I can't seem to be able to find an LM566 VCO chip anywhere. Is there an equivalent chip on the market?

This is a hobby project so nothing too fancy is required.

Thanks,
Walt

 

The gray market or eBay is probably your only hope. What frequency range were you planning on? The alternative is an oscillator with a varactor diode.

Or maybe these guys:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEM_and_SSM_chips_in_synthesizers

 

The gray market or eBay is probably your only hope. What frequency range were you planning on? The alternative is an oscillator with a varactor diode.

Or maybe these guys:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEM_and_SSM_chips_in_synthesizers

I'll need a center frequency of about 5KHZ with the ability to vary the frequency 10:1.

 

10:1 is a bit much for the control input of a 555, but easily within range of a dual or quad opamp. Search "vco schematic" to find things like this:

http://www.tradeofic.com/Circuit/1469-SIMPLE_TLO82_VCO.html

ak

 

You could use just the VCO section of the 4046 PLL . Control range well in excess of 10:1

 

Or maybe these guys:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEM_and_SSM_chips_in_synthesizers

Sadly, most of the chips those guys made are now very hard to find... I bought 10x SSM 2040 in the early 1980s for a project that never got finished. That device become so rare and sought after in recent years, that I got $40 each for them a couple of years ago!

You could make a nice voltage controlled sine wave oscillator with them though.....

 

use a CD4046 pll

http://www.electronicecircuits.com/electronic-circuits/4046-ten-times-frequency-multiplier-circuit