Louisville, Kentucky siren test 10-13-09 (4 recordings)

[ver tum]

Here are the 4 recordings I was able to get this past Tuesday. All of the recorders were set up in locations where the new head on the PRP VFD #1 Thunderbolt 1000T could be heard. I was able to get a fourth recording this time because my grandfather bought his own Olympus recorder, and he let me set it up at his house. It was pretty windy, so even with wind screens, three out of four of the recordings have some microphone wind noise. The wind was coming out of the north, so if you listen carefully during the test at my grandparents', you can hear one of Rohm and Haas's Whelens doing Whoop at least 9 miles away. You can also hear an xT22, probably the one at Dixie Suburban VFD, from about three miles away at the end of that recording.

PRP VFD #1 Thunderbolt 1000T (first test with replacement head):
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/3/1 ... ead%29.mp3

Siren test at my grandparents':
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/3/1 ... -13-09.mp3

Siren test at my apartment:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/3/1 ... -13-09.mp3

Siren test at Mom and Dad's:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/3/1 ... -13-09.mp3

I was a little disappointed with the replacement head at the VFD, because even though it's set on level 6, it sounds like a 5, making it almost exactly the same pitch as the Doss Thunderbolt, only with faster rotation. Also, a new transformer was recently installed at the Kerrick Thunderbolt, and it's apparently now a 208 volt transformer, so the Kerrick Thunderbolt now sounds at a lower pitch than it used to, making it only slightly higher than the other two. It will probably take me a while to get used to these changes. I plan on trying to convince my contact with the city to lower the chopper level on the VFD TBolt, so more people will hear it, and so that it can be distinguished from the other Thunderbolts in the area.

[md5]

On the recording at your apartment, what 2001 series is that siren - it's a 2001-130 series here. And how far are you from that siren? That exact same tone is what I hear with that near same fade in and out as it rotates. The the siren to my south is about exactly three miles (According to google maps when making a direct line)!

[ver tum]

It's the 2001-SRNB at Eisenhower Elementary School, which is over a mile, possibly near two miles away. There was a lot of wind when that was recorded, which was likely messing with the fading in and out of the siren as it was rotating. They could have put a new 130 in the SRNB's place, but it's unlikely.

The wind also really messed with the volume of the PRP VFD #1 Thunderbolt from where my grandfather and I were, as you can hear on the recording.

[Thunderboltlover]

Wow does that new head sound great!

I think that ties with the Sonnesyn Elementary t-bolt 1003 for the best sounding t-bolt!

What was wrong with the old head?

And what will happen with the old head?

[ver tum]

The old head was running very slow, and it sounded pitiful in the September test before it was taken down. It has some type of chopper motor problem, but I haven't found out exactly what the problem is.

I have recently found out that the chopper level on the new head will probably be changed soon, so that it can more easily be distinguished from the other Thunderbolts in the area.

To my ears, I think that the Doss Thunderbolt 1000T here in Louisville is probably the most healthy one I've ever heard. The replacement head on the PRP VFD #1 Thunderbolt doesn't sound quite as healthy to me, but that could be simply because of the strong winds.