[TowerTalk] rain static

[Tom Rauch]

> Which brings me to the question:
>
> Would a sharp pointed rod on the top of the tower, and
> connected to it, mitigate the problem?

It generally moves the problem or a large portion of the
corona problem to the vertical.

On one roof top, we installed a flag pole with a large
copper ball at top (we used a float from a toilet tank) that
was much taller than the verticals for communications. This
significantly reduced p-static in the communications antenna
we were having problems with.

I'd use a blunt device at the top. It will reduce field
gradient near the communications antenna (and reduce corona
discharge from that antenna) without adding unnecessary
corona that will excite the device and reradiate out to the
antenna.

73 Tom