Amateur Radio: The ”Snake” (Coax-on-Ground)
Ham radio operators use a ”snake antenna” as a simple, low-noise receiving antenna.
Construction: Typically a long length of coaxial cable (like RG-58) laid directly on the ground or a few inches above it.
Wiring: The center conductor is connected to the radio at one end, while the shield is isolated. At the far end, the center conductor and shield are shorted together.
Benefit: Because it is shielded and sits on the ground, it is highly resistant to local electrical interference (man-made noise), making it excellent for Shortwave and HF DXing.