wrote:
I suspect it has to do with relative phase angles but I need it explained
in every day language

Art, a single RF traveling-wave wire has a natural Z0 in the
ballpark of 600 ohms which sets the V/I (E/H field) ratio.
The feedpoint current and the current at any point on a
standing-wave antenna is the phasor sum of the forward current
and the reflected current. Vf/If and Vr/Ir remain in the
ballpark of 600 ohms but Vf+Vr and If+Ir vary up and down
the wire. The current is high at a 1/2WL dipole feedpoint
because If and Ir are in phase at that point. The current is
low at a 1WL dipole feedpoint because If and Ir are out of
phase at that point. But If is approximately the same for
both antennas and Ir is approximately the same for both antennas.

That's why the superposed If+Ir at the bottom of a loading
coil is not usually equal to the superposed If+Ir at the
top of a loading coil. Each of the two currents indeed has
close to a constant magnitude through the coil but the phases
of If and Ir are changing in opposite directions. Thus their
sums are different except for the special case where the
relative phase difference is equal at both ends of the coil.

But for understanding RF radiation, If is fairly constant
and Ir is fairly constant, and each of those currents cause
radiation. Thinking about a terminated Rhombic Vs an unterminated
Rhombic will separate the two processes out in your mind.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp



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