Ian White GM3SEK wrote:

This makes the choices quite complex, and makes generalization
impossible. Quote an example, and someone else will quote you a
counter-example.

Just one other thing: PLEASE let's not talk about elements being
"grounded", way up there at the top of a tower.

The entire topic and people's reactions about precepitation noise is
fascinating.

People actually seem to think the little particles voving through the
air charge the antenna to a different potential than the air around the
antenna, and that a "dc" path to earth or "dc" path around an element
somehow magically stops RF noise.

Certainly it is possible for a conductor very well insulated from earth
to charge to the potential of the static field around the antenna, and
flash over to "ground" through some path that breaks down. Of course
only a fool would have equipment that allows that to happen while large
antennas are being used or connected. This is an entirely different
thing than the corona discharge that makes what people typically call
"P-static".

73 Tom