I made the changes that you specified audio. For one thing, my antenna was only about 30cm long. Now that it is 80cm, the transmitter seems to be very strong, registering about as strong RF signal as my walkie taklie, that is when it's working. It also transmits a mains buzz over my speakers that I have n the garage for listening to music. It even sends my PSU's digital voltmeter and ammeter berserk.
The only problem is that when I plug it into the ipod, oscillation stops. Then it is nearly impossible to get it oscillating again. The only way is to turn my PSU off and on until I see it oscillating on my o'scope. I dont have the scope connected to the circuit, it's just connected to a germanium diode.
Now this is something very strange- with my germanium diode connected to the scope, sometimes I simply see the voltage present on the diode rise when I turn on the transmitter, the PSU doesn't go beserk at this time. Other times, I can see the actual sine wave produced from the transmitter. This is when everything on the PSU goes beserk.
All in all, it seems that the transmitter is very unstable right now, and transmittingat two different power levels.