Oscillator

Thread Starter

nerdegutta

Joined Dec 15, 2009
2,684
Hi,

I'm reading a lot about oscillators. Hartley, Colpitts, Wien bridge, RC..

I would like a document that compared the different types. For example: This oscillator is best for this range of frequency. This oscillator does have few parts...

You get the idea?

Does this type of document or web page exist?
 

KL7AJ

Joined Nov 4, 2008
2,229
Hi,

I'm reading a lot about oscillators. Hartley, Colpitts, Wien bridge, RC..

I would like a document that compared the different types. For example: This oscillator is best for this range of frequency. This oscillator does have few parts...

You get the idea?

Does this type of document or web page exist?
The best place for this information is OLDER versions of the ARRL Radio Amateur's Handbook.

But here's a few hints.

The Hartley oscillator is generally used for up to around 1MHZ. It's one of the more reliable "starting" oscillators, but tends to drift a bit more than others at higher frequencies.

The Colpitts is actually a large CLASS of oscillators, into which most crystal oscillators fall. One exception to this is the Pierce oscillator which uses direct feedback of a crystal in the Series mode.

The Wien Bridge oscillator is a low frequency oscillator used when a very pure sine wave is needed.

An RC oscillator (phase shift) oscillator is used at lower frequencies where you don't need a real clean signal...or you want to generate several different phase signals from the same oscillator....for example a 3-phase motor driver.

The series tuned Colpitts, or Clapp oscillator deserves special mention...as it is used in a lot of VFO circuits for H.F. radios. It's one of the more stable non-crystal controlled oscillators, often used as the "main tuning" in shortwave receivers and transmitters, before synthesizers became standard.


Eric
 
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