Tightly coupled dipole array antennas

A method of manufacturing an antenna comprising:

• a printed circuit board (PCB) bottom sheet;
• a PCB top sheet;
• a plurality of first dipole antenna elements of a plurality of unit cells (UCs) disposed on a first face of one or more first dipole array PCBs and a plurality of connection lines disposed on a second face of the one or more first dipole array PCBs;
• and
• a plurality of second dipole antenna elements of the plurality of UCs disposed on a first face of one or more second dipole array PCBs and a plurality of connection lines disposed on a second face of the one or more second dipole array PCBs or a plurality of second dipole array PCBs with no dipole antenna elements;
• the method comprising:
• assembling the one or more first dipole array PCBs and the one or more second dipole array PCBs arranged into a rectangular grid on top of the bottom PCB, wherein locations of the first and second dipole array PCBs on the bottom PCB are determined by fitting alignment teeth at the bottom edge of the first and second dipole array PCBs into alignment slots on the bottom PCB;
• electrically connecting antenna feed lines and connection lines on the dipole array PCBs with the bottom PCB;
• assembling a top PCB on top of the rectangular grid, wherein location of the top PCB on the rectangular grid is determined by fitting connecting teeth at the top edge of the first and second dipole array PCBs into connecting slots provided in the top PCB;
• and
• electrically connecting extensions of connection lines provided at the connecting teeth to the coupling patterns provided on the top PCB.