Tom Donaly wrote:
The key words are "infinitesimally thin," and "generally assumed."
With you, Cecil those words become just "thin," and "dead certain."

Kraus is using author-speak as most technical authors do to
avoid nit-picking from people like you. Balanis uses the words,
"very small" for the wire diameter.

I'm glad you clarified that for us. I was beginning to wonder about
Kraus. Now I know it's just Kraus' message suffering from Cecil distortion.

It is true for infinitesimally thin wire *AND* anything close
to that condition, i.e. also true for d lamda, according
to Balanis who says: "If the diameter of each wire is very
small (d lamda), the ideal standing wave pattern of the
current along the arms of the dipole is sinusoidal with a null
at the end."

The diameter of #18 wire is certainly very small compared to
a wavelength at 80m (0.003' 246') ensuring that the standing
wave current distribution on the real world dipole is sinusoidal
within a certain degree of real world accuracy.

If you want to see the sinusoidal current waveform for yourself,
observe the current distribution reported by EZNEC for a G5RV
used on 20m. Anyone with EZNEC, presumably including W7EL,
can observe that sinusoidal standing wave current pattern.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp