The oscillator uses a single coil and crystal. The coil is tuned to the output frequency, which may correspond to the crystal frequency, or a harmonic.

AM

Amplitude Modulation (AM) is a process in which the amplitude of a radio frequency current is made to vary and modify by impressing an audio frequency current on it.
This was the first type of modulation used for communicating signals from one point to another and is still the simplest to understand.
A radio frequency current has a constant amplitude in absence of modulation and this constant amplitude RF carries no information, i.e. no audio intelligence and is of no use to radio telephone (voice communication), but has application in morse code communication.
In its basic form, amplitude modulation produces a signal with power concentrated at the carrier frequency and in two adjacent sidebands. Each sideband is equal in bandwidth to that of the modulating signal and is a mirror image of the other. Thus, most of the power output by an AM transmitter is effectively wasted: half the power is concentrated at the carrier frequency, which carries no useful information (beyond the fact that a signal is present); the remaining power is split between two identical sidebands, only one of which is needed.

CW
CW is the simplest form of modulation. The output of the transmitter is switched on and off, typically to form the characters of the Morse code.
CW transmitters are simple and inexpensive, and the transmitted CW signal doesn't occupy much frequency space (usually less than 500 Hz). However, the CW signals will be difficult to hear on a normal receiver; you'll just hear the faint quieting of the background noise as the CW signals are transmitted. To overcome this problem, shortwave and ham radio receivers include a beat frequency oscillator (BFO) circuit. The BFO circuit produces an internally-generated second carrier that "beats" against the received CW signal, producing a tone that turns on and off in step with the received CW signal. This is how Morse code signals are received on shortwave.

Although this design is primarely designed for AM, it can be used for CW by keying S and so powering the oscillator. The amplifier (T3) is always fed with 12 volts Vcc and doesn't need to be switch off together with the oscillator.

If you only gonna use this transmitter for CW, then you can leave out the modulater section (T1). But remember that there is a 3 volt difference between Vcc and the voltage on the oscillator. So with modulator 12 Vcc is 9 volts on T2, without T1 ofcourse 12v also.

RF Oscillator
Is been carried out by T2 (NPN BSX20). This is the stage where the carrier frequency intended to be used is generated by means of Crystal Oscillator Circuitry or capacitance-inductance based Variable Frequency Oscillator (VFO). The RF oscillator is designed to have frequency stability (Xtal) and power delivered from it is of little importance, although it delivers 50mW@13v , hence can be operated with low voltage power supply with no dissipation of heat.

You could add a switch (not recommended, but if you do, use very short connections) to select different Xtal's (frequencies). You could also use a more effective diode-based switch I've build here. This hasn't got the problems with longer connections at all.

Injection of signal of an external tuneable oscillator to trigger T2 to oscillate is possible by removing the Xtal and connecting C8 to your oscillator.

Filter
RF power amplification is also done here and this stage is coupled to the antenna system through antenna impedance matching circuitry (L1/L3,C16,C18). Care is taken at this stage so that no harmonic frequency is generated which will cause interference in adjacent band (splatter) on other bands (L3/L4,C16...C20). This 3-element L-type narrow bandpass filter circuit and a lowpass filter for the desired frequency cleans out any remaining harmonic signals very efficiently.

Modulator
Is done by T1 (PNP BC557). Audio information is impressed upon the carrier frequency at this stage. Do to selective components circuits (R10, R11, C25, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7) the voice component frequencies are enhanced, whilest others are suppressed (bandwidth +- 3kc/side) keeping it approx. between HAM-radio specs.
Collector modulation is applied here. The efficiency isn't 100%, but it does keep the simplicity of the design intact.

Why over modulation is not desirable?..
Over modulation is not desirable, i.e. modulation should not exceed 100 %, because if modulation exceeds 100 % there is an interval during the audio cycle when the RF carrier is removed completely from the air thus producing distortion in the transmission.

Housing/shielding
The whole circuit needs to be mounted in an all-metal/aluminum case. If you're unable to obtain an all-metal case, then use a roll of self-sticking aluminum tape (available from your hardware store) or PVC box painted with graphite paint. Just make sure that all individual pieces of aluminum-tape (or the graphite paint) are conducting with each other. Works fine.

More power
You can connect the output to my power MOSFET based 10-meterband power amplifier wich should cranck up the power to approx. 6 watt. You'll find it here.

Mute: Use the transmitter with your receiver
If you put a relay, or better a transistor switch to mute your receiver (if equiped) you can easily make a QSO HI. A simple BC338, 2N2222 at pin a" with the base biased with a 100k resistor, emmitor at the gnd and the collector fed to your receiver's mute input works fine. Or you can use a 12v relay... Every time you PTT the transistor (or when using a relay, the switch) is "shortened" between the ground, hence muting your receiver (again; if your receiver has mute capabilities). This is shown in the diagram below.



Specifications

Peak Frequency range: 28Mc...30Mc

Output RF PEP power: approx. 1W@13v

AM modulated (CW if keyed)

Adjustable output impedance to 50 Ohms

Band-pass type harmonic L-filter + low-pass PII filter

Usable voltages: Vcc 10 - 15 volts

Average current: I= 120mA

Xtal oscillator, 28.xxx Xtal

Adjustable frequency of 2Kc (if C8 is replaced with a 120pF trimmer)

Injectable with external oscillator *see text

LF input +/- 100mV @ 1K

Schematic 10-meter band AM transmitter: fig1

Schematic for the 10-meter band HF transmitter

Parts list 10-meterband AM / CW transmitter

T1 BC557 (modulator)

T2 BSX20 oscillator (2N2219. BC109 works also, but little less power)

T3 BD135 amplifier (with heat sink isolated from the transistor)

T4 2N2222, BC338 mute

C1 = 100nF

C2 = 47uF/16v (tantal)

C3 = 2.2 uF/50v (changed in rev v1.5)

C4 = 33nF (polyester) (changed in rev1.5)

C5 = 10nF (polyester)

C6 = 47nF (changed in rev1.5 )

C7 = 4.7uF/50v

C8 = 10nF

C9 = 0...22pF (60pf for 27Mc)

C10 = 120pF

C11 = 56pF

C12 = 470uF/16v

C13 = 100nF

C14 = 47nF

C15 = 470pF

C16 = 6...40pF

C17 = 12pF

C18 = 120pF

C19 = 56pF

C20 = 100pF

C21 = 470pF

C22 = 100nF

C23 = 10pF*(added in revision v1.2)

C24 = 33nF (changed in rev1.5)

C25 = 0,47uF (polyester, added in rev1.5)

R1 3k9

R2 3k9

R3 3k3

R4 5k6

R5 1k2

R6 220

R7 12

R8 100k

R9 4k7* (added in revision 1.4)

R10 270 (added in rev1.5)

R11 390 (added in rev1.5)

Ls1, Ls2 = 470 1/2 watt carbon, 0,2 Cul turned 3 times over the entire length of the resistor (or 2.7uH inductor)

L1 = 0.8mm insulated copper wire, 8.5 turns close together, 7mm inside diameter

L2 = 0.8mm insulated copper wire, 12 turns close together, 6mm inside diameter

L3 = 0.8mm insulated copper wire, 13 turns close together, 7mm inside diameter

L4 = 0.8mm insulated copper wire, 7 turns close together, 7mm inside diameter

L5 = 100uH inductor (*added in revision 1.3)

L6 = 100uH inductor (*changed in revision 1.4)

Xtal fundamental frequency or overtone for your desired frequency (28...30Mc)

C4, C5, C6, C25 polyester film capacitors

top view Ls1,Ls2,Ls3

Revision 1.2
C21 added to prevent the oscillator from oscillating at 2e harmonic when not connected to the amp-stage. If the oscillator is coupled/connected (via C11) with the input stage of the amplifier as designed (even if the amp stage is not powered) 2e harmonic oscillations are prevented even without C21.
To resolve this issue (in any situation) C21 has been added.
C5 was missing from the partslist
R2,R3,R4 had slight diviated values from standard available resistors (thanks Medard from Switserland!)
Revision 1.3
To improve T2 BIAS: R5 was 2k2, now 1k2. L5 added (100uH)
To improve T1 BIAS: R1 was 4k7, now 3k9
C12 changed
Revision 1.4
Ls1 (former between C6 and C7) is replaced by 100uH inductor
R9 added to improve modulation
Revision 1.5 (May 2009)
R10, R11, C25 added, and C3,C4,C6,C24 changed values: to improve linearity

Note:
Always use a dummy load for testing and adjusting the transmitter!!!

Antenna's

It's important to use a correct designed antenna according to band you would like to operate, or at least use a good antenna tuner to match the antenna (protecting your transmitter and proventing harmonics/interference...). Several examples can be found on my website and all across the Web. A dipole is always a good alternative (total length = 150/freq - 5%).
The performance (distance relative to you RF power) of your antenna is as importent (if not more) as the RF power you transmit! A dummy load gives also a perfect 1:1 SWR, but you wont get any farther then the street you live in HI. Finally, athmospheric conditions (D-,E-,F-layers depending on the frequency you're using) is equally important to be able to make DX QSO's.