Abstract: A system and method for generating a balanced feed from an unbalanced feed, which uses a pair of vertically aligned microstrip traces on opposing sides of a printed circuit board to act as a balun and an antenna array using a collinear dipole array.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for measuring and tuning circularly polarized antennas to simultaneously optimize axial ratio, resonant frequency, and impedance match. The antenna under test is mounted within the test apparatus. Located in the zenith and far field of the antenna are two rigidly mounted, orthogonal, and planar probes. The amplitude and phase developed by the antenna is measured at each probe. The computer calculates the zenith axial ratio from the measured amplitude and phase difference between the probes. The method further includes the steps to determine sense-of-rotation of the circular polarized wave, impedance match, and resonant frequency. This apparatus and method is an elegant, simple, and cost effective design that is applicable to any isolated circular polarized radiating element.

Abstract: A system and method for mounting a slightly longer than ¼ wavelength whip antenna to a ground plane with an integrated electrical impedance match which uses a brass disk, threaded to the bottom portion of the whip and which is isolated for ground plane by a Delrin® acetal resin spacer, to provide a shunt capacitance.