Method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna

A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising:

• providing a piece of metal stock;
• processing the piece of metal stock to produce a processed piece of metal with a frusto-conical exterior side surface and a frusto-conical interior side surface with the frusto-conical exterior and interior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the processed piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion;
• and
• removing metal located between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge;
• the step of removing includes first removing metal located between the frusto-conical interior side surface and the frusto-conical exterior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to define a portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix and a portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix;
• the portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface;
• the portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface;
• and
• the step of first removing metal establishes a first helical groove in the frusto-conical side wall and a second helical groove in the frusto-conical side wall that is separated from the first helical groove;
• wherein the first and second helical grooves each have a first groove side surface, a second groove side surface, and a groove base surface located between the first and second groove side surfaces;
• the step of removing includes, following the step of first removing, second removing metal associated with the non-radiator portion to define a series of helical voids with one helical void separated from an immediately adjacent helical void by a helical strut that is associated with the non-radiator portion.

A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising:

• providing a piece of metal having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface, the frusto-conical interior and exterior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion;
• and
• removing material between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge;
• the step of removing includes first removing metal located between the frusto-conical interior side surface and the frusto-conical exterior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to define a portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix and a portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix;
• the portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface;
• the portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface;
• the step of removing includes, following the step of first removing, second removing metal associated with the non-radiator portion to define a series of helical voids with one helical void separated from an immediately adjacent helical void by a helical strut that is associated with the non-radiator portion.

A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising:

• providing a piece of metal having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface, the frusto-conical interior and exterior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion;
• and
• removing material between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce, in the radiator portion, a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge;
• the step of removing includes removing metal associated with the non-radiator portion to define, in the non-radiator portion, a series of helical voids with one helical void separated from an immediately adjacent helical void by a helical strut that is associated with the non-radiator portion.

A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising:

• providing a piece of metal having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface, the frusto-conical interior and exterior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion;
• and
• removing material between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge;
• the step of providing includes providing a frusto-conical interior top surface that engages the frusto-conical interior side surface;
• the step of providing includes providing a stub extending away from the frusto-conical interior top surface;
• removing a portion of the stub to produce a frusto-conical exterior top surface;
• the frusto-conical interior and exterior top surfaces defining a frusto-conical top.

A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising:

• providing a monolithic metal structure having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface that define a frusto-conical side wall that encloses a space and defines intermittent helical voids, the monolithic metal structure having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion, the intermittent helical voids defining a helical void path that is associated with the non-radiator portion, the intermittent helical voids also defining a portion of an upper lateral edge and a portion of a lower lateral edge of a conical helix that is associated with the radiator portion, the helical void path is located between first and second portions of the conical helix associated with the radiator portion;
• the intermittent helical voids comprising a first helical void and a second helical void separated from the first helical void by a helical strut that extends from the first portion of the conical helix to the second portion of the conical helix and is associated with the non-radiator portion;
• and
• removing metal associated with the helical strut to produce the conical helix.