Wideband antenna systems and methods

1. An antenna system, comprising:

a plurality of blade members positioned in a ring arrangement; and

a connective path coupled to exchange electromagnetic energy with a base member of said blade members;

and further including:

a plurality of tuning circuits that are each coupled between a respective pair of said blade members;

a mounting plate;

a dielectric sheet that carries said blade members and is supported by said plate; and

a monopole element supported by said dielectric sheet and coupled to exchange electromagnetic energy with said connective path.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said blade members are defined by metal that is adhered to said dielectric sheet.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said ring arrangment defines an aperture and said monopole element has an upper end positioned adjacent said aperture.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said blade members is shaped to define a polygon.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein there are five blade members, said polygon is a pentagon and said ring arrangment defines a pentagonal aperture.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said tuning circuits includes a reactive element.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said reactive element is an inductor whose inductance generally increases with distance from said base member.

8. The An antenna system comprising:

a plurality of blade members positioned in a ring arrangement; and

a connective path coupled to exchange electromagnetic energy with a base member of said blade members;

further including a plurality of tuning circuits that are each coupled between a respective pair of said blade members wherein each of said tuning circuits includes a reactive element;

and wherein:

each of said tuning circuits includes a path and a stub;

said ring arrangement defines a polygonal aperture;

said path is positioned adjacent said aperture; and

said path and said stub are defined by said respective pair.

9. The system of claim 8 , further including:

a connector that forms said connective path;

a mounting plate that carries said connector; and

an aerodynamically-shaped radome that encloses said blade members and is joined to said mounting plate.

10. An antenna system, comprising:

a plurality of blade members positioned in a ring arrangement; and

a plurality of reactive elements that are each coupled between a respective pair of said blade members;

wherein one of said blade members is a base member and said reactive elements are configured to provide reactances that generally increase with distance from said base member;

and further including:

a plurality of paths that are each coupled between a respective pair of said blade members; and

a plurality of stubs that are each coupled between a respective pair of said blade members and each positioned between corresponding ones of said reactive elements and said paths; and

wherein said paths and said stubs are defined by said blade members.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of said blade members is shaped to define a polygon and said ring arrangment defines a polygonal aperture.

12. The system of claim 10 , further including:

a connector coupled to exchange electromagnetic energy with said base member;

a mounting plate that carries said connector;

a dielectric sheet that carries said blade members and is supported by said plate; and

an aerodynamically-shaped radome that encloses said blade members and is joined to said mounting plate.

13. An antenna system, comprising:

a plurality of blade members positioned in a ring arrangement; and

a plurality of reactive elements that are each coupled between a respective pair of said blade members;

wherein one of said blade members is a base member and said reactive elements are configured to provide reactances that generally increase with distance from said base member;

further including:

a connector coupled to exchange electromagnetic energy with said base member;

a mounting plate that carries said connector;

a dielectric sheet that carries said blade members and is supported by said plate; and

an aerodynamically-shaped radome that encloses said blade members and is joined to said mounting plate;

and further including:

a conductor that is coupled to exchange electromagnetic energy with said connector; and

an outer sleeve that surrounds said conductor wherein said ring arrangment defines an aperture and said conductor terminates at an end that is positioned within said aperture.

14. A method of configuring an antenna system, comprising the steps of:

positioning a plurality of blade members in a ring arrangement:

providing a connective path for exchange of electromagnetic energy with a base member of said blade members;

coupling each of a plurality of reactive elements between a respective pair of said blade members; and

configuring said reactive elements to provide reactances that generally increase with distance from said base member;

and further including the steps of:

with each adjacent pair of said blade members, defining a path and a stub between that pair; and

positioning each of said stubs between corresponding ones of said reactive elements and said paths.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including the steps of:

configuring said blade members as polygons which define an aperture;

arranging a coaxial tube for exchange of electromagnetic energy with said connective path; and

terminating said tube within said aperture.