Art wrote:
"My understanding is that it only takes a moderate magnetic field to
levitate a free electron, which is a world of difference from what you
are saying."

Moderate fields make free electrons move moderately within and on the
surface of conductors.

Electron emission requires more energy than does conduction. Conduction
produces a magnetic field which can produce an electric field, etc.,
etc., etc..

No threshold must be exceeded to produce radiation from an antenna. The
weakest received signal must cause at least 50% of its received carrier
power to be re-radiated from an antenna of good conductivity.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI