Hi all,
Just a quickie, my good lady has bought me a Boltek lightning detector for Xmas, (lucky me :D)
I will be using the Nexstorm software, to run it, but how & where do I get the maps? I’ve looked at a few sites with lightning pages, & the maps look gr8.
I thought the maps would have came with the software, but no!!
If anyone can help it would much appreciated
Tony
Been pushing my luck to see if I can have it now, but she’s not giving in…gotta wait 'til Christmas!!! 
Also, if anyone has any setting-up tips, it would be great…thanks!
oh, how rude… [-X lol
nice one m8, i would love a lightning detector but just cannot afford one at present, not only that
we prob get 3 maybe 3 max lightning storms here anyway but thats not the point lol
I hope you find ya maps, im sure someone will help out, although i am very surprised at the price
of the detector and no maps… good luck with it, not long to wait 
As I understand it, you can make your own map but most find it easier and less time consuming to just order one with their Nexstorm. 
Bashy, you could go for the 1-Wire lightning detector. It’s not quite the same as the Boltek but still gives an indication that there’s a storm out there. Oh, and it’s far cheaper!!
Cheers Martin, I thought about that as well, I have a feeling that will be my 1st setup…
As for the map, if to make your own, couldnt you just use googlemap or google earth
with Google Earth you would need to trim it some to get rid of stuff you didnt want 
Like it Bashy lol :lol: :lol:
I’ve wanted one for years, me wife got it on ebay at a good price, only a few months old, from an old member on here.
She gave me the software to load up & play with but its like having a car with no wheels #-o u know what i mean!!
Just need some help with the maps then all should b good
oh my, thats even worse, that would be like having my console with out the sensors
I think i would be screaming right about now, perhaps come out with the, I best test it
in case its not working and by the time xmas comes it will be too late to get a refund
The wife teasing me I think #-o #-o
The Boltek all works, tessted it out a last night, but back in the box ready for wrapping, no not like “snoop dog” :lol: :lol:
Didnt know you can get the maps from nexstorm, i’ll look into that
Budgie
Just checked out your web page, do i take it you have a 1 wire setup?
wow that’s a good present :D. I think you will get more info on the map side of things when the US guys wake up.
Now you have to look at the box until Christmas :D.
Happy Holidays :reindeer:
Hi…the Nextstorm Software enables you to play around with making your own maps and it is reasonably easy to do…The base map needs to be clear and simplistic, or you will lose all the all the Strike info that is overlaid on the map…If you look at the StrikeStar sites then you will see that their maps have been developed in that way…I dare say it would be possible to use a similar method as Bashy suggested and just use a cature program and modify their’s to suit…But as others have mentioned, you could buy maps from them anyway, set up for your own location to suit the required scales you have in mind…
Clanger,
I think I’m very spoilt, but the wife love’s me, but still gotta wait till xmas for my new toy #-o #-o happy Christmas to you 2 :x-mas:
munrobaggins,
If I copy a map from somewhere else would that be copy righted to that company? what about the legal side? is there any?
Hi all,
Well i’ve just had a look on the nexstorm web site, & yes i can get the map from then, thanks for that Budgie 
It’s gonna cost me about
Therein lies a potential problem…however, I doubt if you are going to go out and make a land survey yourself, so “copying” an existing map must come into the equation somewhere. I remember this topic being discussed about Google Maps and there being an unclear answer. There must be a good source of non-copyright maps somewhere. ie that you can download and make changes to, for your own requirements and design. I don’t know the cost of the Nextstorm sourced maps and they may be quite reasonable in cost, but if to all intents and purposes the “map” (paricularly for us here in the UK) is just a bare outline of the coastline of the UK/NW Europe. I would have thought that some judicious use of a graphics programme (paintshop etc) would be an easy solution. Nextstorm has it’s own in-built programme to assist with linking the Map you produce into Nexstorm…this prog is called NexMap…It requires a base map that is 500 x 500 Pixels…so once you have scaled your map to the correct distances…it has to be saved at 500 x 500 (any graphics prog will do that for you)…
In the end though it is a question of how important you think the background map is to be…it would be very easy to produce a superb map and then find that it was so complicated that the strike symbology was vitually unreadable or unseen… …
[quote author=asprey link=topic=28387.msg225846#msg225846 date=1197714864]
It’s gonna cost me about
I would say for for the vector graphics format map from Astrogenic (you order it from them). Its all ready centred exactly on your long/lat (i had alot of trouble doing my own getting it spot on).
Although i must admit i really liked one i made as it was a relief type mape of the area, but the downside to doing your own its that when you try to zoom in at increments the base image remains the same and becomes extremely pixelated. Vector graphics ofcourse (like clipart) dont loose quality as you zoom in.
In terms of setting up this is where i spent most of my hair greying time . Ideally mount it in a PVC capsule on a pvc pole away from the house and a 360 degree line of sight if possible (to avoid refractions of signal off metal objects).
Ok I,ve ordered my map from Nexstorm, I should have it just before xmas took your advice Fairweather, many thanks for that.
I was gonna install the sensor in the loft (Attic) at the highest point of the roof, would that be OK or does the sensor have to go outside?
My house is a new build, with no metal parts or electrical parts in the loft (attic) hence why I was gonna install it in the loft.
Any help on the installation of the sensor would be gr8, & any other info on setting it all up would also help.
If i can get as much help as i can, you never know my better half may give me the Boltic now instead of xmas :lol:
Not being very patient am i, only got to wait another week, but you know what it’s like, you want your prezzys now!!!
I installed mine near the ceiling in my second story just to try it out and found I had outstanding reception, so that’s where it stays. I think the only way to be sure is to experiment and see.
You may have to wait a week or so for Xmas, but at least you don’t have to shake the package. :lol:
Sorry, we got a wee job so that needed dealing with.
Yes it’s the 1-Wire lightning detector that I use and it seems to work well, although a Boltek would be nice - when I’ve got the money. 
