Roy Lewallen wrote:

But doesn't having a reflection mean that some power is reflected and
doesn't reach the load, reducing the load power from its maximum
possible value? As you might know from my postings, I'm very hesitant to
deal with power "waves". But what's commonly called forward power
doesn't stay constant as the load impedance is changed, nor does the
forward voltage. So it turns out that if you adjust the load for a
conjugate match, there is indeed reflected voltage, and "reflected
power". But the forward voltage and power are greater when the load is
Z0conj than when Zl = Z0 and no reflection takes place -- enough greater
that maximum power transfer occurs for the conjugate match, with a
reflection present.

The "primary" waves are voltage and current, and
the power value involved is
"derived" from the primary waves. Pick a point on
the line and calculate
the instantaneous power at that point. Over time,
that value of power
"travels" along the line in concert with the
voltage and current waves.

There is nothing wrong with this. All of the
hulabaloo over this subject isn't worth a hill of
beans. Everyone understands what power "flow" and
"power outage" mean.

Bill W0IYH