A dual‐band L‐strip proximity fed shorted rectangular microstrip antenna is proposed and investigated theoretically simulated by HFSS and experimentally. Proposed radiating patch is located about (17.5 mm) above the ground plane. Return Loss and co‐ and cross polar radiation pattern are presented. Computed and measured results of return loss are in good agreement. The effect of the geometric parameters of the proposed antenna, such as length of the vertical and horizontal portion of the L‐strip is also investigated. The impedance bandwidth (−10 dB return loss) 32.5% (calculated) and 33.00% (measured) for the proposed antenna are achieved for optimized antenna design. Significant size reduction (i.e., ∼85%) is obtained as compared with conventional rectangular patch of same resonant frequency. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 1567–1571, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25235