Using a protective housing and a pressurized mechanism to protect base station antennas

A base station comprising:

• a protected antenna assembly comprising a radio frequency antenna and a protective housing for the radio frequency antenna, wherein the radio frequency antenna is raised from the protective housing and lowered into the protective housing using pneumatics, wherein the antenna is automatically lowered into the protective housing when the base station loses power.

A method for protecting an antenna comprising:

• mounting an antenna to a platform base, wherein said platform base is coupled to a pressure chamber;
• and
• changing the pressure in the pressure chamber, which results in said platform base moving, wherein one position of the platform base positions the antenna in an operational position for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, wherein a different position of the platform base positions the antenna within a protective housing, which protects the antenna from potentially harmful environmental conditions.