We had a great day sailing Sunday. It was unexpected but we were desperate for some sailing and started out early when we noticed that there was wind. It was overcast and we got a little light rain. The forecast was for rain and thunderstorms. Well we had a whole day from about 8:30 until 4:30 of good winds with mostly overcast and some dark clouds. But no thunderstorms. Even though I don't mind getting wet I'd hate to get electrocuted. Does anyone use a lightening detector and if so has it proven useful. We noticed that there was only one other sailboat out on the lake. With the thunderstorm warnings we almost stayed at dock and the original plan was to stay close and come back in if a storm appeared. But we had a great day of sailing and no bolts from the clouds.
Lightening Detectors
- Thread starter MoonSailer
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Handheld lightning detectors
http://www.ambientweather.com/handheldlt.html As a ski patroller we use lightning detectors to assay the 'probability' of strike with a base station system. You dont want to be on a ski lift if lightning is 'building'. When there is HIGH potential, and 'sparkey' gives off an alarm we shut the lifts down. Detectors are expensive but give good warning BEFORE actual lightning begins. An AM radio tuned 'off-station' near 1100 on the dial .... but tells you that lightnig is ALREADY occuring. Detectors tell you BEFORE lightning events will occur. Detectors are relatively expensive.
http://www.ambientweather.com/handheldlt.html As a ski patroller we use lightning detectors to assay the 'probability' of strike with a base station system. You dont want to be on a ski lift if lightning is 'building'. When there is HIGH potential, and 'sparkey' gives off an alarm we shut the lifts down. Detectors are expensive but give good warning BEFORE actual lightning begins. An AM radio tuned 'off-station' near 1100 on the dial .... but tells you that lightnig is ALREADY occuring. Detectors tell you BEFORE lightning events will occur. Detectors are relatively expensive.
Personal Lightning Detectors
Some Personal Lightning Detectors - a comparison: http://www.spectrumthunderbolt.com/comparison.html “ThunderBolt” - $599.95 http://www.spectrumthunderbolt.com/utility.html “SkyScan” - $189.95 http://www.lightningdetector.com “StrikeAlert II”- $59.95 http://www.weathershop.com/strikealert.htm
Some Personal Lightning Detectors - a comparison: http://www.spectrumthunderbolt.com/comparison.html “ThunderBolt” - $599.95 http://www.spectrumthunderbolt.com/utility.html “SkyScan” - $189.95 http://www.lightningdetector.com “StrikeAlert II”- $59.95 http://www.weathershop.com/strikealert.htm
More ...
Lightning strikes 10 miles (16km) or more ahead of a thunderstorm are not uncommon, and while the storm may be visible in open country, at this distance thunder may not be heard. These sorts of strikes are often referred to as "bolts from the blue" Most of portable Lightning Detectors will only react to cloud to ground strikes, and can give a rough idea of storm distance. Although they won't show direction, they can pick whether the storm is approaching or moving away. Lightning Detectors work by detecting the radio signals produced by lightning strikes. These are the same signals you can hear on an AM radio during a thunderstorm. A Lightning Detector direction-finding antennas provides direction information, while storm distance is calculated from received signal strength. DIY Lightning Detector Circuit: http://www.techlib.com/electronics/lightning.html
Lightning strikes 10 miles (16km) or more ahead of a thunderstorm are not uncommon, and while the storm may be visible in open country, at this distance thunder may not be heard. These sorts of strikes are often referred to as "bolts from the blue" Most of portable Lightning Detectors will only react to cloud to ground strikes, and can give a rough idea of storm distance. Although they won't show direction, they can pick whether the storm is approaching or moving away. Lightning Detectors work by detecting the radio signals produced by lightning strikes. These are the same signals you can hear on an AM radio during a thunderstorm. A Lightning Detector direction-finding antennas provides direction information, while storm distance is calculated from received signal strength. DIY Lightning Detector Circuit: http://www.techlib.com/electronics/lightning.html
Lightining detectors and sailboats,
save your money. You cannot outrun a storm so that detector will only be an added sense of worry as it may give you an earlier warning than your senses about something you cannot do anything about. The best preparation a mariner can have against foul weather is a basic understanding of weather itself and the signs it provides. Today with the ease of worldwide communications the availability of foracasts and real time weather ocurrences can help a mariner steer out of trouble. I remember a guy I used to know; this was back in the 70's and he had no radio aboard his 27' sloop. He sailed into a Hurricane Hole in the Bahamas just 10 hours before a Hurricane was expected. We asked him how did he hear about the storm and he said he figured something was up by the way the flies were behaving. I could never figure that one out but I'm sure he'd seen some signs out there that told him to seek shelter. I would rather spend $600 towards an XM weather plotter than towards an idiot box that can only say if conditions are proper for lightning. I,m sure that in high danger areas where shelters may be readily available that an early warning is all you need to get to safety, but at sea, wwrrroooopphhh.
save your money. You cannot outrun a storm so that detector will only be an added sense of worry as it may give you an earlier warning than your senses about something you cannot do anything about. The best preparation a mariner can have against foul weather is a basic understanding of weather itself and the signs it provides. Today with the ease of worldwide communications the availability of foracasts and real time weather ocurrences can help a mariner steer out of trouble. I remember a guy I used to know; this was back in the 70's and he had no radio aboard his 27' sloop. He sailed into a Hurricane Hole in the Bahamas just 10 hours before a Hurricane was expected. We asked him how did he hear about the storm and he said he figured something was up by the way the flies were behaving. I could never figure that one out but I'm sure he'd seen some signs out there that told him to seek shelter. I would rather spend $600 towards an XM weather plotter than towards an idiot box that can only say if conditions are proper for lightning. I,m sure that in high danger areas where shelters may be readily available that an early warning is all you need to get to safety, but at sea, wwrrroooopphhh.
I thought about it
I think it was on wunderground.com. They run between $6-$700. They plug into your laptop and and you will get a visual. Knowing which way a storm or cell is heading will determine your next course of action. For someone thats travels alot whether by boat or any other means, it gives you a more informed 'choice'. Turning on your AM and listening for static or turning on the TV to I think it was channel 13 is more like a 'gee whiz' kinda thing. By that time you already know there is a storm brewing. I think if you have the money, go for it. As a matter of fact, on wunderground.com, which incidentally is a great source of weather forecasts, they have lots of different weather instruments and wether station packages advertised there. Meteorolgy can be a fun hobby. No matter what you want to buy, someone on here will always come up with something else you could spend your money on, instead. Just think of when the old man died and someone asked "I wonder how much money he left behind?" then an answer from the background bellowed in "All of it". IMHO Tony B
I think it was on wunderground.com. They run between $6-$700. They plug into your laptop and and you will get a visual. Knowing which way a storm or cell is heading will determine your next course of action. For someone thats travels alot whether by boat or any other means, it gives you a more informed 'choice'. Turning on your AM and listening for static or turning on the TV to I think it was channel 13 is more like a 'gee whiz' kinda thing. By that time you already know there is a storm brewing. I think if you have the money, go for it. As a matter of fact, on wunderground.com, which incidentally is a great source of weather forecasts, they have lots of different weather instruments and wether station packages advertised there. Meteorolgy can be a fun hobby. No matter what you want to buy, someone on here will always come up with something else you could spend your money on, instead. Just think of when the old man died and someone asked "I wonder how much money he left behind?" then an answer from the background bellowed in "All of it". IMHO Tony B
XMWX Weather
I have XMWX satellite weather on my chartplotter.. Shows real time lightning strikes on the map, and shows the track of any storm cells that are around.. The lightning shows up on the map within a minute or so, so is not actually "real time" but it lets you track the storms progress, and hopefully keep out of its way.. www.xmwxweather.com Sven
I have XMWX satellite weather on my chartplotter.. Shows real time lightning strikes on the map, and shows the track of any storm cells that are around.. The lightning shows up on the map within a minute or so, so is not actually "real time" but it lets you track the storms progress, and hopefully keep out of its way.. www.xmwxweather.com Sven
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