Lightning detector schematics

Sure, listening to VHF FM has great advantages over MW/LW AM from the old days — now we have bright stereo free from interference, fading and noise! However, your FM radio will no longer predict the arrival of a thunderstorm as did the AM radio many years ago-reliably and hours before the trouble was upon you! The crux is that AM detection will faithfully reproduce the effects of lightning and other massive static discharges approaching in a very simple way: they’re audible as slight crackling noises in the loudspeaker, almost irrespective of the tuning of the radio! Assuming no AM radio is available anymore, a dedicated VLF receiver tuned to about 300 kHz can faithfully detect the crackle of approaching lightning.... [read more]

Egor! Come quick! A storm approaches! Here is a VLF receiver tuned to 300 kHz designed to detect the crackle of approaching lightning. A bright lamp flashes in sychrony with the lightning bolts indicating the proximity and intensity of the storm.... [read more]