Thunderstorms

[daveg4otu]

For those with an interest in  Thunderstorms and their potential effect on the RB and other electronic  equipment......

The thunderstorm tracking facility at Newport (IoW)  is  currently showing 2  T-storms ( both SE of Newport  41 and 39 miles)....both appear to be moving North  towards the Thorney Island/W Sussex area-  one is moderate intensity - one is weak - both weakening.

The website  with all the info and graphics ....


http://www.isleofwightweather.co.uk/live_storm_data.htm

[Deadcalm]

Always been very interested in thunderstorms.  I run a Boltek lightning detector here in France with my weather station and RadarBox .  It's very interesting to watch weather avoidance on the RB in conjunction with the lightning detector map.

DC

[Allocator]

I will be unplugging my RB antenna as the thunderstorms approach - and I'll be switching off my PC and disconnecting it from the mains if the storms come overhead!

[tarbat]

I can't remember when we last had a thunderstorm up here.  Wonder why - we used to get thunderstorms all the time when we lived in Bournemouth.

[tarbat]

Heavy thunderstorms all around us at the moment.  I've got the Airnav antenna kit with pre-amp, DC-block, etc mounted in the loft.  Is my Radarbox safe?

[malc41]

Who knows you can only do your best and keep fingers crossed, that is unless you hit the shutdown button!

[EMA]

Heavy thunderstorms all around us at the moment.  I've got the Airnav antenna kit with pre-amp, DC-block, etc mounted in the loft.  Is my Radarbox safe?

You are just as likely to receive a hit via a phone line connected to your PC.

A few years ago lightning struck the house next door but I just ended up having to reboot my PC after it locked :-)

[tarbat]

I'm hoping that because we're in a bungalow (no chimney) surround by houses (with chimneys), that one of the houses would take the hit for us!!!

Glad I kept all my antenna in the loft.  It's so rare for us to get thunderstorms, these are the first we've had since moving north 5 years ago.

[EMA]

I does not really work like that, a charge can build up from a flat location, mostly its all down to luck ;-)

I expect future storms to be much more frequent than we have had in the past.

[EMA]

I remember a Radio ham disconnecting his antenna and putting the lead in a glass jam jar because he believed it would prevent a strike.

The lightning still struck his antenna came down the cable and instead fo going via the equipment to earth jumped across the room and took the TV out!

[tarbat]

Does having the antenna in the loft make it a lot safer?  I've got 3 TV aerials, my RB antenna, an airband antenna, Sony HF antenna, and my discone all mounted inside the loft, so hope they're safer there.

[EMA]

Just like the roof does not fully insulate against radio reception it also does not insulate against lightning strikes it just depends how close it is.

If you feel statically charged and you hair stands on end during a storm, then a strike is imminent ;-)

[tarbat]

It's going mad up here with this thunderstorm.  Flybe aircraft (BEE325V) just reported a lightning strike.

[EMA]

It's going mad up here with this thunderstorm.  Flybe aircraft (BEE325V) just reported a lightning strike.

Thats the excitement, if you switched your box off you would miss all the action.

[tarbat]

Although sometimes you don't have a choice!!  Just lost electric, followed a fraction later by the loudest crack of thunder I've ever heard.  Suspect it hit something nearby.  Radarbox still working fine :)

Listening to the controllers at Tain and Inverness, it's obvious that they're not used to thunderstorms up here either.   Damn climate change!  It's just like being back on the south coast.

Red Arrows display in an hours time is looking unlikely :(