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The online calculators to determine component values are all fine and good*, but you have to understand that the models can't incorporate PCB parasitics because the the parasitic values depend upon the PCB layout, the PCB materials, the choice of transistor, the packaging of the transistor, etc. They work OK as starting points but there will be refinement later. This is why I recommend the "driving a car in deep snow" method: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,92791.msg297947.html#msg297947 Make your first try, figure out how far off target you are and then make course corrections to get closer to the goal.
And, yes, as I heard you say in the video, Class E can be very picky about component values on the matching network. Whatever values you come up with may be suboptimal for someone else whose "hand-carved PCB" technique is a little different from yours. This is one place where a manufactured PCB may be helpful since it is likely to be more uniform from batch to batch, though that is not guaranteed either. (FR4 Er can be all over the map.)
Unless I missed it, you didn't show what the drain waveform at the frequency where the power output peaks (~5500-5600 KHz?). If the drain waveform looks kinda/sorta OK there, then I think your problem is simply a tuning issue
If you have a cool idea for a show, and you just want to get it on the air, contact a couple stations and ask. The worst they can do is turn you down.
Wow, so there IS a God !
It would have been better if it stayed on air, because now the political and religious programs are being mixed with the entertainment programs on 5130 kHz.
One of these circuits appears to be a modulated power oscillator, meaning the operating frequency would likely change based on antenna loading changes, and with modulation...poor man's FM.
Yes and I'm going to expand on this a little:
Transmitter have several operating functions inside them. Examples are, an oscillator (a VFO is one such oscillator), a final amplifier and perhaps some amplification between the two of these, perhaps some sort of power supply (e.g., 'bias") circuit. All those functions have to be present and operate well separately from each other; this implies a level of isolation and is critical for proper operation. If the different functions interfere or interact with each other too much, bad things can happen like muddy/mushy modulation, FMing or frequency shifting with modulation, oscillator drift, feedback (instability), operation at unintended frequencies and so on.
The best way to ensure a certain amount of isolation is to make separate oscillator circuit, a separate final amplifier circuit, separate power supply circuit and then the designer will weave them together so that they all "play nicely" with each other.
The single tube/valve transmitter shown doesn't have any of that isolation between circuit functions; it does all the functions in one circuit and so it is prone all the issues I mentioned above. So why do it? Having those functions in separate circuits adds complexity, expense and time to build. For a hobbyist, convenience may override all those other considerations.
