This paper presents the design and results of a novel, compact and miniaturized tapered U slot UWB printed monopole microstrip antenna for wireless applications. The planar, small and thin UWB antenna fed by a single 50Q microstrip line with truncated ground plane is excited by a coaxial SMA connector. The correct feed position is determined for impedance matching. The simulation was done using Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software. The simulated results of impedance bandwidth, radiation patterns and group delay are well supported by measurement. Extensive investigations are also carried out on the same antenna design by varying the dimensions to reduce the overall size of the antenna for miniaturization and the UWB performance parameters are studied. The antennas are fabricated and the measured impedance bandwidths defined by VSWR<2 are 10.34GHz (3.66-14GHz) and 10.60GHz (3.4-14GHz) on FR4 substrate.