Fast, digital frequency tuning, winglet dipole antenna system

An antenna system, comprising:

• a planar, top-loaded dipole antenna to provide signals to a system output port;
• and
• a planar elliptical dipole antenna arranged substantially coplanar with said top-loaded dipole antenna to provide signals to said output port;
• wherein:
• said top-loaded dipole antenna comprises a first blade terminating in an elongate first top load and a second blade terminating in an elongate second top load;
• and
• said elliptical dipole antenna is positioned between said first and second top loads.

An antenna, comprising:

• a first set of nested elliptical rings;
• and
• a second set of nested elliptical rings arranged in a dipole relationship with said first set,
• wherein the centers of the elliptical rings in each of said first and second sets are progressively spaced towards the other of said first and second sets.

An antenna system to be coupled to an aircraft wingtip, comprising:

• a planar, top-loaded dipole antenna to provide signals to a system output port, wherein said top-loaded dipole antenna comprises first and second top-loaded blades;
• a planar elliptical dipole antenna arranged substantially coplanar with said top-loaded dipole antenna to provide signals to said output port;
• a planar dielectric radome aerodynamically shaped to closely surround said top-loaded dipole antenna and said elliptical dipole antenna and configured to couple to said wingtip;
• and
• first and second strings of inductors coupled to respective blades, said system arranged such that the inductors in each string can be selectively connected in series to tune said top-loaded dipole antenna to a selected tuning frequency.

An antenna system to be coupled to an aircraft wingtip, comprising:

• a planar, top-loaded dipole antenna to provide signals to a system output port;
• a planar elliptical dipole antenna arranged substantially coplanar with said top-loaded dipole antenna to provide signals to said output port;
• and
• a planar dielectric radome aerodynamically shaped to closely surround said top-loaded dipole antenna and said elliptical dipole antenna and configured to couple to said wingtip;
• wherein:
• said top-loaded dipole antenna comprises a first blade terminating in an elongate first top load and a second blade terminating in an elongate second top load;
• and
• said elliptical dipole antenna is positioned between said first and second top loads.