NB, over time I have come to believe what 'Doc use to always tell us regarding comparison testing of our antennas in our backyards. There are just too many variables in the real world to reach a definitive conclusion...and for sure if the testing is between your antenna and a buddy down the road. I believe you see what you report, but IMO that is likely not as reliable as the numbers might show. I can say I never saw a big difference among my CB antennas...unless maybe when the antennas were mounted at the same height to the feed point and comparing a 1/4 wave or shorter to a 3/4 wave antenna.
In all of my models for the Imax, and maybe for all of my 5/8 wave antennas...the maximum currents indicated on the coax and/or mast primarily show to be constructive and in phase with the top 1/2 wave portion of the radiator, but it is hard for me to tell what angle is benefited.
On some of my other antenna models...they do not always show the same positive-type results with the radiation on the mast like this Imax model does. In fact, when I'm able to eliminate these out of phase currents on the mast I think the antenna gain results tends to drop some...even though the antenna looks to have been improved.
NB, like you suggest here, in the past it has been suggested to me...that if we can stop the currents on the mast/feed line these currents will then flow on the radiator, and thus add to the maximum radiation for the antenna. I wish I knew what actually happens in these cases. I just don't see this happening with my models.
I don't understand what you are trying to describe here.
I have done some similar modeling work at various angles like you described. However, I still don't see much difference with a 5/8 wave antenna...even in the match, comparing horizontal radials to various slanted down radials on the Imax. I decided to do my old work over just to be sure...at the specific angles you describe.
I used an Imax model that has 6' foot radials however, and I know you will object to that probably, so I did a model like the first with horizontal radials using 9' foot radials.
The models still don't show the difference I think you are suggesting in your ideas above.
Thus far I have 6 variations of models and that is a lot of work to post. Let me figure out how I should proceed.
Below are two of the Imax models plus an overlay of the antenna patterns showing max angles and gain.
The 1st model is with 6' foot radials and the second is with 9' foot radials with the mast isolated (ISO) from the antenna at the feed point just to see if there is much difference due to isolation.
