This paper compares, both theoretically and experimentally, the accuracy of a lightning location system using VHF time of arrival technique. The experiment was conducted in Pingliang during the summer of 2006. A tethered sounding balloon carrying a pulsed VHF transmitter which radiated 125MHz pulses, and the trace of the balloon ascending from to 120 was obtained by the network. The accuracy of the network was estimated by comparing the location of signal source obtained from the lightning location system and information from GPS receiver on the balloon package. It was found that the uncertainties of measurement estimated experimentally were larger than that from simple geometric model and Monte Carlo simulation both in the horizontal and in the vertical directions. According to the distribution curve of errors, the rules of errors and factors which influence accuracy of the network were analyzed. Finally, methods to improve the accuracy of network were suggested.
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