Hi goldfinder,
I agree that electrostatic fields can exist without ions, but it seems to me that in free air, there would be an electrostatic field gradient caused by an anomoly in the concentration of ions, and vica versa, even if in small amounts. Maybe I am wrong.
However, If you wanted to measure only ions, then I would suggest that your ion detector is placed inside a metal enclosure that is shielded from any external static fields, and use a small fan to draw samples through the sensor. I would think you could use the same sensor as you originally built, or the differential FET design that Ivconic designed. But the dish should be replaced by a metal tube with the antenna running down the center of the axis. It is important to have the fan draw air from the exhaust end of the detector tube because the motor brushes generate ozone which would be a source of stray ion noise if sent into the tube.
This method will not distinguish what ion molecules you are sensing, only the current generated by the ions sensed. In fact, you will not know if you are sensing ionized molecules or free electrons. I still feel that the best data to be seen from the detector is found by putting an oscilloscope probe on the amplifier output to see the time based fluctuations. This could give valuable information that is not available with a meter or speaker. (I wonder if the reason the audio section I suggested was unresponsive could be because the fluctuations in detected signal were below the audio range -- or above it).
Anyway, it should be easy to replace the dish with a metal tube, and place the whole assembly inside a metal box. The fan and motor could be omitted if there is a breeze to carry samples through the tube.
Remember, we are looking for an anomoly in the concentration of ions in the free air that can lead us to a buried treasure. My personal feeling is you won't find a concentration of any kind of ions above a buried target. I think any unusual concentration of ions you sense will be attributable to an ion source that is recognizable (ie: crt tube, ionic air purifier, motor brushes, etc.) But I don't really know this, and we won't know until we see the results of your experiments.
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