Very nice, Tom.

Can we keep going with that?

Using the 8A dc assumption and the 40 ohm/1000 ft dc resistance of #26
AWG, we find that approximately 2.56 watts is dissipated in the first
foot (less in subsequent feet). This assumes the current is linearly
distributed in that foot.

To put it into intuitive perspective (not as neat as your proposed
experiment, but a potential substitution of armchair hand-waving for
actual work) we can say that the wire is dissipating about a quarter of
a watt per inch near the center of the dipole.

Comparing that with the heat generated by a quarter watt resistor (at
1/4 watt dissipation)(larger diameter, shorter length) we are not likely
to get 3rd degree burns from an incandescent antenna wire. Hi.

73,

Chuck