Snow accretion effect on the small antenna used for centimeter-wave satellite communications

Wakkanai Radio Wave Observatory joined CS propagation experiments at 19.45 GHz in Nov. 1978 and has studied the effect of snow accretion on the parabolic antenna in connection with the three-dimensional accretion pattern, snow density and other meteorological conditions. Several snow protection radomes were devised for the Observatory, and vinyl cover on the antenna was shown to be very effective for one of the radomes. Small attenuations of radio waves less than 1 dB were often observed during winter, especially during a very cold wave. This is thought to be caused by very thick snow clouds in the sky.