Silver has average corrosion resistance properties. It corrodes faster than gold or stainless steel. Because connectors corrode, the effects on higher frequencies become more apparent than those on lower frequencies. Slight corrosion in the ultra high frequency (UHF) range is a problem. However, the problem becomes more significant in the microwave range. Radio signals are in the UHF range, and satellite signals are in the microwave range. These higher frequencies are affected more by corrosion in the cable connectors.
The best way to listen to static is tuning a radio to the AM band and finding a weak signal. Static sounds like hissing, popping or other unwanted noises. The radio waves coming out of a transmitter must be clean to avoid static. The wave must be clean traveling through the system all the way up to the transmitting antenna. Corroded connectors are the weak link in the output chain. Corroded silver connectors, but complicated processes, introduce static into the output wave
All the radio waves from the transmitter to the antenna must have definite shapes. These waveforms are extremely complex. The waves themselves must be pure and undistorted. A corroded silver connector, especially in high-power transmitters, can distort the waveform. To understand distorted waveforms, think of a classical guitar sound versus a rock guitar sound. The classical guitar is clean, but a rock guitar is raspy and distorted. Distorted waves have a raspy quality, leading to pixelation on a TV screen or voice distortion on the radio. (Pixelation occurs when an image appears blocky.)
With a tarnished connector overall signal loss, called insertion loss, is common. Because silver tarnish is a resistor rather than a conductor, it reduces voltage levels. White bronze has less insertion loss characteristics than silver. Researcher Marjorie Meyers of Tyco Electronics does not recommend using silver connectors in highly corrosive environments, such as paper factories.