Low band noise from tornado?

[K5UJ]

I use an AM radio tuned to the bottom of the broadcast band for lightning detection.

I read somewhere once that something like 2500 kc; maybe 2200 is the best frequency to listen to for storm static.  I don't know why.

We talked about this in college in Earth Science class. Turn the television to channel 21 and turn down the brighness until the screen just goes dark. Then tune to channel 2. If a tornado is within 15-20 miles the screen will turn white. This was a cover story on some of the magazines around 1970-72.

Mike

That's right--I had forgotten the part about dimming the screen but now that you mention it, I remember that was part of the instructions.

[kb3ouk]

We talked about this in college in Earth Science class. Turn the television to channel 21 and turn down the brighness until the screen just goes dark. Then tune to channel 2. If a tornado is within 15-20 miles the screen will turn white. This was a cover story on some of the magazines around 1970-72.

Mike

What I read said to turn down the brightness on channel 13, then turn to 2. And it does seem that as you go higher up in the AM band, the noise gets more specofoc as to what lightning sounds you hear. Down at the low nd you hear everything within like 100 miles when it's stormy.

[The Slab Bacon]

Lightning will cause some interesting effects in your receivers when it gets close, The one that is eerie is the "Whistling screamers" which is exactly what they sound like. When you hear them you better already have your antenners disconnected and grounded.


But....the strangest effect of static build up happened to me in the middle of the winter. It was cold, dry and windy as hell, not a cloud in the sky. the static build up on my antennas was so bad that all of bulkhead connecors that I use for disconnects were sparking like sparkplugs! It even took out all of the FET front ends in ALL of my VHF rigs. I was actually somewhat worried about all of the arcing and sparking starting a fire.   

[Jim, W5JO]

But....the strangest effect of static build up happened to me in the middle of the winter. It was cold, dry and windy as hell, not a cloud in the sky. the static build up on my antennas was so bad that all of bulkhead connecors that I use for disconnects were sparking like sparkplugs! It even took out all of the FET front ends in ALL of my VHF rigs. I was actually somewhat worried about all of the arcing and sparking starting a fire.   

Whether you darken the screen on a TV or not, as a tornado approaches the screen will get brighter.  As for the static build up, that is very common in the SW.  Any place West of a line drawn along I-35 from Dallas, Tx to OKC, and on to the Canadian Border will have that type of thing plus another which is just as bad. 

Blowing dust can cause a static build up as strong as you relate.  In the dry climes of Western OK out to the desert of California just scooting your foot on carpet when the atmosphere is dry can produce an arc over 1/4 of and inch and when appropriately placed near the end of someone's nose or near their ear will cause a brief moment of grief.

Dry blowing snow will cause the same effect and none of them are good for equipment with FETs in the front end.

[KX5JT]

I wonder if some of these strange "lightning flashes" seen from inside the funnel could be eyeball pressure related.  You know when you close your eyes and press the seat of your palms onto your eyelids, you see lighting flashes......


I suppose a video camera looking up into the "eye" of the funnel would reveal more of this to be true....I recall some storm chasers with the little steel pyramid protected cameras and sensors had some success catching video of the inside on NATGEO or Discover and there were no lightning flashes.

[kb3rdt]

I like to hear just before rain not a lighting storm! Just before rain I hear like a wind storm noise in my receiver like the old westerns on tv.

[K1JJ]

I wonder if some of these strange "lightning flashes" seen from inside the funnel could be eyeball pressure related.  You know when you close your eyes and press the seat of your palms onto your eyelids, you see lighting flashes......

Interesting idea. 

Yes, you would think video cameras that were lucky enough to get run over by a tornado wud have shown these flashes by now, if they do occur inside the funnel.

Or maybe there are several different kinds of internal tornado funnel environments - some with and some without flashes depending on intensity, moisture content, etc.

T

[WA3VJB]

You will see a faint image of a twister on your screen.

But only among the Kansas stations, I understand.

[Jim, W5JO]

You will see a faint image of a twister on your screen.

But only among the Kansas stations, I understand.

That would be after the wall behind the TV is gone.