Broadband terminated discone antenna and associated methods

A discone antenna comprising:

• a conical antenna element having an apex;
• a disc antenna element adjacent the apex of the conical antenna element and comprising
• a proximal electrically conductive planar member,
• a distal electrically conductive planar member being electrically, and
• a dielectric material between the proximal electrically conductive planar member and the distal electrically conductive planar member,
• the proximal electrically conductive planar member and the distal electrically conductive planar member being coupled together at respective peripheries thereof;
• an antenna feed structure coupled to the disc and conical antenna elements including
• a first conductor coupled to the proximal electrically conductive planar member, and
• a second conductor coupled to the conical antenna element and to the distal electrically conductive planar member;
• and
• at least one impedance element coupled between the second conductor and the distal electrically conductive planar member.

A method of making a discone antenna comprising:

• providing a conical antenna element having an apex;
• positioning a disc antenna element adjacent the apex of the conical antenna element and comprising a proximal electrically conductive planar member and a spaced apart distal electrically conductive planar member being electrically connected together at respective peripheries thereof to define a folded ground plane;
• and
• coupling an antenna feed structure to the disc and conical antenna elements including
• coupling a first conductor to the proximal electrically conductive planar member, and
• coupling a second conductor to the conical antenna element and to the distal electrically conductive planar member.