Patent ID: 8624795

Claim:
A dielectrically loaded antenna for operation at frequencies above 200 MHz, wherein the antenna comprises: an electrically insulative dielectric core of a solid material that has a relative dielectric constant greater than 5 and occupies the major part of the interior volume defined by the core outer surface, which outer surface has oppositely directed transversely extending surface portions and a side surface portion between the transversely extending portions, wherein the antenna further comprises feed coupling nodes associated with one of the transversely extending surface portions, a linking conductor at a location spaced from the feed coupling nodes, and an antenna element structure comprising: a first group of elongate conductive antenna elements extending from the feed coupling nodes over the core side surface portion to the linking conductor, the first group of elongate conductive antenna elements operating at a first operating frequency, and a second group of elongate conductive antenna elements extending from the feed coupling nodes over the side surface portion in the direction of the linking conductor to substantially open-circuit ends spaced from the linking conductor, the second group of elongate conductive antenna elements operate at a second operating frequency, wherein the elements of at least the first group are substantially helical.