Jerrold Magic Carpet Antenna
August 1960 Electronics World

August 1960 Electronics World   Table of Contents Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Electronics World, published May 1959 - December 1971. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

Gimmick or brainstorm? I'd says the Jerrold Magic Carpet Antenna is a little bit of both. Undeniably, it is a good way to conceal a full-size antenna with the general characteristics of multi-element broadband structure. The downside is that it is fixed in position and any directionality will favor some stations while shunning others. Its installation inside removes weather concerns - snow, ice, and wind - which is a major advantage. I have never seen one, but the illustration seems to show that the antenna elements are integrated into a fabric sheet (hence the "carpet" part of the name), so its geometry is fixed and should be consistent as long as the installer takes care to not distort it. On the other hand, based on my experience with television and FM radio antennas, a bit of variation from the factory "textbook" shape often provides improved performance. Ultimately, anything other than a high gain antenna mounted high off the ground, and on a rotator will result in less than optimal results. Unless you only tune into a single channel and can orient your antenna to the best obtainable signal there without regard for others, a fixed antenna will almost always eventually disappoint.

Jerrold Magic Carpet Antenna

Designed with the Serviceman in Mind!

New TV·FM Indoor antenna with outdoor performance ...

New profitable business for you ...

Servicemen everywhere are discovering a whole new market with this revolutionary new indoor TV-FM antenna. Now for the first time you can obtain signal gain across all frequencies, within 30 miles of the transmitter, that is comparable to that of a standard conical antenna.

In addition to strong gain characteristics, the Magic Carpet Antenna has an exceptionally low V.S.W.R. (Impedance Match) that assures maximum transfer of signal to the viewer without ghosting or smearing. Your customer avoids the expense and unsightliness of a rooftop antenna and the nuisance of ugly "rabbit ears" - you save time, trouble, and eliminate rooftop hazards with the quality-engineered, and profitable Jerrold "Magic Carpet" antenna. Get the details today!

In the Attic

Garage or Utility Room Ceiling

In the Closet

For full information and samples of selling promotional material prepared specifically for you see your Jerrold Distributor or write

Jerrold Electronics Corporation, Distributor Sales Division

Dept. 108-46 The Jerrold Building, Philadelphia 32, Pa.

Jerrold Electronics (Canada) Limited, Toronto

Export Representative: CBS International, New York 22, N.Y.

* Trademark Patent Pending

Posted December 20, 2022