The invention is a modular buoyant cable antenna that is towed on the surface of a body of water by a submerged underwater vehicle to allow communication coverage in an omnidirectional pattern that is also compatible with existing buoyant cable antenna deployment and retrieval systems. The antenna of the present invention comprises a floating cable having four identical antenna elements that are arranged in a cross configuration. The antenna uses the sea surface as a ground plane providing good antenna gain levels. The antenna is designed with an integrated impedance matching network to maximize radiation efficiency.

A system for detecting proximity of a conductive object to an antenna element is provided. The system includes a cover layer including a thin film resistive element and cover glass, an antenna layer including an antenna element, and a dielectric gap layer including an electrically insulating material. The antenna element is configured to transmit a signal. The thin film resistive element includes a material having greater conductivity than the cover glass and is configured to detectably capacitively couple with the conductive object when the conductive object is within proximity of the thin film resistive element. The dielectric gap layer is positioned between the cover layer and the antenna layer and electrically insulates the antenna element from the thin film resistive element.

A system for detecting proximity of a conductive object to an antenna element is provided. The system includes a cover layer including a thin film resistive element and cover glass, an antenna layer including an antenna element, and a dielectric gap layer including an electrically insulating material. The antenna element is configured to transmit a signal. The thin film resistive element includes a material having greater conductivity than the cover glass and is configured to detectably capacitively couple with the conductive object when the conductive object is within proximity of the thin film resistive element. The dielectric gap layer is positioned between the cover layer and the antenna layer and electrically insulates the antenna element from the thin film resistive element.

A system for detecting proximity of a conductive object to an antenna element is provided. The system includes a cover layer including a resistive element and cover glass, an antenna layer including an antenna element, and a dielectric gap layer including an electrically insulating material. The antenna element is configured to transmit a signal. The resistive element includes a material having greater conductivity than the cover glass and is configured to detectably capacitively couple with the conductive object when the conductive object is within proximity of the resistive element. The dielectric gap layer is positioned between the cover layer and the antenna layer and electrically insulates the antenna element from the resistive element.

A system for detecting proximity of a conductive object to an antenna element is provided. The system includes a cover layer including a resistive element and cover glass, an antenna layer including an antenna element, and a dielectric gap layer including an electrically insulating material. The antenna element is configured to transmit a signal. The resistive element includes a material having greater conductivity than the cover glass and is configured to detectably capacitively couple with the conductive object when the conductive object is within proximity of the resistive element. The dielectric gap layer is positioned between the cover layer and the antenna layer and electrically insulates the antenna element from the resistive element.