StrikeAlert Personal Lightning Detector
[LD-1002]

StrikeAlert
I put StrikeAlert to the test on May 1, 2003.  We finally got the first good, rip-snorting thunderstorm of the season in the Winchester area on that date.
I knew the storm was coming thanks to doppler radar out of NWS-Sterling.  So, I set up shop on my balcony, and waited.
The StrikeAlert started alerting me of lightning strikes in the 24-40 and the 12-24 mile ranges not long after I turned it on.  That was about where the storm was, according to radar.  At this point, while it was picking up these lightning strikes, I heard NO thunder and saw NO lightning.  The sky was getting cloudy - but not grossly dark like we get many times in the summer during an approaching storm.
Finally, after 20 minutes of advising me of strikes, I finally heard the first clap of thunder.  That was 20 minutes of knowing that there was a storm approaching before it ever got to me.  Plenty of time to act before it was too late.
Was the unit perfect?  Not 100%, no.  Once I could start seeing the lightning, it did miss a couple of strikes.  If the strikes came in rapid succession, the unit would sometimes lag or miss a strike.  Then again, if you can see the strikes with your eyes, does it really matter that the unit misses a couple?  It seemed to be more accurate with cloud-to-ground strikes than cloud-to-cloud strikes.  Once I could see the strikes, I estimate that it lost maybe 1% of the total number of strikes.
As the storm moved closer, the unit correctly told me that it was getting closer and the unit correctly showed when the storm was moving away.
This unit is NOT meant for indoor use.  It can easily be confused by motors, lights, or anything that generates static electricity.  Of course, if you are indoors, there are other ways to know about an approaching storm, like doppler radar.  But - once outdoors, it did correctly tell me that a storm was approaching, and when it was moving away.
StrikeAlert is perfect for anyone who needs or wants to know about approaching storms.
Sean