There's a Big difference between 18 AWG and 16 AWG when it comes to Antenna Masts. This 16 AWG Mast is thicker, hardier, stronger and weighs more with heavier Pre-Galvanization. The swaged end fits tightly into another mast when it's 16 AWG like this one (I can't pull them apart, bolt them together for a permanent joint). When considering the longevity of your HDTV Off-Air TV Antenna, there's no substitute for the strength of this mast in effectively transfering the Wind Load from the Antenna to the Mount in preventing the mast from Folding over. The 18 AWG painted masts just don't hold up. Be Sure and afford yourself 2 feet minimum, up to 1/3 of the overall mast length between the two wall mounts you would utilize in your TV antenna Installation. The Torque applied from wind load through cantilever to these mounts can be significant. This is one reason we no longer offer the 18 AWG masts such as the Channel Master CM-1805 or Cm-1810.