Lightning detector
The lightning detector is not a useful tool for astronomy, but I include it because it is part of the observatory's capture systems and it seems to me a very interesting device
The system is based on http://www.blitzortung.org, a networked community to detect electromagnetic discharges with VLF (very low frequency) receivers and calculate the position of the lightnings using the TOA (time of arrival) technique consolidating the data of the captures of the different installations throughout the world in a centralized server.
The solution consists of the radio receiver, antenna and a control unit that also connects to a GPS. The control unit communicates with the central server through a router.
The station is number 882 and has detected more than 1.5 million lightnings between 100m and 8500km away, in just over 600 days of operation, and adding ...
Photos of the control board and the assembly in a standard enclosure.
Photos of the reception board with two antennas in the box itself, the set is located indoors, and an external antenna in tests.
