On Superregeneration of an Ultra-Short-Wave Receiver

The superregeneration of an ultra-short-wave receiver is investigated theoretically and experimentally under the following four headings: Part I. Theory of Quenching Action. Part II. Experiments on Quenching Action. Part III. Effects of Signal Wave. Part IV. Amplification by Superregeneration. In Part I is developed an analysis of a quenching action, when the quenching electromotive force is assumed to operate by varying sinusoidally the amount of effective resistance of the oscillatory circuit. A simple criterion is given on the stability of the oscillation in the receiver. It states that the higher the quenching frequency and the greater the amplitude of the periodic resistance, the more unstable the oscillation becomes. The oscillatory current is of a nature of a modulated carrier wave, where the modulation varies the frequency as well as the amplitude of the carrier and a number of component frequencies are comprised in it. In Part II are described the experiments on the quenching action. The stable and the unstable regions of the oscillation under the influence of quenching action are determined. The results are of a somewhat complicated aspect, but the above criterion is generally satisfied. The transient phenomena at the start or at the end of the oscillation are investigated by means of a Braun tube oscillograph. The characteristic noise of the superregenerative receiver is concluded to be generated with the irregularities of the electromotive forces which initiate the oscillation.