Zero-Power Antenna Deicing?

I've seen the problems that can be caused by ice collecting on TV transmitting antennas. De-icing systems are not as common on UHF and VHF slot antennas as they were on VHF low-band batwing antennas. Without a deicer (a heater in the antenna), the only thing that prevents ice from forming on the antenna and detuning it is the slipperiness of the radome on the antenna and the heat generated in it by the RF signal transmitted. 

Thanks to a team of researchers from Harvard University, there may be a solution that does not involve the use of heaters for deicing. The group, led by Joanna Aizenberg, whose credentials include being a Core Faculty Member at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard, said that inspiration for the idea came from the water-repellent lotus leaf.

The researchers invented a new and radically different technology that works under high humidity and extreme pressure. It’s called SLIPS (Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces) and presents a defect free, molecularly-flat, liquid interface, which is immobilized by a hidden nanostructure solid. Water and ice alike slide easily off this surface. 

After this technology was developed, applying it to metal surfaces created an additional challenge. The team developed a way to coat the metal with a rough material that the lubricant can adhere to. The non-toxic, anti-corrosive material is sculpted to lock in the lubricant and can be applied on a large scale on arbitrarily shaped metal surfaces. 

“This new approach to icephobic materials is a truly disruptive idea that offers a way to make a transformative impact on energy and safety costs associated with ice, and we are actively working with the refrigeration and aviation industries to bring it to market,” said Aizenberg.

Antenna manufacturers may want to look into this. 

Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.