The magnetic fields on the surface produced by a buried current‐carrying cable of finite length are considered. A homogeneous half‐space model of the earth and quasistatic conditions are assumed. The cable is grounded at its end points and oriented at an arbitrary angle to the interface. While, in general, numerical integration is required, the low‐frequency limit may be treated analytically. Small cable tilts are shown to modify the direction of the surface field but not the magnitude. The results have possible application to uplink communication and radio location of trapped miners.