Boltek's decades of experience combined with current sensor technology brings genuine lightning detection within the budget of far more organisations and individuals than used to be possible. Boltek detectors are manufactured in Canada and are in use wherever accurate lightning information matters, including Toronto's CN Tower, Cape Canaveral and the US Army.
Unlike an app or a website, a Boltek detector senses the electromagnetic pulse of each strike directly at your location, in real time, with no subscription and no dependence on someone else's network.
How lightning detection actually works
Every lightning discharge emits a radio-frequency pulse. A Boltek detector picks that pulse up on a directional aerial, measures its bearing and signal strength, and plots the strike on a map on your PC. Because it is measuring the strike itself rather than downloading someone's summary, you see storms building and moving in real time, with no reporting delay and no monthly fee. Range extends to around 300 miles depending on the aerial and site.
LD-250 or LD-350?
The LD-250 long range detector is the established model and remains an excellent choice for storm tracking and weather station integration. The LD-350 is the newer generation, with improved sensitivity and noise rejection — the better option on an electrically noisy site or where you want the maximum usable range. Complete kits including the aerial and cabling are available as the LD-250 Long Range Detection Kit and the LD-350 Long Range Detection Kit, and a kit is usually the better buy than assembling the parts separately.
Aerials — the part that determines your range
Detector performance depends heavily on the aerial and where you put it. The Yagi aerial is directional and gives the greatest sensitivity and range along its axis, which suits a fixed installation watching a known approach direction. The colinear dipole aerial receives equally from all directions and is the simpler choice for general storm awareness. Mount either as high and as far from electrical interference as you reasonably can — motors, dimmers, LED drivers and switched-mode power supplies all degrade detection.
Who uses lightning detection
Golf clubs and sports grounds evacuating play before a storm arrives. Outdoor events and marinas. Construction sites with cranes. Explosives and fuel handling operations with mandatory lightning stand-off distances. Aviation and airfields. Utilities correlating faults with strikes. Broadcasters and serious weather observers who want their own strike record. Where a lightning safety policy specifies a warning radius, a local detector is what lets you enforce it.
What it costs to run
Nothing beyond the hardware. There is no subscription and no data plan — the detector and the software are the whole cost, which is why the total cost over five years compares favourably with a commercial lightning alert service.
Related equipment
See also our storm and lightning detectors range. If you are recording severe weather more broadly, a complete station with wind and rain measurement makes a natural companion — see commercial weather stations or Davis.
Help choosing
Call 01243 558280 or use our contact form. Tell us the site, what you need to protect and how far out you need warning, and we will specify the detector and aerial combination.