oscilloscope to monitor thunder storms

[moe]

Looking for info to use my oscilloscope to monitor storms, years ago N & V had a project for this use but I can find it.
Thanks
Moe

[peter-f]

How would that work...
AM radio with 'scope attached to audio output?

[jwax]

Sure. Hook a wire to a kite during a thunderstorm, other end to Ch 1 Input. Don't bother with the 10:1 scope probe, and watch the show!

[philba]

google for sferics<p>I recall many many years ago in the SciAM Amatuer Scientist column in the 60s there was a sferics detector project. <p>That CL Strong column was a true gem - its what got me interested in electronics in the first place.<p>[ May 11, 2005: Message edited by: philba ]</p>

[Edd]

Digging into my circuit archives, how about using Dave Wenzel’s Lightning detector circuit.
http://www.techlib.com/electronics/lightning.html
Its schema and info at the top of the page.<p>If its flashing light tips you off to impending storms activity, then you flip on the power to your triggered scope. It having a vert input channel already connected to the collector circuit of Q1. Then you observe to see if there are any interesting amplitudes and durations/widths from the strikes.<p>Here was some info from a site relating to sferics:
http://www.theramp.net/sferics
http://www.theramp.net/sferics/project.htm <p>There was even a “Sferics”( read as static) receiver made back in the ‘60’s, basically where an AM radio was tuned to bands end off station and its audio disabled and the output routed to a “severity scaled” meter.
http://www.gvtc.com/~edengel/TexRad.htm <p>73's de Edd
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<p>[ May 11, 2005: Message edited by: Edd Whatley ]</p>

[jollyrgr]

I believe the circuit you are looking for was written about by Joseph Carr. Searching the N&V web site I came across one possible issue, the October 1999. It might have been from an earlier issue, though.<p>The circuit he described was an updated version (it used transistors instead of tubes) of a much older circuit. This is a foggy memory from a few years ago but as I recall the project used two loops of wire as X and Y loops (set 90 degrees apart), and a booster/radio circuit. You connected it to your o'scope horizontal and vertical inputs and, when setup correctly, it would have the dot on the display show in which direction the strike was by moving to the X Y coordinates of the strike. I tried to find the ciruit on the 'net but no luck yet.

[craig-1]

MOE;
I rember it was in scientific american March 1963 if my memory serves me right this was the tube verison but you can update it using transistors or op-amps, you still need a HV power supply for it you probley get back issues of SA or get it on microfilms craig-1

[craig-1]

MOE;
I rember it was in scientific american March 1963 if my memory serves me right this was the tube verison but you can update it using transistors or op-amps, you still need a HV power supply for it you probley get back issues of SA or get it on microfilms craig-1

[craig-1]

Dear MOE;
I made a mistake it is not MARCH it is MAY 1963 instead,sorry for the mistake. I may stake that in Amateur Scientist MARCH 1959 there is a sferics detector of sort using a analog meter.

[craig-1]

Dear MOE; you can find the oscilloscope storm dector from sas.org its on a CD ROM the CD-ROM is the compleat collection of THE AMATEUR SCIENTIST on CD-ROM and you can get it at sas.org

[craig-1]

Dear MOE 159 and JOLLY ROGER 111
In Nuts and Volts Mag. February 1999 issue is a article by Joseph Carr detect thunderstorms by decting the sferics on a O-scope craig-1