In this paper, using in-depth simulations and measurements, a simple and compact design is engineered for making a circular ring microstrip patch antenna radiating element which is suitable for different ultra wide band (UWB) applications. This design approach is different because it has not utilized the usual method of using a set of electromagnetic equations and calculations to make the radiating antenna. Measurements and simulations were performed on Microwave CST. Using this measurement engineering approach, novelty of proposed antenna structure is obtained by making the required changes in the ground plane. The measurements showed that truncating the ground plane by a square shape structure of 2.5 mm by 2.5 mm size at the feed point was practically significant to provide an impedance bandwidth \(\left( {S_{11} < - 10\;{\text{dB}}} \right)\) ranging from 2.75 to 32.035 GHz with a VSWR which is less than 2. For this entire bandwidth the directivity has shown a variation from 0.8 to 7.9 dBi. The compact size (33 mm × 28 mm × 1.57 mm), low design complexity, very high bandwidth, good directivity and satisfying VSWR has made this antenna unique among all previously presented UWB antennas.