Radar reflects energy from something more or less solid...like a cloud full
of water. Sferics devices detect electrical discharges. They are two
different systems performing two different functions by measuring different
parameters. The ideal is to have both. If you have only one, you must
understand its limitations. A sferics device will not keep you from flying
into an ice-filled cloud, and radar will not detect clouds that do not
contain droplets of a certain diameter relative to wavelength.

Belt and suspenders.

Bob Gardner

"Ross Oliver" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 14:55:52 GMT, Jay Honeck
wrote:
Yesterday, as we were once again flying blindly toward unknown weather,
Mary
and I lamented the fact that we'll never have radar on board our
Pathfinder.
Too expensive to contemplate. Ditto with the "live uplink" stuff that's
just coming on the market.

So, I thought, why not adapt a marine radar unit to aircraft use?
Checking
around on-line, it looks like you can get a pretty basic marine radar set
up
for less than $2000 -- a tiny percentage of what "aviation" radar would
cost.


I have always heard that a lightning detector such as StrikeFinder
or Stormscope works just as well as radar for thunderstorm avoidance,
and is more compact and less expensive than full-blown weather radar.
Eastern Avionics website lists several models for $3-6000 plus
install.


Ross Oliver