Patent ID: 8736513

Claim:
A backfire dielectrically loaded antenna for operation at a frequency in excess of 200 MHz comprising: an electrically insulative dielectric core of a solid material having a relative dielectric constant greater than 5 and having an outer surface including oppositely directed distal and proximal surface portions extending transversely of an axis of the antenna and a side surface portion extending between the transversely extending surface portions, the core outer surface defining an interior volume the major part of which is occupied by the solid material of the core; a three-dimensional antenna element structure including at least one pair of elongate conductive antenna elements disposed on or adjacent the side surface portion of the core and extending from the distal core surface portion towards the proximal core surface portion; a feed structure in the form of an axially extending elongate laminate board comprising at least a transmission line section acting as a feed line which extends through a passage in the core from the distal core surface portion to the proximal core surface portion, and an antenna connection section in the form of an integrally formed proximal extension of the transmission line section the width of which, in the plane of the laminate board, is greater than the width of the passage; an impedance matching section coupling the antenna elements to the feed line; and a connection member, arranged to couple the transmission line to the antenna elements, and comprising a flange section and a tube section, the tube section arranged to position the connection member in the bore of the antenna core, and the flange section having an underside for contact with the distal end of the antenna.