You will know because the current draw will be low if it is
oscillating, and higher if it is not oscillating also if its
oscillating you will see the effect on the TV picture.
I had a look through that page, but not for long because that
logo bottom right was so annoying. Yes it is a good explanation
and i think you're right about the circuit being a series
Armstrong tickler type. Though ive never spent much time giving
them names. That page also mentions feed-back, and shows a
drawing of a spark where feed-back occurs. It also shows a
separate winding for the output, but i think you will be ok
with just the radiation from the oscillator.
transmitter:
current is applied to the tank circuit (to determine the frequency).
From the tank circuit we apply the current to the collector of the
transistor. The secondary coil collects the feedback and runs to
the base of the transistor. This action turns the transistor on,
allowing the whole process to start again.
Well sort of, but not quite.
You are right about the the 'pick-up' coil controlling the transistor
current, so you have clearly realised its relevance in this circuit,
you also realise that the action is cyclic and repetitive.
The 'pick-up' (tickler) coil only picks up changes in the collector
coil, and in this case passes those signals to the base, to increase
them.
Thats about as brief as it gets.
If the collector current is falling, the signal says: reduce more.
If the collector current is rising, the signal says: increase more.
At first sight it might seem that the transistor would simply open
or close, and that would be that.
But as i said the tickler coil only picks up changes.
So when the transistor current stops moving, at top or bottom, the
tickler coil stops pushing and the collector current changes.
So the current rises and falls continuously.
The frequency is determined by the L & C pair, called a tank.
Don't worry about the receiver, i think you will find that easy.
John