🔍 Key Concepts

• How a Colpitts oscillator works compared with other oscillator types • What characteristics are most important for a VFO (variable frequency oscillator) in a radio or maritime communications set • The difference between a crystal oscillator and a tuned LC (inductor-capacitor) VFO

💭 Think About

• Ask yourself: in a VFO that you tune over a range, what electronic property matters most to keep the transmitted frequency from drifting? • Look at the choices: which option describes a general property of the circuit itself, rather than something you could add externally (like a phase-lock loop) or do mechanically (like remote tuning)? • Consider: is a Colpitts VFO normally crystal-controlled, or does it typically use an LC tank without a crystal?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify the primary performance requirement of a VFO used for radio frequency generation (especially in communication equipment). • Decide whether a Colpitts oscillator is best known for working with crystals, or for its behavior as a tunable LC oscillator. • Check which choices describe features that are inherent to the circuit design versus features that can be added by extra circuitry or controls.