Geoffrey G. Gouriet
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey George Gouriet M.I.E.E joined the "Drive Section" of the "Transmitters Department" of the BBC in 1937, and in 1937 or 1938 he was the inventor of a high stability crystal-controlled variant of the Colpitts oscillator
. With the outbreak of war imminent, his circuit was put to immediate use by the BBC to drive its Medium Wave broadcast transmitters, allowing the implementation of Britain's wartime single-frequency synchronised radio services from multiple transmitters. This was a technique adopted to try to prevent the Luftwaffe
conducting air raids on British cities using BBC transmitters for navigation.
Due to wartime security measures, Gouriet's oscillator design was kept secret until after WWII. Meanwhile, the same circuit was independently discovered by James Kilton Clapp
of the USA, and published by him in 1948. Gouriet's oscillator is usually known as the Clapp oscillator
as a result, although newer books use the term Gouriet-Clapp oscillator .
In 1943, Gouriet transferred to the BBC's Research Department, and in 1950 he became Head of the Television Section of the Research Department.
Gouriet presented the "Fleming Memorial Lecture" for the Royal Television Society on 10 and 24 Feb 1954, on the subject of 'Colour Television'.
In August 1964, Gouriet became head of the BBC Research Department - a post he held until 1969.
In the October 1964 issue of "I.E.E Electronics and Power", there is a short biography of Gouriet, printed to mark his inauguration as Chairman of the I.E.E Electronics Division 1964-1965. He was succeeded in this role by Professor A.L. Cullen, O.B.E for 1965-1966.
In 1972, Gouriet presented the annual Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, covering the subjects of Radio and Television broadcasting
Geoffrey Gouriet died in 1973.
Colpitts oscillator
A Colpitts oscillator, invented in 1920 by American engineer Edwin H. Colpitts, is one of a number of designs for electronic oscillator circuits using the combination of an inductance with a capacitor for frequency determination, thus also called LC oscillator...
. With the outbreak of war imminent, his circuit was put to immediate use by the BBC to drive its Medium Wave broadcast transmitters, allowing the implementation of Britain's wartime single-frequency synchronised radio services from multiple transmitters. This was a technique adopted to try to prevent the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
conducting air raids on British cities using BBC transmitters for navigation.
Due to wartime security measures, Gouriet's oscillator design was kept secret until after WWII. Meanwhile, the same circuit was independently discovered by James Kilton Clapp
James Kilton Clapp
James Kilton Clapp was an American electrical engineer who worked for General Radio Corporation. He was born in Denver, Colorado and graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1923, obtaining a Master's degree there in 1926. He taught at MIT and then joined General Radio Corporation...
of the USA, and published by him in 1948. Gouriet's oscillator is usually known as the Clapp oscillator
Clapp oscillator
The Clapp oscillator is one of several types of electronic oscillator constructed from a transistor and a positive feedback network, using the combination of an inductance with a capacitor for frequency determination, thus also called LC oscillator.It was published by James Kilton Clapp in 1948...
as a result, although newer books use the term Gouriet-Clapp oscillator .
In 1943, Gouriet transferred to the BBC's Research Department, and in 1950 he became Head of the Television Section of the Research Department.
Gouriet presented the "Fleming Memorial Lecture" for the Royal Television Society on 10 and 24 Feb 1954, on the subject of 'Colour Television'.
In August 1964, Gouriet became head of the BBC Research Department - a post he held until 1969.
In the October 1964 issue of "I.E.E Electronics and Power", there is a short biography of Gouriet, printed to mark his inauguration as Chairman of the I.E.E Electronics Division 1964-1965. He was succeeded in this role by Professor A.L. Cullen, O.B.E for 1965-1966.
In 1972, Gouriet presented the annual Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, covering the subjects of Radio and Television broadcasting
Geoffrey Gouriet died in 1973.