StormScope

© Brooke Clarke 2020

StormScope StormScope

Background
Description
    WX-110 StormScope Ground Lightening System
    Photos
    Pin Out
    NY-163 Antenna
        Connector
    WX-110 Indoor Console
         Connector
Other Versions of Storm Scope
Patents
Related
References
Links

Background

Insight Aviation Strike Finder 1976 very first storm detector.
YouTube: Stormscope teardown and power on - 1991 data code on ICs,

The first generation WX-7 StormScope was invented by Dr. Ryan.  3M bought the Ryan line of StormScopes.  B.F. Goodrich bought out 3M.  The current owner of them is L3 Communications.

Description

WX-110 StormScope Ground Lightening System

On the front panel it's called the WX-110, but the label on the rear panel says WX-110/220 Ground System.  What's the difference?  Let me know.

Photos

Fig 1
StormScope
Fig 2 See patent 4023408
Connectors:
Console: DB-25 male
Cable: DB-25f
StormScope
Fig 3 The power supply board at front
supplies 19.5 Volts DC to the StormScope.
StormScope
Fig 4
StormScope
Fig 5WX-900 Antenna StormScope Series II
See patent 4383260
StormScope
Fig 6 Connectors
Antenna: 851-02E12-10P 50-A7
Cable: KPSE08P12-10S
StormScope
Fig 7 Display with power off
StormScope
Fig 8 Display with power on - no connection to antenna
Not sure if this is a problem caused by no antenna or
What Goes Wrong.
No beeps were heard at power up.
StormScope

Fig 9 There are many many mechanical joints that
may have oxidized, as described in What Goes Wrong.
Now to figure out how to disassemble it.
StormScope
Fig 10 Connectors for Antenna & WX-110
WX-110 mating cable:
DB-25s + back shell

NY-163 mating cable:
MS3116F12-10S + KPT00F-12 cable clamp
from:  William Perry (email)
StormScope


Pin Out

WX-110 information from Don at Valentine Aviation (Storm Scopes) allowed making this table.  He sells antenna cable by the foot.

WX-110 Antenna Cable Pin Out
WX-110
DB25F
Wire
Color
Antenna
Function

1
Red
B
E-Field Sense Paired
2
Black
H
Antenna Test
3
White
C
X-Loop Paired
4
Black
D
+12 Volts
5
Green
G
Y-Loop Paired
6
Black
F
-12 Volts
7

A
Antenna Common


J
Antenna Test


K
?



E
Air frame Gnd
8 to 25


not used


2020 Nov 25: Need to check DB-24 voltage between pin 4 and pin 6.

NY-163 Antenna

There seem to be at least two StormScope antennas.  The early one with a 10-pin connector is refereed to as the NY-163.  The later one has many more pins.

Connector

On antenna: 851-02E12-10P 50-A7
On mating cable: KPSE08P12-10S?

Pin Out Table

Pin
Function
Wire
Color
WX-500
P2/J2
A
Antenna Common
drain
1
B
E-Field Sense
Brown
17
C
X-Loop
Orange
3
D
+12 Volts
Red
16
E
Air frame Gnd
na
na
F
-12 Volts
Yellow
15
G
Y-Loop
Green
4
H
Antenna Test
Blue
14
J
Antenna Reference
Black
2
Note the voltage to the NY-163 should be within 5% of 12 Volts, so there's a problem with the WX-110 box in that it seems to be able to supply either 19 or 5 volts?  May not be the case.  Need to fully check out the voltages on the DB-25 connector.

WX-110 Indoor Console

The front panel mounts that display which has four buttons.
The rear panel has an AC line cord, On/Off switch and DB-25m connector.
Inside there's an AC to 19 VDC power supply that can be set for 110 or 220 VAC input, this one is set for 110 VAC and has an American line cord.
There is also a stack of three printed circuit boards that are about 3" x 7" and the stack is less than 2" tall, i.e. they would all fit behind the display.  Their function is both the "processor" and the display electronics.

Other Versions of StormScope

Ryan Stormscope WX-7A

3M WX-8

Display has PCB for connector with 10 contacts (maybe 20 if both sides)
YouTube: WX8 Stormscope Operation & HowTo Simulate Lightning - waving a hand held vacuum cleaner near the antenna lights up the display.
YouTube:
STORMSCOPE WX-8 - Ryan Wx-PT, test box Range: Off, 20, 40, 100, 200: Fast or Slow; Azimuth: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 270, 30, 33
120 degree forward sector.

3M WX-9

3M WX-10

US Patent 4023408
Display has PCB for connector with 10 contacts (maybe 20 if both sides)

WX-11

Manual -

BFG WX-500

Ant Conn 10 male pins, 3 lug.
Patent: 4383260
L3 WX-500 maybe feeds modern MultiFunction Displays "Glass Cockpit".
YouTube: WX-500 StormScope Ghosts - maybe a com problem with Narco radio?

BFG WX-900

The display looks like a CRT.  Connector: DB-25m.
Patent: 4023408

Connector Pod eBay 273948178136
Antenna cable with 10-socket 3-lug connector, DC power cable Red & black Banana plugs.
This  matches neither the pin numbers nor voltages in the WX-500 manual (Ref 1).

Pin
Function
WX-110
1
Sense

2
Test

3
X-Loop

4
+12 VDC
+5.2
5
Y-Loop

6
-12 VDC
-5.2
7
Reference

8
Ground

9
+Battery
+19V
10
-Battery
-19V
11
JMP2

12
JMP1

13
Ground

14
Softkey: Range

15
Softkey: Menu

16
Softkey: Blank

17
Softkey: Clear

18
nc

19
nc

20
nc

21
nc

22
nc

23
JMP2

24
JMP1

25
Inhibit

YouTube: Stormscope WX900 - Ryan Wx-PT, test box Range: Off, 20, 40, 100, 200: Fast or Slow; Azimuth: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 270, 30, 33
WX-900 Stormscope com display Novo. -
STORMSCOPE Modelo: WX-900 - Teste após ter sido reparado pelo Técnico Felismar 55 37 99122-3720 - (Test after having been repaired by Technician Felismar, NOTE: WE SELL THIS SYSTEM FOR 14 AND 28 VOLT AIRCRAFT,)

BFG WX-950

Connector: DB-25m
Sheet metal box mates with back, similar to mounting tray, but just the box.
Patents: 5295072, 5303152, 5305210, 5325299, others.

3M WX-1000

Disp Connector J101: DB-25m.
Ant Conn: 19? male pins, 3-Lugs
Processor: J301 & J302 both DB-50m

BFG WX-1000

Connector: DB-25m
YouTube: Stormscope WX-1000 - Ryan Wx-PT - STORMSCOPE MODELO: WX-1000 -

Patents

1919215 Thunderstorm or electric field and potential indicator, Gunn Ross (Wiki), 1933-07-25, - Field Mill (Wiki)
2449068 Electric field or potential indicator, Gunn Ross, App: 1944-08-28, W.W.II, Pub: 1948-09-14, -
3715660 Determining distance to lightning strokes from a single station, L Ruhnke, NASA, 1973-02-06, 324/72; 73/170.24 - two loops + E-filed probe.  Why did NASA want/need this capability in 1973?  Let me know.

Insight Aviation strike Finder

The product name is Strike Finder.  Storm Monitor only shows up on patents.
Came before the Ryan StormScope.  Strike Finder Still being sold. 

5245274 Storm monitor, John S. Youngquist, Priority: 1991-05-31, Pub: 1993-09-14, 324/72; 324/202 - Coils at 45 deg to get better angle precision straight ahead.
5408175 Storm monitor, John S. Youngquist,  Priority: 1991-05-31, Pub: 1995-04-18, 324/72; 324/202 - Problem with classical E-field antenna, a holdover from RDF receivers.
5500586 Storm monitor, John S. Youngquist, Priority: 1991-05-31, Pub: 1996-03-19, 324/72; 324/202 -
5500602 Storm monitor, John S. Youngquist, Priority: 1991-05-31, Pub: 1996-03-19, 324/72; 324/202 -
5502371 Storm monitor, John S. Youngquist, Priority: 1991-05-31, Pub: 1996-03-26, 324/72; 324/202 -
5504421 Storm monitor, John S. Youngquist, Priority: 1991-05-31, Pub: 1996-04-02, 324/72; 324/202; 343/701 -
5545975 Storm monitor, John S. Youngquist, Priority: 1991-05-31, Pub: 1996-08-13, 324/72; 324/202 -

These are aircraft mounted and use two loop antennas and an E-field probe as inputs, either a CRT or LCD graphic display.




4023408
                      Stormscope, Paul A. Ryan, Nicholas Spitzer,
                      Dytronics Inc, 1977-05-17

4023408 Stormscope, Paul A. Ryan, Nicholas Spitzer, Dytronics Inc, 1977-05-17, 73/170.24; 324/72 - analog & digital ICs, not uC. This is the father of all the Storm Scope type units.



4383260 Low
                        profile electric field sensor, Paul A. Ryan, 3M,
                        Priority: 1979-05-24, Pub: 1983-05-10

4383260 Low profile electric field sensor, Paul A. Ryan, 3M, Priority: 1979-05-24, Pub: 1983-05-10, 343/701; 343/829; 73/170.24 - E-field antenna, Charge Amplifier (Op Amp w/capacitive feedback, probe to (-) input.
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number  Priority date  Publication date  Assignee  Title
US2885545A *  1955-12-12  1959-05-05  Ralph E Potter  Superregenerative receiver with antenna and open-circuited diode connected to input
US3714659A *  1968-12-10  1973-01-30  C Firman  Very low frequency subminiature active antenna
US3827053A *  1970-07-23  1974-07-30  E Willie  Antenna with large capacitive termination and low noise input circuit
US3921177A *  1973-04-17  1975-11-18  Ball Brothers Res Corp  Microstrip antenna structures and arrays
Cited By (19)
Publication number  Priority date  Publication date  Assignee  Title
US4506211A *  1981-02-17  1985-03-19  Coleman Ernest W  Storm warning method and apparatus
EP0186402A2 *  1984-12-14  1986-07-02  Ernco Industries Incorporated  Storm warning method and apparatus
EP0278069A1 *  1986-12-29  1988-08-17  Ball Corporation  Near-isotropic low profile microstrip radiator especially suited for use as a mobile vehicle antenna
US4853703A *  1986-03-17  1989-08-01  Aisin Seiki Kabushikikaisha  Microstrip antenna with stripline and amplifier
US5245274A *  1991-05-31  1993-09-14  Youngquist John S  Storm monitor
US5295071A *  1992-04-29  1994-03-15  B. F. Goodrich Flightsystems, Inc.  Sampled data lightning strike detection and mapping system capable of generating frequency spectrum of input signal waveforms and displaying such on the mapping display
US5295072A *  1992-04-29  1994-03-15  Bfgoodrich Flightsystems, Inc.  Sampled data lightning strike detection and mapping system capable of recovering a pre threshold sample history for detection and mapping processing
US5296866A *  1991-07-29  1994-03-22  The United States Of America As Represented By The Adminsitrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration  Active antenna
US5299127A *  1992-04-29  1994-03-29  Bf Goodrich Flight Systems, Inc.  Lightning strike detection and mapping system capable of monitoring its power source and of displaying a representation thereof on the mapping display
US5305210A *  1992-04-29  1994-04-19  B. F. Goodrich Flight Systems, Inc.  Sampled data lightning strike detection and mapping system capable of early detection of an invalid strike from sampled data and quick resumption of monitoring an incoming signal
US5311198A *  1990-08-23  1994-05-10  The United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration  Active antenna
US5319553A *  1992-04-29  1994-06-07  B. F. Goodrich Flight Systems, Inc.  Lightning strike detection and mapping system with auto control of mapping display
US5325299A *  1992-04-29  1994-06-28  B. F. Goodrich Flight Systems, Inc.  System for classifying lightning strikes to enhance location estimation thereof
US6121940A *  1997-09-04  2000-09-19  Ail Systems, Inc.  Apparatus and method for broadband matching of electrically small antennas
US20030067731A1 *   2001-10-09  2003-04-10  Kent Charles Anthony  Active lightning protection system and method
US6566854B1  1998-03-13  2003-05-20  Florida International University  Apparatus for measuring high frequency currents
ES2224900A1 *  2004-10-25  2005-03-01  Aplicaciones Tecnologicas, S.A.  DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING AN EXTERNAL ELECTROSTATIC FIELD, AND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING STORMS (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
US7796370B1 *  2006-04-07  2010-09-14  Alset Corporation  Apparatus and method for lightning sensor and controller
US8010289B1  2005-07-19  2011-08-30  Avidyne Corporation  Method and apparatus for detecting and processing lightning



4422037 Storm warning method and apparatus, Ernest W. Coleman, Ernco Ind,1983-12-20, 324/72; 324/76.15; 324/76.17; 324/76.24; 324/77.11 - uP
4506211 Storm warning method and apparatus, Ernest W. Coleman, 1985-03-19, 324/72; 324/76.12; 324/76.15; 324/76.24 -
4672305 Storm warning method and apparatus, Ernest W. Coleman, Ernco Ind, 1987-06-09, 324/72; 324/76.12; 702/4 -
4803421 Multi input lightning detection system, Kenneth A. Ostrander, 3M, 1989-02-07, 324/72; 340/600; 340/601; 73/170.24 - uP 68000
4873483 Multi input lightning detection system, Kenneth A. Ostrander, Foster Airdata Sys (3M), 1989-10-10, 324/72; 73/170.24 - 68000

5295071
Sampled data lightning strike detection and mapping system capable of generating frequency spectrum of input signal waveforms and displaying such on the mapping display, Joseph G. Kuzma, Billie M. Stevens, Jr., BF Goodrich Flight Systems,1994-03-15, 702/4; 342/460 - LCD, module pin outs, WX-900
5295072 Sampled data lightning strike detection and mapping system capable of recovering a pre threshold sample history for detection and mapping processing, Billie M. Stevens, Jr., Joseph G. Kuzma, BF Goodrich Flight Systems, 1994-03-15, 702/4; 342/460 - LCD, module pin outs, WX-900
5303152 Lightning strike detection system capable of quickly determining an invalid correlation of strike signaling, Randolph L. Moses, Joseph G. Kuzma, Kenneth A. Ostrander, BF Goodrich Flight Systems, 1994-04-12, 702/4; 342/460 - WX-900
5305210 Sampled data lightning strike detection and mapping system capable of early detection of an invalid strike from sampled data and quick resumption of monitoring an incoming signal, Joseph G. Kuzma, Kenneth Ostrander, Randolph L. Moses, Billie M. Stevens, Jr., BF Goodrich Flight Systems, 1994-04-19, 702/4; 342/460 -
5325299 System for classifying lightning strikes to enhance location estimation thereof, Randolph L. Moses, Joseph G. Kuzma, Kenneth A. Ostrander, William J. White, Billie M. Stevens, Jr., BF Goodrich Flight Systems, 1994-06-28, 702/4; 342/460 - 50 pages of figures including connector pin outs for everything
5528494 Statistically based thunderstorm cell detection and mapping system, Randolph L. Moses, BF Goodrich Flight Systems,1996-06-18, 702/4; 702/5 - discussion of a number of prior art patents.
5537318 Lightning strike detection and mapping system, Randolph L. Moses, Joseph G. Kuzma, Kenneth A. Ostrander, Billie M. Stevens, Jr., BF Goodrich Flight Systems, 1996-07-16, 702/4; 324/76.21; 702/66 - pays a lot of attention to the time domain E-field to characterize strikes
5610813 Thunderstorm cell detection and mapping system for identifying and ranging thunderstorm cells by clustering single strike lightning observations, John H. Greenewald, Randolph L. Moses, BF Goodrich Flight Systems,1997-03-11, 702/5 - LCD, flow charts,

Related lightning strike systems

3603951 Storm warning system, Pat O Bracken, George H Lane, Montech Inc, 1971-09-07, 340/539.28; 340/538.17; 702/3; 340/601; 340/870.11; 340/870.09; 73/170.15; 73/170.24; 73/170.16; 340/311.2; 340/7.46 - more a reporting system than a storm sensor
4115732 Detection System for Lightning, E.P Krider, R.C. Noggle, M.A. Uman, UofA, 1978-9-19, 324/72; 324/76.12; 324/77.11 -
4198599 Gated lightning detection system, Edmund P. Krider, Ralph C. Noggle, UofA, 324/72; 324/76.12; 324/76.15; 324/76.24 - two loops + E-filed probe, CRT
20100212925 Lightning directing system, John S. Canham, Northrop Grumman, 2011-03-29, - a dreopsonde

Also see the Sky Scan patents.

Related

An Instantaneous Direct-reading Radiogoniometer by Robert Watson-Watt, 1926
SkyScan Severe Thunderstorm Detector - displays rough range to lightening
Weather

References

Ref 1: StormScope Series II Weather Mapping Systems, WX-500 Installation Manual, 23 September 2003, L-3 Communications.
Ref 2: TM 1-1520-253-10 UH-60 Helicopter Operator's Manual; 3/20 (page 3-85) Storm Scope WX-1000 Weather Mapping System.

Links

stormscopes.com -

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