Keith Dysart wrote:
I suggest that the solution to this ambiguity is to do the
same analysis for the current, which should be found to
be 90 degrees shifted from the voltage. The real current
is either leading or lagging the voltage. Rotate the frame
of reference in the direction that will cause a lagging
current to appear counter-clockwise from the voltage
and a leading current to appear clockwise from the
voltage.

This just illustrates how artificial standing waves are.
For 1/4WL the standing-wave current leads the standing-
wave voltage by 90 degrees then suddenly undergoes a step
function to lag the standing-wave voltage by 90 degrees for
the next 1/4WL.

In any case, the point is whether standing-wave current can
be used to measure the phase shift through a loading coil.
EZNEC indicates that it cannot. Kraus indicates that it cannot.
Yet the people who did exactly that continue to report the
results as valid.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com