[TowerTalk] Rain static

[Tom Rauch]

> Sure it does... the charge on individual raindrops is very
very strongly
> affected by the local earth's E field.  That rises just
before a lightning
> stroke.

Those arguments don't fit the big picture Jim.

If the water drop is assuming or tracking the e-field
potential of the area around the water, then it is at the
same potential as anything that is dc floating in the area
of the moisture so a non-dc-grounded antenna would be
quieter. In reality they aren't quieter and aren't noisier.

The same noise occurs without any water.

The noise pitch doesn't track moisture contact rate.

The theory that much better fits the effects people see is
the noise is from charge gradient between the antenna and
the cloud(s).