Variable pitch mandrel wound antennas and systems and methods of making same

A mandrel tool system for fabricating a mandrel wound antenna, the mandrel tool system comprising:

• a first substrate configured to support a plurality of posts, the posts arranged and disposed to define a plurality of non-overlapping circumferential patterns;
• a wiring head configured to receive a wire and dispense the wire;
• a manipulation subsystem coupled to at least one of the first substrate or the wiring head, the manipulation subsystem configured to move the first substrate and/or the wiring head relative to each other to wrap the wire being dispensed by the wiring head around outer peripheries of the plurality of posts to form a plurality of non-overlapping wire coils corresponding to the circumferential patterns to provide an antenna, a first end of the wire being secured at a first portion of the first substrate, a second end of the wire being secured to a second portion of the first substrate;
• and
• a wire cutter configured to cut the wire in proximity to the second end;
• wherein the first substrate is configured such that the antenna is detachable from the first substrate and the antenna is configured to be attached to a second substrate.