Mike,
A 'long wire' (really a 'random wire', but that's being
picky) can have an input impedance all over the place depending
on the frequency of use. Most receivers just aren't too
picky about it, so try it and see what you get in reception.
You can always experiment with antenna length or matching
systems to improve things, but in most cases, they aren't
going to make a lot of difference.
'Doc