----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard M. Gillingham" <rmoodyg@bellsouth.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>; "Mark Pride" <mpride@us.ibm.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 7:53 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Length of Mast
> Can't say I'd call the fiberglas tubes that the bronze tapes slide in
> 'shielding', the tubes being non-metalic. But, yes mine doesn't show as
> much precip static as my aluminum yagi did. Don't know why.
The mechanism of particle impact charging relies on charged particles (dust,
raindrops, snow) touching a conductor and transferring the charge. This is
what charges things like airplanes, air powered dust/grain movers, fans,
compressed air hoses, etc. Some very large electrostatic generators (think
Van deGraaff type) have been built using this phenomenon.
Because the precipitation particles (the rain drops) which are charged don't
actually touch the conductor, they can't transfer the charge. They can put
a bit of charge on the surface of the insulating radome, but, overall, it
won't hold much charge.
Jim, W6RMK
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