Broadband antenna array

A tightly coupled, dipole antenna structure, comprising:

• a ground plane and a feed section disposed thereon, the feed section having a plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts extending upwardly away from an upper surface of the ground plane, a selected first of said feed posts disposed in electrical communication with the ground plane, and a selected second of said feed posts extending through a hole in the ground plane such that the second feed post does not contact the ground plane, wherein a selected pair of the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts has a gap disposed therebetween that is sufficiently close to reduce impedance of the feed posts in the region of the feed posts proximate the gap, and
• at least one dielectric support bar extending between the pair within the gap.

A tightly coupled, dipole antenna structure, comprising a ground plane and a feed section disposed thereon, the feed section having a plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts extending upwardly away from an upper surface of the ground plane, a selected first of said feed posts disposed in electrical communication with the ground plane, and a selected second of said feed posts extending through a hole in the ground plane such that the second feed post does not contact the ground plane, wherein the ground plane is located at a first end of the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts, and comprising a radiator section disposed in electrical communication with the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts at a second end of the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts, wherein the radiator section comprises circuit board patterned on an upper surface thereof with conductive radiator elements and patterned on a lower surface thereof with a conductive ground element, the conductive radiator elements and conductive ground element capacitively coupled to one another through the circuit board.

A tightly coupled, dipole antenna structure, comprising a ground plane and a feed section disposed thereon, the feed section having a plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts extending upwardly away from an upper surface of the ground plane, a selected first of said feed posts disposed in electrical communication with the ground plane, and a selected second of said feed posts extending through a hole in the ground plane such that the second feed post does not contact the ground plane, wherein the ground plane is located at a first end of the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts, and comprising a radiator section disposed in electrical communication with the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts at a second end of the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts, wherein the radiator section comprises circuit board patterned on an upper surface thereof with conductive radiator elements and patterned on a lower surface thereof with a conductive ground element, the conductive radiator elements and conductive ground element capacitively coupled to one another through the circuit board, wherein the conductive ground element has arms configured in a generally plus shape, and the conductive coupling between the ground element and conductive radiator elements extends along the arms of the conductive ground element.

A tightly coupled, dipole antenna structure, comprising a ground plane and a feed section disposed thereon, the feed section having a plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts extending upwardly away from an upper surface of the ground plane, a selected first of said feed posts disposed in electrical communication with the ground plane, and a selected second of said feed posts extending through a hole in the ground plane such that the second feed post does not contact the ground plane, wherein the ground plane is located at a first end of the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts, and comprising a radiator section disposed in electrical communication with the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts at a second end of the plurality of freestanding conductive feed posts, and

• a dielectric superstrate disposed over the radiator section and having apertures extending therethrough to communicate with the radiator section.