look at this URL for more details of the equipment which may or may not be the same as that being used by ubimet.
- http://www.switchdoc.com/2016/09/tutorial-part-14-building-a-solar-powered-raspberry-pi-weather-station-groveweatherpi/ (http://www.switchdoc.com/2016/09/tutorial-part-14-building-a-solar-powered-raspberry-pi-weather-station-groveweatherpi/)
I can't speak to what the weather stations we're using are. We use a range of equipment depending on the situation, and that's not what we're using for the lightning network.
If you want to see what our lightning sensor looks like, we have one at the Chinook Fire Department in MT. There was an article in the local paper after it was installed:
http://www.blainecountyjournal.com/story/2016/08/24/news/chinook-fire-department-now-aided-by-new-lightning-detection-system/1303.html
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Fighting a loosing battle here with no direct links to your stuff. Like fishin with no bait....
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Your website displyed to me fully in Czech, but I guess it was mostly done using Google Translator and the results correspond to that... does not cast a very good light on your company.
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Fighting a loosing battle here with no direct links to your stuff. Like fishin with no bait....
I was simply providing an example of an existing client. Here's the direct link on our website: http://www.ubimet.com/technology/lightning-detection-system/
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I think some of the comments here are a bit too negative, likely because of a shortage of information, and would be better served by asking some questions first and then comment!
Paul
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The lightning detector antennae look interesting. With loop antennas, E-field and GPS support for TOA/TOGA it sounds like a robust system. I am still not impressed with the weather station hardware, however.
Greg H.
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I think some of the comments here are a bit too negative, likely because of a shortage of information, and would be better served by asking some questions first and then comment!
Paul
Thanks Paul. I was too ambiguous in the original post. I've updated it to include the links I've provided in the comments, as well as a couple more.
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The lightning detector antennae look interesting. With loop antennas, E-field and GPS support for TOA/TOGA it sounds like a robust system. I am still not impressed with the weather station hardware, however.
Greg H.
Interested to know which weather station you guys are looking at. Can you give me a link?
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The lightning detector antennae look interesting. With loop antennas, E-field and GPS support for TOA/TOGA it sounds like a robust system. I am still not impressed with the weather station hardware, however.
Greg H.
Interested to know which weather station you guys are looking at. Can you give me a link?
This page (http://www.ubimet.com/en_INT/technology/data/) which has the image below.
(http://www.ubimet.com/imgservice/0001/1/300/fileadmin/upload_media/Industries/Ubimet_weather_station.jpg)
Greg H.
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The lightning detector antennae look interesting. With loop antennas, E-field and GPS support for TOA/TOGA it sounds like a robust system. I am still not impressed with the weather station hardware, however.
Greg H.
Interested to know which weather station you guys are looking at. Can you give me a link?
This page (http://www.ubimet.com/en_INT/technology/data/) which has the image below.
(http://www.ubimet.com/imgservice/0001/1/300/fileadmin/upload_media/Industries/Ubimet_weather_station.jpg)
Greg H.
Cheers. I don't work with the equipment so I can't be sure where that's being used, if at all still. However, I know the equipment we use for Formula 1 has everything up to infrared surface temp sensors, and that's aside from the on-site radar units we can set up when needed. I'm guessing it was just chosen as representative image of a generic weather station.
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OK, I see, though in such case I would say it might not have been the best choice to show the cheapest plastic PWS as a reference if you also use better equipment :)
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OK, I see, though in such case I would say it might not have been the best choice to show the cheapest plastic PWS as a reference if you also use better equipment :)
For your trained eyes, probably! Though I doubt the general public reading that page would know the difference :-P
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Know the difference between
(http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-37697109791737/davis-instruments-6334-wireless-vantage-pro2-iss-with-pyranometer-daytime-fan-aspirated-radiation-shield-w-free-ups-3.gif)
and
(http://www.ubimet.com/imgservice/0001/1/300/fileadmin/upload_media/Industries/Ubimet_weather_station.jpg)
...
I think everyone can tell the first one is probably going to withstand "slightly" more and be more accurate.
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Hi there!
I may be able to assist with hosting a sensor in the Hot Springs, Arkansas. There's a couple of options:
1. I've converted a home into an office that serves at the HQ for my IT business I could host if that would qualify.
2. If it still would not qualify, I also do IT consulting for a school here, as well as my ISP may be interested in one, or some business I know interested in one.
My direct contact form is here if you need to reach me:
http://www.mallardcomputer.com/wp/leadership/nparker/
Thanks!