Ward Para-Con Antenna
September 1951 Radio & Television News

September 1951 Radio & TV News

[Table of Contents] Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio & Television News, published 1919-1959. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

The word prefix "para" can mean "above and beyond" or "resembling" or "abnormal or incorrect." Ward Products probably preferred first two be inferred by potential customers when naming their PARA−CON television antenna, although it actually is a shortening of "parabolic." The "con" part is a shortening of "conical." After reading the text of this full-page advertisement from a 1951 issue of Radio & Television News magazine, I'm inclined to assign the third prefix meaning of "para" to it. Then, add in the "con" part where "con" can take on either the noun form meaning of "disadvantage" or the verb form definition of "to trick or defraud," and you get what this antenna truly represented in terms of achieving superior performance. At best the PARA−CON exhibited the characteristics of a phased pseudo-[bi]conical antenna. The allusion to a parabolic antenna is based on the reflected signals being concentrated on the primary elements, but the "parabolic" elements appear to be perfectly straight and therefore would not focus signals onto the primary sections. Reflector elements on log−periodic and Yagi antennas do the same job, are also straight, and do not claim to effect a parabolic function. It seems like a case of disingenuous advertising to me.

Ward Para-Con Antenna

New Para-Con Antenna Combines Parabolic & Conical Principles

Sight Sells It

After all, people buy TV sets to enjoy the picture. It just makes sense that the antenna bringing in the best picture brings in the best entertainment and the most customer satisfaction. Hook a Para-Con onto any set and you'll agree - it sells on sight.

Barbara Lee, Rising TV Star, WEW5 Cleveland

Any TV Set Performs Better With a Para-Con Antenna

Every set performs better when conditions are better. Install Para-Con when older sets are starving for a stronger signal. Install a Para-Con when any set is being drowned in a sea of local interference. In the majority of set installations, Para-Con makes both old and new sets perform at their peak. To be on the safe side every time, install the sensationally performing new Para-Con antenna and forestall TV troubles at both the reception and the service end.

Proved in Thousands Of Installations Spectacular success has been achieved in practically every installation. Even in locations far removed and in difficult terrain where other more elaborate arrays were tried and failed, Para-Con aerials not only bring in brighter, clearer pictures but seize and channel in stations where. dependable reception has not been possible with an ordinary antenna. Ward's new Para-Con Antenna has been field tested in thousands of installa tions ... proved far and a way better.

Singles Out The Stations

High Front to Back Ratio

The new Para-Con design achieves an unusual capacity to obtain sharp directivity over all the television spectrum. Para-Con principles afford greater power and less interfering noise on each channel.

One Antenna Covers All Channels

The Para-Con antenna reaches out and grasps all channels, The Ward Para-Con has an exceptionally low standing wave ratio combined with a spectacular high gain advantage on all channels.

No Ghost Hunts

No more skeletons in your customer's TV closets. Scientifically determined direct impedance matching characteristics eliminate many ghosts. Para-Con's revolutionary design transfers the maximum power from the antenna to the receiver with a minimum of reflections.

Profit-Wise Dealers Prefer Para-Con*

The antenna is one of the most important and critical components of a TV receiver. Nearly 20% of all TV service calls result from faulty antennas. The general all-around, high performance of Ward's Para-Con antenna gives customer satisfaction right from the initial installation. Expensive call-backs due to antennas are slashed. Ruggedly built for long lasting trouble-free service Para-Con withstands winds and weather. Easy to handle and quick to install ... saves time and expense. See your distributor for Ward's answer to your antenna problems.

Solves 9 out of 10 Installation Problems - Challenges Comparison

Two best features are incorporated into one best antenna. The praiseworthy features conical type aerials possess for supplying full audio and full video bandwidth reception are used with a parabolic design that gives the Para-Con a concentration of signals. Para-Con is engineered to concentrate the maximum wave energy on the antenna by providing all-around, unmatched performance ... perfect picture clarity ... long customer satisfaction.

The First In TV To Use Parabolic Principle

Parabolic antennas have long been used in special applications for concentrating weak signals onto driven elements. The brilliant results of Ward Para-Con are now setting new performance standards on all channels and in most every area. Ward's Para-Con Antenna is different. It's new. Now it is possible for one antenna to meet and solve many of the local problems of installation and reception.

Ideal For All Band Fringe Areas

In fringe areas where selection of a number of channels is available, Ward's stacked Para-Con models provide the ideal compromise antenna for maximum results on all bands. Stacked in either two or four bay arrays, the Parabolic design reflectors reach out, gather and concentrate maximum energy on the antenna elements. 

Diagramatic sketch showing how parabolic reflectors gather in and concentrate energy on conical elements.

Ward Para-Con

(Combining Parabolic and Conical Principles)

Antennas

The Ward Product Corporation, Division of The Gabriel Co.

1523 E. 45th Street, Cleveland 3, Ohio

In Canada: Atlas Radio Corp., Ltdl, Toronto, Ont.

* Trade Mark

Posted August 11, 2020