TOA KITS and Required Parts
Needed from Germany critical parts:
Note: The controller board has Software burned into the CPU chip to operate the system. This is the brains of the TOA station parts. The preamp is special in that it has low latency designed circuits for measuring the time of arrival of lightning strikes. These two boards are the core of your system. Fortunately these two kits are not that heavy for shipping. The other heavy items listed below, you need to buy in the USA to avoid high overseas shipping cost.
1- Controller Board
2-Preamp Board
3-Antenna (see below for choice.)
BUY in the USA
- 12 Volt power supply (Center pin + )
- CAT5 connection cable
- USB breakout board (sparkfun.com) http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10009
- USB connection cable (Normal USB to mini USB/[Not
micro USB!]
- EM406A GPS module (Amazon.com)
http://www.amazon.com/Receiver-GlobalSat-EM-406a-Engine-Board/dp/B002GOOVNK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336316826&sr=8-1
You might find this very handy! or Get a small PC blank card from Radio Shack to solder the GPS cable to inside the GPS Box.. see photos. Break out board for the tiny plug on the GPS cable that comes with the EM-406A.
-Antenna (See below for choice)
ANTENNA
Two basic choices:
Order from Germany:
1- A pair of 12cm ferrite rod antennas for additional 43. (43 euros = $56.27 US dollars) + 10 euros ($13.09) $69.36 total.
(because these hand made antennas work fine but can only be manufactured with
great effort).
The price for shipping is 10 Euro. I recommend you pay by PayPal to blitzortung@gmx.org.
The additional PayPal fee is 0.35 Euro plus 3.9%.
See ordering prices below.
___________________________________ Buy down town USA_________________
2- Build your own DIY hula hoop dual loop antenna as described on the TOA INFO page. $20-$30 estimate based on what you might have on hand.
TO ORDER
Final Prices for kits from Germany by Egon Wanke (6May2012)
++++++++++++++++
The final prices for the different sets including shipping to the US and PayPal
fees are
basic kit:
(77.60+10.00+0.35)/0.961 = 91.52 Euro
basic kit plus USB breakout board:
(77.60+12.00+10.00+0.35)/0.961 = 104.01 Euro
basic kit plus 12cm ferrite rod antennas:
(77.60+43.00+10.00+0.35)/0.961 = 136.26 Euro
basic kit plus USB breakout board plus 12cm ferrite rod antennas:
(77.60+12.00+43.00+10.00+0.35)/0.961 = 148.75 Euro
++++++++++++++++
Note: 148.75 euros = $194.66 US dollars on 6 May 2012
91.52 euros = $119.77 US dollars * Basic Kit
PayPal to blitzortung@gmx.org. to order
Contact Gerry Gore @ gerryg (at) satx.rr.com if you have questions on what to order. Please do not send orders to me!
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