SHS Antenna Anti-Ice Systems

The formation of ice and snowfall, especially on parabolic antennas, is a major cause in loss of signal transmittal and reception during winter months or for dishes at high altitude locations.

With over twenty one 21 years in the industry, Surface Heating Systems Ltd (SHS) have successfully developed a range of heating systems compatible with most major manufacturers antennas to prevent the build-up of snow & ice, keeping the antennas operational in the most severest of weather conditions and thus preventing interference and costly down time.

There are numerous benefits for using an SHS system ‘Versus’ a conventional Hot Air system :

• Competitive Pricing
• Reduced lead times
• Reduced Shipping dimensions and costs
• Quicker installation times
• Minimum moving parts resulting in less negligible breakdowns
• Reduced power requirements
• More effective controlled thermal footprint
• Heat can be tailored to specific areas depending on snowfall conditions.
• Fully automatic controls with remote monitoring

Heating systems can be constructed of either:

Alufoil: Specially shaped soft backed aluminium heating panels – which are applied direct to the convex side of the antenna and controlled via an ice/snow sensing control unit.

Alufoil systems installed have ranged from diameters of 0.5m up to (at present) 18m with power loadings to suit. Installations of smaller systems typically take a couple of hours to install, with the larger heating systems taking a matter of days to complete. The majority of our systems can be installed whilst the antenna is online, therefore reducing costly downtime.

The systems are extremely flexible and can be easily tailored to suit the customer’s requirements and location parameters, enabling “1/3, 2/3, 3/3” or “1/2 and full heating”. Systems can also come with remote access as an enhanced feature.

Controls and monitoring capabilities can also be designed and built to suit system performance and operational needs particulars such as country specific power ratings, loads and or project specific details can be easily accommodated.

GRP/Plastic backed segments: This is a robust hard backed system which is attached to the rear of the antenna and can either, (depending on the antenna make) directly heat the antenna structure or via intermediate enclosed air gap. Both variations are controlled via the snow/ice control unit.

GRP/Plastic systems have been designed to be installed with the minimum of time, effort and disruption to the service. These have been successfully installed on antennas ranging from 0.3m microwave links up to 2.4m VSAT antennas, where the rear structure prohibits standard heating solutuions. All systems can be supplied with fully automatic controls with the option of SNMP upgrade.