Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Fireworks

We had our annual valley firework show tonight. I had to work during the evening, but fortunately I got a chance to get out for a few minutes and watch the show. The fireworks were probably about a mile away, and yet you could still hear some of the explosions at a fairly loud level. It got me to thinking, what kind of SPLs are we talking here? I mean if you were within say 50' or so of one of these high explosive fireworks? I would think they would have to be very very high. Anyone have an idea? 130 dBs? 140?

Although the crowd around you might think your some FBI agent, that would be an interesting test to bring and SPL with you. We are usually about 1/2 mile away from our town's fireworks as we have a nice few overlooking the city. It is still very loud though. You still get the slight delay, as it takes a bit for the sound to travel to us, but it is still very loud, boooooooom

I'd like to see what kind of SPLs the NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Cars put out during a run, those things are amazingly loud.

I'm headed up to Daytona for the Pepsi 400 this evening, if it weren't for the tight security I wouldn't mind having the SPL meter tag along but I really don't want some security guard to confiscate my RS SPL meter...that would suck.

It's from Radio Shack. How can anything from Radio Shack be un-American ?

Good point Rick, I was a Mac Tools dealer for a couple of years in the midwest. As you know Mac sponsers many NHRA drivers. I believe it was in Norwalk, OH once, the event was called "Under the Lights" or something like that, it was unbelievable. Nothing like watching on TV. It would probably blow the levels off the chart....

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I'd like to see what kind of SPLs the NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Cars put out during a run, those things are amazingly loud

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I did think of taking my meter to the Carquest Nationals at Rt 66 this year.Maybe when I go this fall I will.They are super loud,I would think they would peg the meter.

You know what?

I just thought of something, I'd like to yank that thing out of the closet whenever the misses is in one of her yelling moods and see how she stacks up against the 80s...I'm placing my bet on the misses.

>>I'd like to yank that thing out of the closet whenever the misses is in one of her yelling moods

Whatever you do, don't let her see the meter. The results would NOT be pretty... and I bet things would get even worse if you asked her to stop for a second so you could adjust the range up another 10dB

I laughed so hard at that one that I think I hurt something ...

At WFO the top fuel rides are around 160 dbs within ten feet. Pro-mods are about 150.

If you think it’s cool watching / hearing them race, you ought to see and hear the engines strapped to a dyno. Now that’s cool. To be in the same little room as a 1800 hp 700 CID blown big block spinning at 7000 rpms.

The only thing louder than the Missis in our house, when She's yelling; are the Kids, when She's trying to sleep!

I couldn't hazzard a guess as to exactly how many db were talkin', but a jet engine in a closed test cell at 25 cm can be pretty loud too! But what's even louder is an APU doing forced compressor stalls during set-up!!

Think: Aak aak nozzle at 3 cm!

Speaking of fireworks, I finally heard some useful safety information on the radio yesterday. Over the last holiday weekend (May 24 - Victoria Day) we had a lot of fires in Toronto, many related to setting off fireworks in downtown areas of old houses (duh !!).

The station I was listening to seemed to have given up on the "children shouldn't play with fireworks" and "don't shoot roman candles at your friends" rules, but offered this little gem :

"If your kids are going to play with fireworks and shoot roman candles at each other, MAKE SURE THEY PLAY OUTSIDE."

There's some advice you can take to the bank...

I'm planning on going to a fireworks show Monday night... it's only a half block away and I figured I'd take some photos.

I can bring my RS meter to report back. No big whoop to throw it in one of the camera bag pockets...

Sweet.....I look forward to hearing the results on the fireworks.

And if anyone wants to report back on the misses SPL levels as well, that would be interesting too.

i never measured my wifes spl,but i know she is WAY louder than my lawn mower

What is the proper way to measure the misses with an spl meter? C-weighted with a slow response or A-weighted and fast? Should I point it right at her or at a 45 degree angle from the listening position?

uuuuum, do we really want to go there