Patent ID: 7109821

Claim:
A system for electrically connecting to the feed of a broadband antenna comprising: a) at least one tapered microstrip balun wherein the balanced ends of each of the conducting strips of said balun connect with an arm of said antenna, thereby comprising one balun for each pair of antenna arms; and, b) a connection board located so as to make electrical contact between said arms of said antenna and said balanced ends of said conducting strips of said at least one balun wherein said connection board comprises; b1) a dielectric layer having thereon a plurality of electrically conducting probes, the first end of each of said probes located so as to connect with a separate, arm of said antenna and wherein each of said probes have substantially equal electrical length and impedance, and wherein none of said probes make electrical contact with another of said probes on said dielectric layer; and, b2) a ground plane; and, b3) holes through said ground plane and said dielectric layer, said holes having location and configuration so as to allow two-wire transmission lines located on the side of said dielectric layer opposite from said probes to make electrical contact with the second end of each of said probes in a pairwise manner.