Come get your free electrons

[KL7AJ]

Probably one of the more "Truth is stranger than fiction" items in all of radio is the concept of "electron precipitation." I first encountered the term when I started working at Hipas Observatory in the early 1980s. I thought someone was jerking the chain of the new guy....sort of like a snipe hunt.

Only after I was shown how to measure this with a "salad bowl electrometer"...a simple device using two larger stainless steel salad bowls with a small gap between them, attached to a sensitive galvanometer...was I made a believer. It's still bizarre, nowever.

After an intense Aurora display, there are lots of free electrons that cannot recombine because the auora is so disturbed and turbulent. These electrons have nowhere to go, so they ride the natural magnetic fields down to the Earth.....in HUGE numbers.

We had a massive auroral display that first winter at the site....and we didn't even NEED the galvanometer....the charge ARCED the 1/4' between the salad bowls...immediately after the Aurora faded. Pretty cool! I can only imagine how much charge the EARTH accumulated, if we got an arc across a couple of salad bowls!

Now you know!

Eric

[KL7AJ]

Get 'em while they're hot!

[KL7AJ]

In handy economy size

[K5FH]

Only after I was shown how to measure this with a "salad bowl electrometer"...a simple device using two larger stainless steel salad bowls with a small gap between them, attached to a sensitive galvanometer...was I made a believer. It's still bizarre, nowever.

An aurora detector? Wouldn't it be simpler for you Alaskans to simply take a look out a north-facing window?

Sounds kind of like a reverse Van de Graff generator.

[KL7AJ]

An aurora detector? Wouldn't it be simpler for you Alaskans to simply take a look out a north-facing window?

Sounds kind of like a reverse Van de Graff generator.

That's almost exactly what it was. (Actually, up here, it's a south facing window...most of the time. :)

eric

[KI4WCA]

Is it ever strong enough to produce coronas?That would be cool to hold up your hand and see the discharge from your fingertips.We do not have that fun here in NC.

[KI2Y]

Is it ever strong enough to produce coronas?That would be cool to hold up your hand and see the discharge from your fingertips.We do not have that fun here in NC.

Sure you do! Just drag your socked feet across your carpet for about a half hour then grab your cat.

[KA4DPO]

So all I have to do is hook a pair of salad bowls to my rig (slapping forehead)?

Does Boone Pickens know about this? Hate to see him waste his billions on wind turbines.....:D

[N9EMZ]

First thing that came to mind and I seem to recall it was posted here a couple of years ago.....

"Life span of an antenna.

Well, generally it depends on hours spent listening.

The antenna converts electro-magnetic energy into electrical energy, which is
basically electrons moving into your radio.
There are only so many electrons in each inch of copper wire, so when they've
been sent downstream into your radio, the wire will become "ionized" and
deteriorate and probably fall down. This explains why, when you come home one
day, your antenna is on the ground (see below).

What happens to all those electrons, you ask. Well, they migrate into your
radio and accumulate. In older tube radios, there was a "grid leak" resistor
circuit which allowed the electrons to fall on the ground. Now you can't see
them, but they're there. As more pile up, they slide into your back yard.

Tube radios, because of the "grid leak" last a lot longer than solid state
radios, which stop working when enough electrons have piled up inside to short
it out.

Now those electrons in your back yard want to get back into the copper wire, so
they "pull" the antenna down to be re-united with it. Since the antenna is
high, and they're on the ground, this attraction is not strong, but on a windy
day, the electrons get lifted from the ground towards the antenna, pulling it
down again. The wind oftens brings in free electrons from your neighbor's homes
(from TVs, etc), so there may be a lot of these things around. If too many
electrons get lifted up all at once, they overload the antenna, causing a heat
mark, or worse getting back into the radio. Now this is why your antenna
usually falls down on windy days.

At least, that's how I understand it.

You can extend the life of your antenna by disconnecting it from your radio
when you're not listening. But overall, 500 to 1000 hours spent listening will
do in a longwire antenna."

props to Pat; N0HR. I'm not that....unh....smart?

[N8CPA]

Probably one of the more "Truth is stranger than fiction" items in all of radio is the concept of "electron precipitation." I first encountered the term when I started working at Hipas Observatory in the early 1980s. I thought someone was jerking the chain of the new guy....sort of like a snipe hunt.

Only after I was shown how to measure this with a "salad bowl electrometer"...a simple device using two larger stainless steel salad bowls with a small gap between them, attached to a sensitive galvanometer...was I made a believer. It's still bizarre, nowever.

After an intense Aurora display, there are lots of free electrons that cannot recombine because the auora is so disturbed and turbulent. These electrons have nowhere to go, so they ride the natural magnetic fields down to the Earth.....in HUGE numbers.

We had a massive auroral display that first winter at the site....and we didn't even NEED the galvanometer....the charge ARCED the 1/4' between the salad bowls...immediately after the Aurora faded. Pretty cool! I can only imagine how much charge the EARTH accumulated, if we got an arc across a couple of salad bowls!

Now you know!

Eric

Eric! You're wasting time! Get out there! Scoop 'em up, and sell 'em on eBay! Someone will buy them. You have nothing to lose but your poverty!

[AI3V]

Probably one of the more "Truth is stranger than fiction" items in all of radio is the concept of "electron precipitation." I first encountered the term when I started working at Hipas Observatory in the early 1980s. I thought someone was jerking the chain of the new guy....sort of like a snipe hunt.

Only after I was shown how to measure this with a "salad bowl electrometer"...a simple device using two larger stainless steel salad bowls with a small gap between them, attached to a sensitive galvanometer...was I made a believer. It's still bizarre, nowever.

After an intense Aurora display, there are lots of free electrons that cannot recombine because the auora is so disturbed and turbulent. These electrons have nowhere to go, so they ride the natural magnetic fields down to the Earth.....in HUGE numbers.

We had a massive auroral display that first winter at the site....and we didn't even NEED the galvanometer....the charge ARCED the 1/4' between the salad bowls...immediately after the Aurora faded. Pretty cool! I can only imagine how much charge the EARTH accumulated, if we got an arc across a couple of salad bowls!

Now you know!

Eric

Was the arc a one time snap, or did it "Hold"?

Rege

[AC0FP]

Is it ever strong enough to produce coronas?That would be cool to hold up your hand and see the discharge from your fingertips.We do not have that fun here in NC.

No fun in North Carolina? Import your coronas! :D

73,

[KL7AJ]

Was the arc a one time snap, or did it "Hold"?

Rege

A lot of little arcs...sounded almost like A.C.!

eric

[K8ERV]

That's almost exactly what it was.

eric

How can something be "almost exactly"? Poetic license?

(Sorta like "almost pregnant".)

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[KL7AJ]

How can something be "almost exactly"? Poetic license?

(Sorta like "almost pregnant".)

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo


Yes. I have a notarized copy of my Poetry License. I can send you a photocopy.

[K8ERV]

Yes. I have a notarized copy of my Poetry License. I can send you a photocopy.

I'd rather you send the notary, if she is pretty.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo