John Diel
EF5
Just got mine up and running today!
As far as lightning strikes go, the lightning will usually go the hight charged thing around the charged area of the ground. Most often this is the highest object in the vicinity. A tree, power pole, house, etc. Vehicles are not usually the thing struck. Even those running a 50 Watt HAM radio. Mostly because the vehicle is generally in motion, and it usually is not the highest grounded object. That's not to say it doesn't happen! We have a gentleman right here on this board that got a good jolt, most likely from a near strike. We've seen the viseo of the moving car getting zapped right on the hood. We've all heard of the photographer that got a good jolt from a near strike via his tripod. We know it's a possiblity. The odds are in our favor, but we definately increase those odds of getting hit, by purposely being in the area.
The biggest reason I've built an MM, is to be able to give reasonably accurate reports to a listening base of poeple in our radio coverage area. They wasnt to know what's coming at them and I don't guestimate wind speeds very well in the dark (not in the daylight either!). The harvest is pretty much over in this part of the state, but there are a lot of farmers that want to know what's happening in their fields. Most of them will be out on the tractor or combine and listening to the radio. Accurate reports will help him know how long he has before he has to pack it in or if he'll have a field left after a hail storm. There's another reason. I don't relish the idea of sticking my hand out and getting hit by a large hailstone. I really don't like sticking it out and getting it all soaked (plus the interior of my truck) and then trying to drive. It just makes more sense to have all that outside with me as comfy as possible inside.
All that aside, I finally got it all put together, though it will most likely remain a work in progress. What I ended up doing, was using a photography monopod I had laying around and mounted that to the back of the camper shell. That allows me to telescope the entire sensor array up about 5 feet above the top of the vehicle and also keeps me from bashing trees around the house. The down side is the monopod is permanently mounted. not a major issue, but one I would have liked to avoid. I'll put up photos in a day or so. I'm hoping NC OK get a little weather tomorrow (monday) so I can actually give this things a decent run through.
I also will be replacing the weather wizard III with a weather monitor II. That will give me the humidity and dewpoint reading missing from the wizard.
Later folks!
John
As far as lightning strikes go, the lightning will usually go the hight charged thing around the charged area of the ground. Most often this is the highest object in the vicinity. A tree, power pole, house, etc. Vehicles are not usually the thing struck. Even those running a 50 Watt HAM radio. Mostly because the vehicle is generally in motion, and it usually is not the highest grounded object. That's not to say it doesn't happen! We have a gentleman right here on this board that got a good jolt, most likely from a near strike. We've seen the viseo of the moving car getting zapped right on the hood. We've all heard of the photographer that got a good jolt from a near strike via his tripod. We know it's a possiblity. The odds are in our favor, but we definately increase those odds of getting hit, by purposely being in the area.
The biggest reason I've built an MM, is to be able to give reasonably accurate reports to a listening base of poeple in our radio coverage area. They wasnt to know what's coming at them and I don't guestimate wind speeds very well in the dark (not in the daylight either!). The harvest is pretty much over in this part of the state, but there are a lot of farmers that want to know what's happening in their fields. Most of them will be out on the tractor or combine and listening to the radio. Accurate reports will help him know how long he has before he has to pack it in or if he'll have a field left after a hail storm. There's another reason. I don't relish the idea of sticking my hand out and getting hit by a large hailstone. I really don't like sticking it out and getting it all soaked (plus the interior of my truck) and then trying to drive. It just makes more sense to have all that outside with me as comfy as possible inside.
All that aside, I finally got it all put together, though it will most likely remain a work in progress. What I ended up doing, was using a photography monopod I had laying around and mounted that to the back of the camper shell. That allows me to telescope the entire sensor array up about 5 feet above the top of the vehicle and also keeps me from bashing trees around the house. The down side is the monopod is permanently mounted. not a major issue, but one I would have liked to avoid. I'll put up photos in a day or so. I'm hoping NC OK get a little weather tomorrow (monday) so I can actually give this things a decent run through.
I also will be replacing the weather wizard III with a weather monitor II. That will give me the humidity and dewpoint reading missing from the wizard.
Later folks!
John
