Topic: Seeing Red

[Jumpin Joe]

Seeing Red is what you will be doing for awhile if you want to order a Blitzortung System RED.

I tried to order one .... here's my reply. 

"I am very sorry, but at the moment we are sold out. We have several problem to get all the parts. In particular, the ICs MCP6S91 are hard to get at the moment. We are waiting for a delivery that may arrive in September. Please ask again in a few weeks.

Regards,
Egon"

By the time they are available again, lightning season will be over here..... might become next springs project.

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

Seeing Red is what you will be doing for awhile if you want to order a Blitzortung System RED.

I tried to order one .... here's my reply. 

"I am very sorry, but at the moment we are sold out. We have several problem to get all the parts. In particular, the ICs MCP6S91 are hard to get at the moment. We are waiting for a delivery that may arrive in September. Please ask again in a few weeks.

Regards,
Egon"

By the time they are available again, lightning season will be over here..... might become next springs project.

Heck, Joe... we're already figuring how to monitor the southern hemisphere over the winter... never a dull moment with the BlitzBunch... after that, it's storms on Saturn, where spring is just beginning, and will last about another 8-9 years. Don F and Greg H are busy designing super horns the size of a football field for that project. I was planning on just using a coat hanger, but can only make it as far as Heliosat with that... .

[W7DRM (old call was W3DRM)]

Too bad they can't put everyone who wants to place an order on a waiting list and then notifying them as the kits become available rather than requiring us to keep emailing an inquiry about the status of the kits. But then, it is a volunteer group and may take away from their activities of handling the updates needed for the data coming in from the new RED kits.

I guess patience on our part is what is needed.

At least this gives me a chance to build my flat panel antenna. 

[gwwilk]

Too bad they can't put everyone who wants to place an order on a waiting list and then notifying them as the kits become available rather than requiring us to keep emailing an inquiry about the status of the kits. But then, it is a volunteer group and may take away from their activities of handling the updates needed for the data coming in from the new RED kits.

Agreed!    I'm not pleased with my Boltek's accuracy vis a vis the Precision Lightning Network, and this would be a great alternative.  My inability to get Segmental Ranging to perform as desired with strikes nearer than 100 mi. has been very frustrating.  Triangulation would seem to be the way to go.  I'm jealous of the lucky blokes who have their Blitzortung detectors up and running!

[Jumpin Joe]

Patience , I'll work that... I need the practice.

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

I believe that when Blitzortung hit WxForum a couple of months ago, and a few of us started chatting about it, that the response simply overwhelmed them, especially when you throw the other world areas into the mix. Certainly they have been surprised, judging from requests to participants not to email the 'caretakers' but post questions on the internal Blitzortung forum instead! I can hear 'em now: "Damn Yankees... give Americans a cool idea and they'll shove it in your face". Not to mention the enthusiasts world wide trying to join the network.
 
But the problem of parts isn't really theirs. I considered ordering the Discovery board from Mouser back when (June?), and discovered there was a shortage, they were out of stock. As were a couple of other suppliers. A very popular item, used for many applications. I was lucky enough to get one while Dr. Wanke still had the items in stock. The mere fact that a few kits were shipped with the odd part inadvertently omitted might be an indication of sheer volume of assembling kits and shipping.
Also having limited personal knowledge of our friends in Europe, I suspect they are Educators and Technicians who have real jobs and responsibilities they must mix into their Blitzortung lifestyle.
And they still have the massive job of updating and converting servers to incorporate the new features of the Red system we're all so pleased with.

And all through this, they respond with courtesy and respect to every inquiry as soon as possible. Kudos to them! 

[Jumpin Joe]

I believe that when Blitzortung hit WxForum a couple of months ago, and a few of us started chatting about it, that the response simply overwhelmed them, especially when you throw the other world areas into the mix. Certainly they have been surprised, judging from requests to participants not to email the 'caretakers' but post questions on the internal Blitzortung forum instead! I can hear 'em now: "Damn Yankees... give Americans a cool idea and they'll shove it in your face". Not to mention the enthusiasts world wide trying to join the network.
 
But the problem of parts isn't really theirs. I considered ordering the Discovery board from Mouser back when (June?), and discovered there was a shortage, they were out of stock. As were a couple of other suppliers. A very popular item, used for many applications. I was lucky enough to get one while Dr. Wanke still had the items in stock. The mere fact that a few kits were shipped with the odd part inadvertently omitted might be an indication of sheer volume of assembling kits and shipping.
Also having limited personal knowledge of our friends in Europe, I suspect they are Educators and Technicians who have real jobs and responsibilities they must mix into their Blitzortung lifestyle.
And they still have the massive job of updating and converting servers to incorporate the new features of the Red system we're all so pleased with.

And all through this, they respond with courtesy and respect to every inquiry as soon as possible. Kudos to them! 

Agreed! what they are doing is fantastic.

I'm not upset..... just jealous that I was not quick enough to respond. I will happily wait for them to offer the kits again.

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

I'm not upset..... just jealous that I was not quick enough to respond. I will happily wait for them to offer the kits again.

I knew that... frustration won't happen till you get the Kit and try to discriminate those dang resistor colors. Make sure you've got an ohm-meter to cross check your eyeballs... And throwing parts across the room is disallowed.

[Jumpin Joe]

I'm not upset..... just jealous that I was not quick enough to respond. I will happily wait for them to offer the kits again.

I knew that... frustration won't happen till you get the Kit and try to discriminate those dang resistor colors. Make sure you've got an ohm-meter to cross check your eyeballs... And throwing parts across the room is disallowed.

Now that is something I can't promise. My trusty 260 with fresh batteries is ready to answer the call. Along with all of my other toys. I love Big Boy toys.

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

I'm not upset..... just jealous that I was not quick enough to respond. I will happily wait for them to offer the kits again.

I knew that... frustration won't happen till you get the Kit and try to discriminate those dang resistor colors. Make sure you've got an ohm-meter to cross check your eyeballs... And throwing parts across the room is disallowed.

Now that is something I can't promise. My trusty 260 with fresh batteries is ready to answer the call. Along with all of my other toys. I love Big Boy toys.

Did you know that the cord end of the soldering pencil is the cool part? Yep. Honest.

[dfroula]

I counted 61 on-line Red stations in Europe compared to 8 in the US. I'm sure there are quite a few in the construction phase. I'm guessing they shipped around 100 kits/boards in the first round.

There's always the option of just buying the boards and sourcing the parts here in the US. I think most components are available from Mouser and DigiKey, including the LCD display. 2 or three orders would do it.

Don

I believe that when Blitzortung hit WxForum a couple of months ago, and a few of us started chatting about it, that the response simply overwhelmed them, especially when you throw the other world areas into the mix. Certainly they have been surprised, judging from requests to participants not to email the 'caretakers' but post questions on the internal Blitzortung

[DaleReid]

I was just informed my parts package was ready and on it's way.  I was resigned to a winter build, too, but it wasn't more than two weeks from signing on, issuing a request, and getting an email back saying things finally were in the bag and I could pay for them.

I wonder if they recruited some ambitious volunteers, brought in some Guinness and got a bunch of parts counted out and packed up.

Nonetheless, I did get 'option 4' which was just the essentials, leaving the cords and the processor board and the GPS antenna to me which almost all is already on hand.

For those in the USA, I see no reason to get the whole ball of wax.  I look forward to some antenna winding (unless room wise you need the ferrites,
and the other stuff is usually at hand, or is very inexpensive to come up with (GPS antennas from the old map programs we may have bought on clear out just for the antenna or $6 on eBay) and the power supply.  It reduced my costs by about a 1/3, and may have allowed them to package up the core boards and components more quickly.

Just a thought, and an update on the time between requesting and being notified of shipment (about two weeks for this configuration) at the beginning of August 2013

[miraculon]

Seeing Red is what you will be doing for awhile if you want to order a Blitzortung System RED.

I tried to order one .... here's my reply. 

"I am very sorry, but at the moment we are sold out. We have several problem to get all the parts. In particular, the ICs MCP6S91 are hard to get at the moment. We are waiting for a delivery that may arrive in September. Please ask again in a few weeks.

Regards,
Egon"

By the time they are available again, lightning season will be over here..... might become next springs project.

Heck, Joe... we're already figuring how to monitor the southern hemisphere over the winter... never a dull moment with the BlitzBunch... after that, it's storms on Saturn, where spring is just beginning, and will last about another 8-9 years. Don F and Greg H are busy designing super horns the size of a football field for that project. I was planning on just using a coat hanger, but can only make it as far as Heliosat with that... .

I sent an idea to Egon regarding using SOIC8 MCP6S91 and a "chip fix" SOIC-DIP adapter board.

I don't know about the super horn, but I have been pondering making an E-Field antenna when the E-Field amplifier board comes out this fall. Maybe this could go on the 2nd RJ45 input of the RED controller...

Super Horn Prototype:


Greg H.

[dfroula]

...or this

Seeing Red is what you will be doing for awhile if you want to order a Blitzortung System RED.

I tried to order one .... here's my reply. 

"I am very sorry, but at the moment we are sold out. We have several problem to get all the parts. In particular, the ICs MCP6S91 are hard to get at the moment. We are waiting for a delivery that may arrive in September. Please ask again in a few weeks.

Regards,
Egon"

By the time they are available again, lightning season will be over here..... might become next springs project.

Heck, Joe... we're already figuring how to monitor the southern hemisphere over the winter... never a dull moment with the BlitzBunch... after that, it's storms on Saturn, where spring is just beginning, and will last about another 8-9 years. Don F and Greg H are busy designing super horns the size of a football field for that project. I was planning on just using a coat hanger, but can only make it as far as Heliosat with that... .

I sent an idea to Egon regarding using SOIC8 MCP6S91 and a "chip fix" SOIC-DIP adapter board.

I don't know about the super horn, but I have been pondering making an E-Field antenna when the E-Field amplifier board comes out this fall. Maybe this could go on the 2nd RJ45 input of the RED controller...

Super Horn Prototype:


Greg H.

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

I saw this Hare-Brained scheme somewhere...

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

630'.  175,352 turns 26 gauge magnet wire. Forgot the gap at the top. Darn.

[W7DRM (old call was W3DRM)]

Yes, patience is the key. However, if they can't supply the kits for some time why are they suggesting that we all put up links to their website to drum up more business? I understand they want to grow the network BUT, by asking folks to promote their site, they are only asking for criticism from the new folks who do stumble on these links and then are told they can't get the parts for another month or so. Perhaps I am missing something in the language translation?