A compact lightweight antenna for receiving microwave direct line of sight wireless
data signals used in services such as Local Multipoint Distribution Services (LMDS).
The antenna provides for precise control over isolation of polarized signals. The
antenna consists of an external parabolically shaped dome formed of a suitably
resilient material such as thermoplastic. A polarizing conductive grating is formed
on the interior surface of the dome and serves as a transreflector for initially
passing received radiation having a vertical polarization. A twist reflector disposed
at a point along an axis defined by the conductive grating reflects the received
radiation, back in the direction of the transreflector with a different polarization.
The now differently polarized energy is reflected by the parabolically shaped conductive
grating at a feed point located in the center of the twist plate. The transreflecting
element may be manufactured by providing a substrate that has been printed and
etched and/or a film nonconductive substrate which has been silk screened with
a conductive ink. In each of these cases in a preferred embodiment, the substrate
or carrier film becomes an integral part of the mold in the resulting article.