rf question/ thought

[marketmerlin]

I'm not sure if this is the right place but I figured a ham may know... an old ham told me once that rf travels on or around a wire and not threw it like we think with electricity... now.. if you run an electric current threw a wire it makes field that rotates clockwise or counter clockwise (can't remember witch)... but is that the same as rf? Does rf travel down a wire in clockwise or counter clockwise?

 

[Beetle]

I'm not sure if this is the right place but I figured a ham may know... an old ham told me once that rf travels on or around a wire and not threw it like we think with electricity... now.. if you run an electric current threw a wire it makes field that rotates clockwise or counter clockwise (can't remember witch)... but is that the same as rf? Does rf travel down a wire in clockwise or counter clockwise?

http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/tutorials/java/handrules/

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I'm not sure if this is the right place but I figured a ham may know... an old ham told me once that rf travels on or around a wire and not threw it like we think with electricity... now.. if you run an electric current threw a wire it makes field that rotates clockwise or counter clockwise (can't remember witch)... but is that the same as rf? Does rf travel down a wire in clockwise or counter clockwise?

RF exhibits a phenomenon known as the skin effect. The RF does not penetrate deeply into the conductor but instead travels along the surface of it only penetrating very slightly. The higher the frequency the less deep the penetration.This is why silver plating is as good as solid silver when it comes to RF conductivity.