What is the most efficient location for a loading coil on an electrically short whip?

When making an electrically short whip resonant, a loading coil is used to cancel out the antenna's capacitive reactance. The efficiency of the antenna depends heavily on where this coil is placed, as energy lost to heat in the coil reduces radiated power. Placing the coil near the center of the vertical radiator is the most efficient practical compromise. Placing it at the base is mechanically easier but highly inefficient because the RF current is highest at the base, leading to significant I^2R (resistive) heat losses. Conversely, placing the coil too high on the whip requires a much larger coil with more turns to achieve the necessary inductance. This greatly increases the coil's internal resistance, offsetting any efficiency gains and making the antenna mechanically top-heavy.