Mark Keith wrote:
The current through the coil is not the issue as far as my "camp" is
concerned.

Apparently it isn't now, but it was quite an issue for a while there.
Initially it seemed the only correct point of view was the one which
held that loading coils behave strictly as lumped inductances. Remember
that?

The issue as far as I'm concerned is: does this taper drastically
cause error in modeling compared to lumped elements?

I think the answer is essentially, no.

For me the issue was always whether current can be unequal at opposite
ends of an inductor. I find the fact that it can to be very
interesting, and I wanted to understand just how it could be so. I
guess I'm just not willing to accept the notion that just because
fundamentals such as these may be inconsequential to how well an antenna
is modeled, that they are also inconsequential to a thorough
understanding of how it works.

73, Jim AC6XG