Dave wrote:

It is a metal fence. Chain-link. I didn't think that was a very likely
answer to my problems.

I'd be curious as to why running a wire along a metal fence would be
such a problem. I just ran about 200 feet of wire along the top of a
wire fence (2 inch square openings), albeit the type that is covered
with some green vinyl. And I have noticed CONSIDERABLE improvement in
reception. Wouldn't attaching to so much metal just help to expand the
range of the antenna?

Also, related to the metal fence thing: what would happen were I to
attach a wire to my metal roof?

And as long as we're on the subject of random wire, what's the deal with
needing "stranded" wire. I had about 100 feet of that first, and then
when I went to buy some more all they had was single strand, so I bought
that and just added that to the end of the stranded. what's the
importance/need of using stranded?

av