Re: TC & Lightning 3

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Gary Weaver" <gary350-at-earthlink-dot-net> 

Several years ago I saw on the TV show NOVA where they were shooting
rockets into thunder storms to attract lightning.  They were using some
type of electronic device to measure the static buildup in the clouds.  The
knew from observing a few lightning strikes the power range where lightning
would discharge to ground.  By observing the power as it increased they
knew when to shoot the rocket so it would go up at the correct time to
discharge the lightning to ground a few seconds before it discharged on its
own.   Is this devise you mention here the same thing?   I have often
wondered how to build a device that would monitor static buildup in the
clouds.  I have also wondered if this device would be useful for a Tesla
Coil.

Gary Weaver
gary350-at-earthlink-dot-net
Why Wait?  Move to EarthLink.


 > [Original Message]
 > From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Date: 7/24/2004 7:28:10 PM
 > Subject: Re: TC & Lightning
 >
 > Original poster: "Ray von Postel" <vonpostel-at-comcast-dot-net>
 >
 > Suggest you take a look at: Stong, C.L. "The Scientific American Book of
 > Projects for The Amateur Scientist"; 1960.
 > page 281 "An Electronic Weather Forecaster".  Equipment uses 10' long
 > antenna, 10' above ground to observe disruptive discharges.  This might
be
 > applicable to monitoring coil performance.  Hope this is of interest to
you.
 >
 > Ray
 >
 > Tesla list wrote:
 > >Original poster: Matthew Smith <mailto:matt-at-kbc-dot-net.au><matt-at-kbc-dot-net.au>
 > >Tesla list wrote:
 > >>Original poster: "mercurus2000"
 > >><mailto:mercurus2000-at-cox-dot-net><mercurus2000-at-cox-dot-net>
 > >>Hmm, how high up were you able to fly the kite? I have a 50 feet length
of
 > >>insulated wire running parallel to the ground at a elevation of 10 feet.
 > >>With it I can only get about 10 volts max on a voltmeter while the
storm's
 > >>overhead.
 > >
 > >Could it be that all the charge is draining through the voltmeter?  I'd
 > >have thought that you'd need something with a HUGE input impedance for
this.
 > >
 >