Thread: Rain Static ?
View Single Post
  #36   Report Post  
Old December 11th 06, 02:03 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.antenna
Jimmie D Jimmie D is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 296
Default Rain Static ?


"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...
Hello Deni:

I have had such problems with rain noise. A ground plane antenna mounted
to the side of the house had severe rain static noise.

After checking the antenna and coax it was found that a new roof was
installed and sheet metal pieces where installed on the roof before the
roof paper and roof was installed. After finding this out, the mast was
moved away and insulated from the side of the house.

This reduced the rain static in the receiver significantly. What I think
was happening was the heavy rain static energy was using the mast as a
ground rod, inducing the noise into the antenna.

I have at times experienced severe rain static, but only two times when
the the rain was a complete heavy down poor of rain, that only lasted a
few minuets. I think its possible that some, but not all weather brings
the rain static and most antenna installations will hear it.

Jay in the Mojave

Deni F5VJC wrote:

I have recently been plagued by rain static on a new vertical antenna,
this a 42 foot vertical fed at the base through an SG230 auto tuner,
and used on all bands. It seems I need a static bleed of some sort, a
choke or resistor. What is the best component to use in an outdoor
environment?
I thought the auto ATU would in itself provide a static bleed path,
but apparently not.

Any thoughts, how have you solved this?

73, Deni

F5VJC


The only rain static I have observed is during a sudden downpour. This is on
a longwire antenna. If the rain last more than a few minutes the static goes
away. I have wondered sometimes if this isnt caused by the rain hitting a
dry antenna. No real reason to assume this is fact but it does seem to fit
the observation. Perhaps I will run out one day and hose the antenna down
and see if this stops the static. |.

This seems to be even more the case when I take my radio down to florida
from north carolina. In florida we have afternnon storms that you can almost
set your watch by. When they hit the haose I usally get a steady build up of
noise then suddenly it dies down. It seems to die down durung the heaviest
part of the rain.