From: Steve Byan (steve@hi.com)
Date: April 25, 1995
Original source: Usenet's rec.radio.shortwave

Jim Tucker (Jim_Tucker@mindlink.bc.ca) asked:
What is better to add to a simple longwire antenna -- a balun or an antenna tuner?

Neither.
Start with a well-grounded good-quality coax feedline. Move the base of your longwire antenna as far as possible from noise sources such a houses, powerlines, etc. Connect the center of the coax to the loingwire. Ground the coax shield at the base of the antenna and near your house. Bury the coax a few inches under ground. Use RG-6 or RG-213 or "RG-8" coax - avoid Radio Shack RG-58, as it's shielding is not good enough. You want something with at least a 95% shield coverage.
Later, you can add a matching transformer or antenna tuner, as you prefer. Use the antenna tuner if you like to twiddle knobs, otherwise use a matching transformer (sometimes miscalled a "balun").