Broadband quasi-taper helical antennas

A unique approach is described for widening the bandwidth of a helical antenna with improved gain, pattern, and axial ratio characteristics. The antenna may be described as a nonuniform or quasi-taper helix, which consists of a combination of uniform and tapered helix sections. Measured patterns, gain, axial ratio, and VSWR for various helical antenna configurations are presented and compared. It is shown that a nonuniform quasi-taper helix can provide an operating bandwidth twice that of a conventional uniform-diameter helix.