| CPC H01Q 13/103 (2013.01) [H01Q 1/288 (2013.01); H01Q 1/48 (2013.01); H01Q 5/307 (2015.01); H01Q 13/106 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A frequency reconfigurable (FR) slot-based ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna for use in cubic shaped satellites (Cube-Sat), comprising:
a dielectric circuit board having a surface dimension of about 100 mm in length and about 100 mm in width, a top side, a bottom side, a first edge opposite a second edge, and a third edge opposite a fourth edge;
a metallic layer configured to cover the top side of the dielectric circuit board;
a meandered slot line formed in the metallic layer, wherein the meandered slot line comprises a heptagonal path connected to and enclosing a rectangular path, wherein the meandered slot line is configured to have mirror image geometry about a central axis which extends from the first edge to the second edge, passes through an apex of the heptagonal path and bisects the rectangular path;
a feed horn to the first edge of the circuit board, wherein an open end of the feed horn is directed towards the apex of the heptagonal path;
a reverse biased varactor diode connected to the metallic layer across the rectangular path and parallel to the central axis;
a ground terminal connected to the metallic layer; and
a biasing circuit configured to bias the reverse biased varactor diode and cause the frequency reconfigurable (FR) slot-based ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna to resonate in a frequency range of 300 MHz to 450 MHz.
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