CB antennae

[gwittman]

I have a Wilson 1000 antennae and have a question about it. It had a small metal ball on the tip. That ball came off on my last trip. I don't know the function of it, will the loss of it have any adverse affects on the performance of transmission or receiving?

I seem to recall that someone told me years ago its function is to help static bleed off. Is that a possibility?

 

[pyrate]

Keeps you eye from getting poked out. :Wow1:

I believe that is their intended purpose (static) but generally not large enough to do the trick.

 

[Crom]

All it does is keep you from skewering a body part; they're strictly for safety.

 

[Frdmskr]

What pyrite said....it's a static discharge feature. So long as it's properly grounded and you are running legal power you are fine without it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Robert Bills]

All it does is keep you from skewering a body part; they're strictly for safety.

Incorrect.

Its called a "corona ball," and assists in dissipating static during transmission.


More than you ever wanted to know is here: http://www.k0bg.com/static.html http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?156060-I-Got-Your-Corona-Balls-Right-Here

 

[Crom]

Incorrect.

Its called a "corona ball," and assists in dissipating static during transmission.


More than you ever wanted to know is here: http://www.k0bg.com/static.html http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?156060-I-Got-Your-Corona-Balls-Right-Here

I reviewed both links. You may want to review that material yourself, because physics disagrees with your statement. A sharp point is better for dissipating static energy than a round ball, which is why airplane wings have many wicks at their extremities. In mobile applications the ball is for safety, it's too small to be effective as a corona ball, even Alan (KOBG) states that in his article, in his estimation the ball should be 1" in diameter. And the corona ball is to help prevent corona discharge during transmitting. In receiving antennas the ball may help antennas hear better by preventing static discharge according to N5RFX, and KOBG, and theoretically speaking that makes sense to me.

All that said, I still believe the primary reason they exist on mobile antennas is for human safety. Have a ball, no ball, I bet the mobile radio operator would notice no discernible difference whatsoever.

:sombrero:

 

[gwittman]

Thanks for all the information. I have some reading to do but it looks like I don't have to do anything about the missing ball.

I have to lean toward safety as its main function.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I reviewed both links. You may want to review that material yourself, because physics disagrees with your statement. A sharp point is better for dissipating static energy than a round ball, which is why airplane wings have many wicks at their extremities. In mobile applications the ball is for safety, it's too small to be effective as a corona ball, even Alan (KOBG) states that in his article, in his estimation the ball should be 1" in diameter. And the corona ball is to help prevent corona discharge during transmitting. In receiving antennas the ball may help antennas hear better by preventing static discharge according to N5RFX, and KOBG, and theoretically speaking that makes sense to me.

All that said, I still believe the primary reason they exist on mobile antennas is for human safety. Have a ball, no ball, I bet the mobile radio operator would notice no discernible difference whatsoever.

:sombrero:

Ah, the age old argument, should lightning rods have points or domes? Anyway, the concept of a corona ball can be seen in a Van der Graaf generator, which are of course quite large radius corona domes and build up equally large charges. On an antenna they would encourage the build up of static, which might be the point, to prevent continuous small discharging creating a constant crackle as you drive down the road. You wouldn't notice it much with a FM radio but with an AM radio you do know your antenna is missing the dingle ball. Though, I might be one of the only people left in the world who listens to broadcast AM (Radio 1190, KVCU, Boulder!).