1. Bare wire inductance?

What is the inductance of a bare straight wire in free space? Compute as inducance per meter.

2. Variometers

A variometer is a variable transformer with the primary and secondary coils wired in series — creating a variable inductor.

They combine the concepts of (self) inductance then add a second coil which shares much of the magnetic flux

2.1. Huge one at the WWVB transmit antenna

variometer loading coil
Figure 1. Variometer at WWVB antenna base
litz coils
Figure 2. Closeup of Litz wire coils around the variometer