A reconfigurable antenna system is described which combines active and passive components used to impedance match, alter the frequency response, and change the radiation pattern of an antenna. Re-use of components such as switches and tunable capacitors make the circuit topologies more space and cost effective, while reducing complexity of the control signaling required. Antenna structures with single and multiple feed and/or ground connections are described and active circuit topologies are shown for these configurations. A processor and algorithm can reside with the antenna circuitry, or the algorithm to control antenna optimization can be implemented in a processor in the host device.