Novel Quadrifilar Helix Antenna combining GNSS, Iridium, and a UHF communications monopole

Abstract

A multi-use antenna system for integrated communications and navigation capability was developed. A GPS/GNSS/Iridium antenna is co-located with a UHF communications monopole on a handset. The GPS/GNSS/Iridium antenna is a folded Quadrifilar Helix Antenna (QHA) with novel features to improve frequency coverage compared to existing QHA designs. This QHA antenna is co-located concentrically (co-axially) around the UHF monopole which increases the gain of the UHF monopole by several dB over most of the UHF 225-512 MHz band. Co-locating the QHA and monopole also reduces the area needed on the transceiver. The GNSS frequencies covered include modernized GPS (L1, L2, L5), GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou (Compass), spanning from 1164 to 1300 MHz and 1559 to 1611 MHz. The Iridium communications transmit and receive band (1611-1626 MHz) is also covered, and UHF.