Method and apparatus for de-icing a satellite dish antenna

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides a method of controlling a snow and frost-melting heating device mounted on or near an antenna, such as a satellite receiver antenna.
The method includes the steps of determining whether the signal strength is degrading, determining whether the ambient air temperature or temperature of the antenna or its environment (e.
g.
satellite dish and/or LNB) is below a threshold temperature, and operating a heating device located on proximate to the antenna (e.
g.
dish, plate, or LNB) if both the signal is degrading and the ambient air temperature or temperature of the antenna or its environment is below the threshold.
The present invention also provides a system for controlling a heating device that includes a temperature sensor that samples the ambient air around the receiver antenna (or a portion of the antenna itself), a device that measures a signal strength of a signal received by the receiver antenna, logic in communication with the temperature sensor and the device, and a switch or other device linked to the logic for operating the heater system.
The logic determines whether the signal strength is degrading and whether the sampled ambient air temperature or the temperature of the antenna and/or its environment is below a threshold temperature.
Preferably, the logic automatically turns on the heating device if, and only if, the ambient air temperature (or the temperature of the antenna) is below the temperature threshold and the signal strength is degrading.
In certain embodiments, the device is automatically turned off after the signal strength returns to a satisfactory level, after the temperature rises above the threshold, or after the unit has reached a time limit of continuous uninterrupted heating, or otherwise.
The preferred embodiment of the system and method herein automatically turns on an antenna heating device to melt snow or frost accumulated on or proximate to the antenna upon detecting a loss of signal strength and a sufficiently low ambient air temperature or antenna temperature