This is really useful. I'd neglected to mention the other 22pF cap in
parallel with the inductor(in the test circuit, to be replaced by a
varicap with 1nF DC block in actual design), and with circuit
parasitics it runs at about 110Mhz. I actually doubled the 22pF cap
in the emitter/ground (two 22pF caps in parallel). So one 22pF was
110Mhz, and two in parallel was over 200Mhz! So theres the quandry.

My main circuit uses one varicap diode, can't use back to back as I
need the whole cap range. Ive realised that just connecting a 10k pot
(in my test circuit) to a 47 series resistor onto the diode (as seen
on several circuits on the web) is a bit dodgy as the effect is not
linear (presumably because the ends of the 10k pot create a lower rf
impedance).

I was also wondering whether my surface mount 100nH inductor has too
low a Q to be stable (49). Might be causing some of my more random
affects.