Abstract: The present invention provides a reduced or compact sized Butler matrix with improved performance for use in beam forming antennas and beam forming networks (BFN) applications. The reduced or compact size of the Butler matrix is enabled by shorter transmission lines between the hybrid elements as a result of using multi-layer support surfaces with substantially parallel and overlapping hybrid elements disposed thereon. Moreover, the conductive through traces of the hybrid elements have inwardly projecting and mutually approaching portions, thereby decreasing the distance between the inputs and outputs of the hybrid elements and thus reducing the size of the Butler matrix. Comparing to antennas implemented using traditional Butler matrices, antennas incorporating the present matrix can approximately reduce effective antenna area by half in bi-sector array applications, and are more suitable for complex beam forming antennas such as downtilt antennas or arrays.