In a large laboratory plasma the current pattern set up by moving electrodes has been measured. It is observed that the current flows oblique to the magnetic field B↘0 at an angle given by the electrode speed across B↘0 and the current penetration along B↘0 which is controlled by whistler waves. The current pattern, characterized as ''whistler wings'', occurs irrespective of whether the electrodes collect electrons/ions or emit fast electron beams. These results are relevant to active experiments in space involving electrodynamic tethers, beam injections and large space stations. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1989