>> >This sounds like voodoo to me. There must be some point when you are
>> >lifting the demagnetizer away that the effects from the device are
>> >beneficial.
>>
>> The "lift it slowly away and then turn off" is an important point.
>> This makes sure that the media really is demagnetized. If you turn
>> it off while near the media, you can leave the media in a highly
>> magnetized state.
>So then is that all that's really required?
The "rotate around at many different orientations" is also
important for a thorough degaussing. Unlike electric charge, which
doesn't have a direction, magnetization *does* have a direction.
The really professional degaussers will automatically rotate and diminish
the magnetic field in a pre-programmed sequence. These are very large,
however, and cost lots more dollars than the ones you buy at Radio Shack.
With many modern high-coercivity media, you can't do a really thorough
job of degaussing with a small degausser in any event. They just don't
make a large enough field.
--
Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa_at_trailing-edge.com
Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/
7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917
Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927
Received on Sun May 02 1999 - 08:51:47 BST