"Rick Hughes" wrote in message
...
It would be handy to be able to have a detector that can give an audible
signal when it starts to rain.

I often have sports kit outside drying (Scuba, boat etc) and can't rely
on
it staying dry long enough to dry kit.


I have found a link to one project
http://www.techlib.com/electronics/raindetectors.htm

Anybody anything better .... the key would seem to be the sensor ... large
enough surface are to catch first few drops of rain, stable enough not to
corrode in a couple of weeks.



Replace the coins sensor with....
A spoon and a tilt switch, spoon should have a small brass tube piece welded
directly in the center of its balance.
take a longish bolt and some nuts that will fit through the brass tube
piece,this nut and bolt will go through a wooden upright support drill on
both sides at exactly the same height,feed the bolt through hole on one side
and screw on 2 nuts,take spoon and feed it on to bolt,put another 2 nuts on
the bolt feed bolt through the other hole and put a last bolt on the end.
Now then tighten the 2 end nuts (1 on the bolt head side) so that the bolt
does not move in the holes,glue(araldite or some strong glue) the tilt
switch to the end of the handle and connect to a buzzer and battery,tighten
the 2 center nuts(possibly need washer either side of the nuts?) against the
brass tube ever so slightly but enough to give the spoon freedom to move.

get some water and pour droplets onto the spoons hollow and it should drop
down forcing the tilt switch to activate the buzzer,the 2 center nuts will
probably need adjusting for sensitivity.

Any good panel? :-)
That came of the top of me head whilst waiting for the kettle to boil.