Dave wrote:
i believe in this description he is refering to the current distribution of
the standing wave. that is, the classical sine curve that shows a maximum
at the feedpoint of the 1/2 wave dipole and zeros at the ends. in this case
the shape of the curve is a function of the sin or cos of the distance from
the feedpoint divided by the leg length times pi/2 or 90 degrees, which ever
you prefer.

Exactly, and that is the number of degrees by which the forward
traveling wave lags the source wave and therefore is the phase
angle of the forward traveling wave reference to the source wave.

however, that is not the phase of the forward traveling wave, ...

Of course it is, referenced to a source phase angle of zero.
Assuming the source phase reference is zero degrees, the phase
of the forward traveling wave is related to the distance from
the source (modified by the velocity factor). That's just simple
physics.

Given the source current is 1.0 amps at zero degrees, the
standing wave current 1/2 way to the end of the antenna element
will be 0.707 amps at zero degrees. Arc-cos(0.707) = -45 degrees.
That's the phase angle of the forward current at that point since
it lags the source current. Hint: There are very close to 90 degrees
of antenna between the source and the end of a 1/2WL dipole since
it is 1/4 wavelength. Remember 360/4 = 90 degrees.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp