[TowerTalk] Static Drain Resistor in Arrestor

[Jack Brindle]

Steve;

If you wish to visit, I can prove you wrong. The antenna in question is a simple dipole / inverted V center is 35 feet high, overall length is 120 feet. The ends are 20 feet up, It is fed with ladder line to a 4:1 balun. From the ball to the shack is a 50 foot length of RG213. Before I grounded the balun, I had lots of rain static. Afterwards, none. Not wind static, and definitely not snow. It was purely from rain, and followed the normal characteristics of that issue. Now, none at all. This is easy to reproduce, especially this time of year.

73,
Jack, W6FB


> On Dec 16, 2025, at 7:57 PM, ve6wz at shaw.ca wrote:
> 
> Jack,
> "P-Static" (precipitation static) is a different phenomena that "wind static".
> A grounded antenna will NOT prevent P-Static. W8JI is correct.
> 
> Wind static can build incredible voltages (I've seen it) and will discharge to ground. Grounding the element through a choke or high value resistor will eliminate this. All my antennas must have this.
> 
> Precipitation static is a different thing. This is that screeching, buzzing, even whistling sound that will crescendo and sputter out, only to start again.
> Its the noise that when happening will shut you down from operating.
> It happens when a storm is approaching or in effect. I hear it all the time during rainstorms and even snowstorms.
> Grounding the elements on your Yagi or verticals make NO difference at all to this type of static.
> 
> I really don't think precipitation static is well understood regarding how it develops and the exact mechanism that triggers it, but a google search might give you some background.
> 
> Either way, a static drain choke or resistor will NOT eliminate this type of noise when it happens.
> 
> Steve ve6wz
> From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> on behalf of Jack Brindle via TowerTalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 4:06 PM
> To: john at kk9a.com <john at kk9a.com>
> Cc: towertalk at contesting.com <towertalk at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Static Drain Resistor in Arrestor
>  
> Yes, it definitely helps with rain static. If W8JI actually stated that grounding the elements doesn’t help, he was wrong.
> It is important to bring both sides to ground, and together, usually through a large value resistor or RF Choke that will handle the power. Tieing both sides of a dipole through this to ground provides a path to bleed off the static charge, thus eliminating rain static (and snow static, etc). As Wes stated, adding a fairly large resistor across the dipole insulator really helps. Then timing that to ground through the arrestor finished the job.
> 
> 73,
> Jack, W6FB
> 
> 
> > On Dec 16, 2025, at 5:48 PM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
> > 
> > Does the Morgan coaxal arrestor help with precipitation static or just the
> > arc noise?  Rain static can be brutal when contesting.  I thought mine might
> > be related to using OWA designs with insulated elements but W8JI has stated
> > that grounded elements make little difference.
> > 
> > John KK9A
> > 
> > Ron WV4P wrote;
> > 
> > My fullsize 4el 40 with cool dry air wil arc several inches from coax tip
> > to ground from static. With the Morgan M303 inline... Nothing. This was
> > also very apparent on the SDR (Flex) screen from what looked like lightning
> > static crashes to.. Nothing. In that respect, they did exactly what they
> > claimed.
> > 
> > Ron, WV4P
> > 
> > 
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