Do the electrodes need to be immersed in the water for a protective field to be created?Updated 2 years ago

Yes, both electrodes need to be immersed in the water for a protective field to be created, the saltwater acts as the conductor between the two electrodes.  

In the case of the FREEDOM7 unit, both electrodes are encased in the antenna. For the FREEDOM+ Surf both the decal antenna electrodes also need to be in the water. In the SCUBA7 unit, one electrode is encased in the antenna protruding from the ankle and the other electrode is worn on the scuba cylinder.