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silver bullet
02-02-2020, 02:45 PM
Would a ground plane kit be helpful for a shake spear big stick antenna?

whiteastro
02-02-2020, 03:41 PM
Don't have your answer but found this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueg_n57J_XU

whiteastro
02-02-2020, 04:47 PM
The Shakespeare Big stick was the first antenna I bought for my first base station back in 1974 with 50' of RG8U wire. I had it mounted on 21' of 1" galvanized water pipe which I shimmied it up thru the limbs of a big old tree to clear the top of the tree and poly guy roped it in the tree. This was on top of a big hill. Running my first Royce mobile radio as a base one night I talked barefoot to a station 25 miles away. I had no ground plane kit and it performed well for what it was in the hands of a poorboy. It would be interesting to see and hear it's performance with a Ground Plane Kit and a good amp. Keep us posted!

silver bullet
02-03-2020, 12:03 AM
Whiteastro do you know where I can get an assembly manual for the shake spear big stick? My big stick is made up of 3 sections. 2 are 6 feet in length and the whip is 4 feet long. I am not sure how the base and middle section fit together. A manual or some instruction would be very helpful.The whip screws onto the top easily but I am having trouble with getting the center section onto the base. The is a thresded stud in the top of the base but the bottom of the center section is hollow with nothing to screw the stud into. Is something missing or should it be this way?
Thanks silver bullet

whiteastro
02-03-2020, 06:56 AM
Whiteastro do you know where I can get an assembly manual for the shake spear big stick? My big stick is made up of 3 sections. 2 are 6 feet in length and the whip is 4 feet long. I am not sure how the base and middle section fit together. A manual or some instruction would be very helpful.The whip screws onto the top easily but I am having trouble with getting the center section onto the base. The is a thresded stud in the top of the base but the bottom of the center section is hollow with nothing to screw the stud into. Is something missing or should it be this way?
Thanks silver bullet
I'll look a round for a owners manual on the internet and give you a link, but it does sound like something is missing. Is it a used antenna?

whiteastro
02-03-2020, 10:15 AM
I went to Shakespeare's web page and they don't list a 3 piece big stick antenna. You might have someones ( Idea ) copy of a big stick. Shake the center section and see if something slides down the tube. 1974 was a long time ago so I don't remember much about the antenna all I know is it was a Shakespeare big stick. Maybe one of these younger guys are more familiar with later copies of this antenna! Good luck!

silver bullet
02-03-2020, 11:28 AM
It has a decal on it that says Shake Spear and they did make a 1600 model but I am not sure that 1600 refers to the length? Nor does it say 1600 on my antenna either. Just guessing. My friend bought it new and gave it to me when he moved away about 25 years ago. I have stored it since that time. Thanks for trying. Much appreciated.
If anyone else out here knows about Shake Spear big stick antennas please let me know.

whiteastro
02-03-2020, 11:58 AM
Shakespeare in only 1 word not 2 words. Check your antenna it might be someones way of getting out of copy-rite infringement. I don't know it all myself, I'm just returning to CBs myself and I'm sure there is a lot that has went on that I don't know about! Good luck!

silver bullet
02-03-2020, 12:05 PM
Thanks again. What should I check my antenna for? I remember when my friend bought it new so I am certain it is a Shakespear big stick.

whiteastro
02-03-2020, 12:08 PM
http://shakespeare-ce.com/marine/customer-service/

Buzzweiser
10-20-2020, 02:20 AM
The only 3 piece Shakespeare antenna I recall was the Black Pirate model but didn't think they made those until 95 and then only ran for a couple years mostly in the EU market. The metal base where the pole mounts is extra long so you could add the 4 piece ground radial to. It had tuning rings also like the Solarcon.
73's

BOOTY MONSTER
10-21-2020, 08:13 PM
the only info i could find on a 3 piece big stick .......

http://www.cbtricks.com/ant_manuals/shakespeare/super_big_stick_nbs_2010/graphics/shakespeare_nbs_2010.pdf

Cedar Mountain Radio
01-05-2021, 02:26 AM
Would a ground plane kit be helpful for a shake spear big stick antenna?

I tried that a long time ago. I put a Maco v58 radial hub and radials on the bottom and it did absolutely nothing to help performance - but it looked cool.

The 2-piece Big Stick is a 1/2 wave and the bottom half is already ground, like a dipole but vertical, so adding more to it won't help, and in some setups it might even upset the balance and cause an swr problem.