BendixKing KMD 150 - Pilots Guide - Manual (Page 119)

Rev 3 Aug/2004 KMD 150 Pilot's Guide
105
STORMSCOPE
®
OPERATION
INTRODUCTION
Your Bendix/King KMD 150 is capable of being interfaced to a L-3
Communications WX-500 Stormscope
® Series II Weather Mapping
Sensor. The WX-500 detects electrical discharges associated with thun-
derstorms within a 200 nm radius of the aircraft. The information is then
sent to your KMD 150 that will display the location of the thunderstorms
both on the map screens and on a dedicated Stormscope
®
screen.
The WX-500 Stormscope
®
Sensor is a passive system that listens for
electromagnetic signals with a receiving antenna. There's no transmitter
and no harmful transmissions. The system operates as well on the
ground as in the air, thereby giving the pilot important planning informa-
tion even before takeoff.
Figure 13-1- Functional Diagram
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
The antenna detects the electric and magnetic fields generated by intra-
cloud, inter-cloud, or cloud-to-ground electrical discharges that occur
within a 200 nm radius of the aircraft and sends the resulting "discharge
signals" to the processor. The processor digitizes, analyzes, and con-
verts the discharge signals into range and bearing data then stores the
data in memory. The WX-500 processor then communicates this infor-
mation to the KMD 150 as 'strikes' and 'cells'. The WX-500 updates the
KMD 150 every two seconds.
Stormscope ® Operation