Hi Steve, I have lived in New London CT for over ten years now. When I first moved up here, I put up a home brew multi band wire antenna cut for 75, 40 and 20 meters. It would also load on 15 and 10. That was supposed to be a temporary antenna. I then used it four years. It was on a 30 foot pushup mast along with a home brew quarter wave 2 meter antenna. I think it was the fourth year that there was an ice storm and the mast buckled at the middle section. I took a hack saw and cut out the bad part and put it back up. At that time I bought the B&W antenna and put it up. On top of the mast is a Diamond X50 duel band 2 meter 440 antenna. At that time, I bought 2 sections of TV mast and a crossbar was mounted at the top. The home brew 2 meter antenna and an AR-6 Ringo are on it. In the last six years, the only problem I have had was the supporting line to the B&W broke. I ordered some 3/8 inch line from a wire company. It is ultra violet protected. One end of the antenna is short, maybe 15 feet. The other end has nearly 60 feet to the closest tree, actually in the neighbor's yard. No two winters are alike. This year may be good and next year may be bad, you can't predict the weather, just live with it. I sure hope I havent confused you. 73 Walt WA4QXT New London CT [log in to unmask]