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The goal of this project was to build a very simple VLF (very low frequency) antenna capable of detecting "spherics", or radio atmospherics, electromagnetic distortions in the upper atmosphere. The most commonly detected disturbance is lighting, which can be detected from thousands of kilometers away. However, if the antenna is powerful enough it could be possible to detect the trails left by asteroids as they burn up in the atmosphere.
The schematic was found here.
The antenna is a very simple loop antenna which uses a long (85 feet, about 30 meters) length of wire which is looped around some wooden supports which have notches cut into them. Both ends of the wire are then connected into an audio transformer, and that is connected to a simple speaker with an amplifier. It is then possible to "listen" to the atmosphere. I have heard distinct popping sounds on the speaker, which must have been distant lightning storms.
The next goal is to build a digital amplifier and get the antenna data onto a computer using an arduinoI can then analyse and graph the data.
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