http://blog.amateurradiosupplies.com/swr-demystified/

Excerpt from website…

“SWR, or standing wave ratio, is one of the most misunderstood concepts in amateur radio. One of the reasons for this is that it’s so hard to visualize. I mean, you can’t actually see a standing wave on a piece of coax or ladder line.

Fortunately, mechanical waves work exactly the same as radio waves. That’s what makes this video, titled “Similarities of Wave Behavior,” such a treasure. Developed and narrated in 1959 by J.N. Shive of AT&T Bell Labs, this video uses a specially-developed machine to visually show how mechanical waves work, and because radio and optical waves work in exactly the same way, you’ll also learn how radio waves work.”