Abstract: A printed quasi-tapered tape helical element and printed helical array antenna. The helical element comprises a thin helix conductor having a uniform section associated with a tapered section. The helix conductor can be printed on a thin dielectric sheet and bonded to a hollow composite dielectric support. A solid copper conductor is configured to provide electrical connection between a feeding point of the helix conductor and a microstrip line of a microstrip feed network. The uniform and tapered helix turns are respectively wrapped around the uniform and tapered sections, which enables impedance matching, axial mode excitation, gain and radiation patterns, and damping out of standing waves generated in current distribution over the helix conductor. Conductive composite cups surrounding each helical element reduces mutual coupling in array environment. Thus, the helical element and the array antenna achieve low on-axis and off-axis axial ratio performance over the wideband for global coverage.

Abstract: An Ortho Mode Transducer (OMT) comprising a main guide configured with a set of ports and at both ends for communicating a band of frequencies. The ports and are placed at a predetermined distance from each other to form a taper section. Branching waveguides are disposed around the main guide for extracting polarization signals from the main guide. Coupling apertures are disposed apart along the periphery of the main guide for coupling the branching waveguides to the main guide. The coupling apertures are aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the main guide and extended to the taper portion of the main guide, which enhances bandwidth performance without the need for additional extraneous impedance matching elements.

Abstract: An Ortho Mode Transducer (OMT) comprising a main guide configured with a set of ports and at both ends for communicating a band of frequencies. The ports and are placed at a predetermined distance from each other to form a taper section. Branching waveguides are disposed around the main guide for extracting polarization signals from the main guide. Coupling apertures are disposed apart along the periphery of the main guide for coupling the branching waveguides to the main guide. The coupling apertures are aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the main guide and extended to the taper portion of the main guide, which enhances bandwidth performance without the need for additional extraneous impedance matching elements.

Abstract: A printed quasi-tapered tape helical element and printed helical array antenna arc disclosed. The helical element comprises a thin helix conductor having a uniform section associated with a tapered section. The helix conductor can be printed on a thin dielectric sheet and bonded to a hollow composite dielectric support. A solid copper conductor is configured to provide electrical connection between a feeding point of the helix conductor and a microstrip line of a microstrip feed network. The uniform and tapered helix turns are respectively wrapped around the uniform and tapered sections, which enables impedance matching, axial mode excitation, gain and radiation patterns, and damping out of standing waves generated in current distribution over the helix conductor. Conductive composite cups surrounding each helical element reduces mutual coupling in array environment. Thus, the helical element and the array antenna achieve low on-axis and off-axis axial ratio performance over the wideband for global coverage.