Multi-band, broadband, fully-planar antennas

Antennas (200) and methods of manufacturing and using such antennas are disclosed. In one aspect, an antenna (200) comprises first and second bent metal strips (230, 232) for radiating energy, a feedline (220) coupled to the first and second strips (230, 232), and a truncated groundplane (212) adjacent to the feedline (220). The groundplane (212) is truncated at or near a point where the feedline (220) is coupled to the first metal strip or the second metal strip. The first metal strip (230) bends around the second metal strip (232), leaving a separation (d) of at least 0.025 guided wavelengths at a mid-frequency of a low band between the metal strips (230, 232) for a substantial portion of the length of the first metal strip (230). The metal strips (230, 232) is laid out over an area of about 0.025 to about 0.045 square guided wavelengths at the mid-frequency of the low band. The feedline (220) and at least one of the first and second metal strips (230, 232) are co-plana