On Mon, 8 Nov 2010 18:44:04 +0000, Bajamatic
wrote:

I'll
probably play with a SUPER long one (500 feet+), and then find the best
balance between performance length and convenience.

Take care to anticipate that this long an antenna may well have to
pointed at (lengthwise) the station you want to receive instead of
pointed broadside to it.

Two more questions
before I put it to test:

will if effect the performance if the antenna comes into contact with
the ground?

Yes - more loss. However, the troops in Desert Storm did it in the
sand dunes; but they were only talking to local operations - not DXing
Andorra.

Will I get the same results if I make a 20 foot x 20 foot square and run
a huge length of wire along the perimeter at different heights so as not
to short but essentially 500 feet of wire run around a shape instead of
in a relatively straight line?

500 feet of wire is not a virture.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC