Modular unit cell construction for a high performance, low profile (HPLP) telecommunications antenna

An antenna, comprising:

• at least two adjacent unit cells having a conductive ground plane defining a pitch axis disposed along the length of the antenna;
• each unit cell including:
• a low band radiator comprising a pair of orthogonally coupled dipoles, each of the dipoles having a vertical stem portion and an arm portion, each arm portion disposed in a plane orthogonal to the conductive ground plane;
• the arm portions, collectively and on-edge, producing an L-shaped radiator parallel to the plane of the conductive ground plane;
• a pair of high band radiators, each radiator comprising a pair of cruciform radiators, each cruciform radiator electrically connected to, spaced apart from, and disposed parallel to the conductive ground plane;
• a conductive partition disposed along at least one edge of the conductive ground plane and electrically connected thereto, the conductive partition isolating at least a portion of the RF energy transmitted by the low and high-band radiators,
• wherein one of the low and high band radiators define an offset spacing and wherein the offset spacing varies from one unit cell to the adjacent unit cell.

A method for producing an electrically flexible telecommunications antenna comprising the steps of:

• producing at least two adjacent unit cells capable of directing a known quantity of RF energy, each unit cell comprising at least one low band dipole and one pair of high band dipoles, each of the dipoles electrically coupled to a conductive ground plane, the low band dipole having an L-shaped radiator disposed in a plane parallel to the conductive ground plane, each of the high band dipoles having a pair of cruciform radiators electrically connected to, spaced apart from, and disposed parallel to the conductive ground plane;
• one of the low and high band dipoles defining an offset spacing;
• arranging one of the low and high band dipoles such that the offset spacing varies from one unit cell to the adjacent unit cell, and
• selectively coupling the modular unit cells together along a pitch axis of the unit cells such that the summation of the individual gains may be used to increase the total gain required to be delivered by the telecommunications antenna.