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I have the Radio Shack version of the Big Stick. Shakespeare made it, dyed it blue and let Radio Shack sell it as the Crossbow. Get it:"Archer" brand selling a "Crossbow" antenna? The marketing guys must have been MBAs. I've also got an A99 and an IMAX2000. Anyways, my Crossbow/Big Stick is 35 years old. I thought it would have died a long time ago, but automotive loom and regular maintenance have beaten the odds.

To protect the fiberglass, I have always wrapped plastic automotive loom around the antenna. That way the plastic loom takes the beating from the UV rays, not the antenna. I think that's he main reason this 18' fiberglass antenna has lasted so long, but it is also built like a tank.

Other regular maintenance helps too. The antenna is 2 sections. I take it down every 3 to 5 years - depending on SWRs or hurricane threats. That's the time to take out the tuner cleaner and clean all of the connections - including the coax feed point. All connectors also get a new round of dielectric grease at the same time.

All of my fiberglass antennas get the same treatment. They all continue to work well.

<blockquote data-quote="Rick330man" data-source="post: 556729" data-attributes="member: 30799">I have the Radio Shack version of the Big Stick.&nbsp; Shakespeare made it, dyed it blue and let Radio Shack sell it as the Crossbow.&nbsp; Get it:&quot;Archer&quot; brand selling a &quot;Crossbow&quot; antenna? The marketing guys must have been MBAs.&nbsp; I&#039;ve also got an A99 and an IMAX2000.&nbsp; Anyways, my Crossbow/Big Stick is 35 years old.&nbsp; I thought it would have died a long time ago, but automotive loom and regular maintenance have beaten the odds.&nbsp; To protect the fiberglass, I have always wrapped plastic automotive loom around the antenna.&nbsp; That way the plastic loom takes the beating from the UV rays, not the antenna.&nbsp; I think that&#039;s he main reason this 18&#039; fiberglass antenna has lasted so long, but it is also built like a tank.&nbsp;&nbsp; Other regular maintenance helps too. The antenna is 2 sections.&nbsp; I take it down every 3 to 5 years - depending on SWRs or hurricane threats.&nbsp; That&#039;s the time to take out the tuner cleaner and clean all of the connections - including the coax feed point.&nbsp; All connectors also get a new round of dielectric grease at the same time.&nbsp; &nbsp;All of my fiberglass antennas get the same treatment.&nbsp; They all continue to work well.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Rick330man, post: 556729, member: 30799"] I have the Radio Shack version of the Big Stick. Shakespeare made it, dyed it blue and let Radio Shack sell it as the Crossbow. Get it:"Archer" brand selling a "Crossbow" antenna? The marketing guys must have been MBAs. I've also got an A99 and an IMAX2000. Anyways, my Crossbow/Big Stick is 35 years old. I thought it would have died a long time ago, but automotive loom and regular maintenance have beaten the odds. To protect the fiberglass, I have always wrapped plastic automotive loom around the antenna. That way the plastic loom takes the beating from the UV rays, not the antenna. I think that's he main reason this 18' fiberglass antenna has lasted so long, but it is also built like a tank. Other regular maintenance helps too. The antenna is 2 sections. I take it down every 3 to 5 years - depending on SWRs or hurricane threats. That's the time to take out the tuner cleaner and clean all of the connections - including the coax feed point. All connectors also get a new round of dielectric grease at the same time. All of my fiberglass antennas get the same treatment. They all continue to work well. [/QUOTE]

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