The susceptibilities of electrical and magnetic antennas to precipitation static noise experiments in an electrostatic wind tunnel

The effects of precipitation static noise interference with the reception of radio-navigation and communications signals on aircraft flying through ice and snow clouds were generated with an electrostatic wind tunnel. Electrical type antennas, that is metal-rod and blade antennas, were found to be highly susceptible to precipitation static noise fields. Magnetic type ferrite loopstick antennas were found to be practically immune to these noise fields, if electrically conductive materials, such as wet or moist plastics or metal, were kept approximately 30 cm away from the antennas. This critical distance was reduced to 10 cm in the case of Crossed Ferrite Loopsticks.