Investigation of 'Antenna Dumping' as a Means of Reducing Precipitation Interference in Airborne OMEGA

摘要

Omnidirectional E-field antennas (e.g., whip, blade, and long-wire antennas) have various practical advantages over crossed-loop antennas in airborne Omega; however, experience has shown that E-field antennas are much more susceptible to precipitation static. The author has proposed that the interference effects of p-static upon E-field antennas might be reduced by periodically discharging ('dumping') any accumulated voltage present on the antenna. The duration of each discharge would be extremely short (typically 0.1 microsecond); on this basis it was hypothesized that the electric field due to propogated electromagnetic signals (Omega) and the electrostatic field associated with p-static would show different recovery characteristics; with the radiative field recovering essentially 'instantaneously'. (Author)