An easily manufactured, reduced size, symmetrical printed meander dipole antenna for remote keyless entry (RKE) automotive applications in the 315 MHz frequency band is proposed. The efficiency and directionality of this symmetrical antenna is estimated and compared with the efficiency and directionality of an asymmetrical antenna. Numerical and experimental results are presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1828–1833, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21790