[TowerTalk] snow static, Quad v. Yagi

[Tom Rauch]

> It's not charging from the air, it's charging from the
particles, which DO
> have a potential relative to their surroundings (i.e. the
air).

I understand all that Jim. We are just going to have to
disagree.

I don't believe dust can accumulate enough charge in a wire
with even very small amounts of leakage to earth to have
corona right back out to the very media supporting the
particles that are charging it. The fields don't want to
work that way. If they did, the dust or charges in the dust
would soon be repelled from the area of the wire and the
charge transfer into the wire would stop.

The conductors arc or leak to earth if insulated from earth.

The conductors leak or arc to the sky if the clouds have
high enough charge.

This is why grounding masts or antennas does not stop
corona. If anything, it only makes it worse. This is why a
floating conductor with almost perfect insulation will
eventually reach enough potential to flash over to ground,
even when it has no corona.

73 Tom