Author Topic: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field - SOLD  (Read 1654 times)

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Offline dfroula

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Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field - SOLD
« on: September 10, 2021, 02:45:21 PM »
The system has been sold.

Hello, all,

Due to downsizing, I have recently decommissioned my System Red station and am offering it for sale.

The system includes:

- System Red main controller board with STM32F4 Discovery Board and LCD
- The LCD gives full display and control of operating conditions, unlike System Blue.
- Controller board mounted in heavy-duty enclosure with transparent lid and two externally-mounted control buttons
- An AS3935 board installed in main controller enclosure for integrated independent detection of local lightning strikes
- A new spare STM32F4 Discovery Board
- A remote GPS antenna with SMA connector (an onboard GPS antenna is also on the main board).
- An H-field amplifier in a heavy-duty enclosure with transparent top.
- The H-field amplifier Includes a stereo line-level jack for audio monitoring lightning signals after amp processing.
- The H-field amplifier connects to the main controller via a shielded Ethernet cable, included.
- Two H-field ferrite antenna rods (of my own design - see sticky on this board).
- Ferrite antennas are mounted at right angles in a PVC shielded enclosure.
- The enclosure has proper slits in the shielding to eliminate near-field interference.
- The ferrite rods are padded in the enclosure for shock resistance.
- Two spare ferrite antenna rods are included.
- An E-field antenna and preamp board in a weatherproof radome enclosure are included.
- The E-field main amplifier and control board is also included. No enclosure.
- The E-field pre-amp connects to the main amplifier with a 75 ohm TV-style coaxial cable with "F" connectors (not included).
- The E-field amplifier and control board connects to the main controller with a shielded Ethernet cable (included).
- A 5 volt power supply to power the entire system is included.
- All original construction manuals and documentation included.

See a PDF with detailed images at: https://projectmf.net/Blitzortung_Station.pdf (large file!)

Also YouTube video for an overview of an identical system, built for another:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKbZC1DEp4

This station operated as #681 on the Blitzortung network for years. It was consistently one of the best-performing stations in the US.

All circuit boards are professional soldered and assembled by me, an electrical engineer and ham operator for 40 years. See images.

Asking $400.00 plus shipping for all, tested and working.

Note: The system will be restored to factory default before shipping I will snapshot the operating parameters from the Web interface, if desired.

Contact: dfroula@sbcglobal.net if interested.

Regards,

Don Froula

« Last Edit: October 08, 2021, 09:33:54 PM by dfroula »

Offline PaulMy

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2021, 03:38:01 PM »
Hi Don,
Glad to hear from you and trust all is well.  And agree, your station has been a top performer.  Hopefully it will go to a good and deserving new place.
And watching that youtube video looks like awfully familiar equipment ;) \:D/


Regards,
Paul

Offline dfroula

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2021, 03:57:44 PM »
Hi, Paul,

All good here. Just normal life-changes.

Hope your system and Anne-Marie’s are still going strong.

Best,

Don
K9CLF

Offline Cutty Sark Sailor

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2021, 04:23:32 PM »
Oh,how I remember those great times while we figured this thing out, Don.... missed you, and hate to see my 'competitor' red go to another home... heh... in a sense, I almost feel 'part owner' as your red and my two red systems are 'brothers'.

Somebody with background and dedication in N America please latch on to this jewel... it helped write the book on Blitzortung, with a little help from Don himself...   adopt it and care for it... it's not only a classic, but a pioneer system. It is a premimum catch for someone.

Don, remember how exciting it was to bring in our first handful of strokes >500 miles?   And watching the strike recognition improve as each additional system came on line! What a great 'era' that was!
Best wishes to you!
Mike
« Last Edit: September 10, 2021, 04:26:47 PM by Cutty Sark Sailor »
 


Offline PaulMy

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2021, 04:32:55 PM »
Hi Don,
Yes they are both still working well (excellent workmanship).  And complemented on by the EC team when they were still having their annual CanWarn travelling training sessions and talking about lightning awareness and safety.


Enjoy,
Paul

Offline dfroula

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2021, 04:38:41 PM »
Good times indeed, especially tweaking those ferrite antennas!

I was surprised when I pulled the H-field amp and antenna from its indoor remote location that I still had your "test" ferrites attached! I think the end of the winding was wound back on itself a few cm or so, something like that. It was wrinkle you thought of that I was trying.

The extras here are of standard design, though.

I remember those huge panel antennas I tried at first. Didn't work worth a darn.

Best regards,

Don

Oh,how I remember those great times while we figured this thing out, Don.... missed you, and hate to see my 'competitor' red go to another home... heh... in a sense, I almost feel 'part owner' as your red and my two red systems are 'brothers'.

Somebody with background and dedication in N America please latch on to this jewel... it helped write the book on Blitzortung, with a little help from Don himself...   adopt it and care for it... it's not only a classic, but a pioneer system. It is a premimum catch for someone.

Don, remember how exciting it was to bring in our first handful of strokes >500 miles?   And watching the strike recognition improve as each additional system came on line! What a great 'era' that was!
Best wishes to you!
Mike
« Last Edit: September 10, 2021, 04:47:59 PM by dfroula »

Offline dfroula

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2021, 04:41:03 PM »
Excellent! I built three identical stations to my own (sans E-field) for others, gratis. Nice they are still working well. They look far nicer than the Blues, in my opinion.

Best,

Don

Hi Don,
Yes they are both still working well (excellent workmanship).  And complemented on by the EC team when they were still having their annual CanWarn travelling training sessions and talking about lightning awareness and safety.


Enjoy,
Paul

Offline dfroula

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field - REDUCED PRICE
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2021, 11:55:39 AM »
Price reduced to $400.00 USD plus shipping.

Regards,

Don

Offline dfroula

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Re: Turn-key System Red For Sale - H-Field and E-Field - SOLD
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2021, 10:41:27 PM »
I sold it to a non-profit meteorological group in the Portuguese Azore islands. They have been trying to build their coverage of the area and only have one or two stations. I feel good it’s going to a location that really needs the coverage, like the US when this station was one of only four or so in the country!

They get some extreme weather. It is a meteorologically interesting part of the Atlantic, home of the Açores Anticyclone.

Don

 

anything