Folded mono-bow antennas and antenna systems for use in cellular and other wireless communications systems

Improved antennas and antenna systems for use in cellular and other wireless communications systems. A folded mono-bow antenna element is provided which has a substantially omnidirectional radiation pattern in a horizontal plane and shows variation in gain in an elevation plane depending upon the size of an associated ground plane. The folded mono-bow antenna element comprises a main bowtie radiating element and parasitic element wherein the main bowtie radiating element and parasitic element are separated by a dielectric material having a dielectric constant preferably less than 4.5 and, in some cases, less than or equal to 3.3. Various antenna arrays and methods of making the same are also provided.