[Chas]

Wondering if I did it backwards.

If a coil was wound backwards, the oscillator would not work at all.

Old school litz has plain enamel insulation it must be either mechanically or chemically removed, the modern litz has fusible insulation a touch of the iron burns it away like rosin.

Any coil with litz the has a published resistance will assume all strands are connected. If a strand opens, the resistance will rise and the coil will tune more broadly.

Glad you did the usual routine, sorry it didn't work.

Download this Riders publication, The first chapters are teaching, the last chapter is application to superhetrodyne radios. It is written for technicians.

The Oscillator at Work...

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSH...r-1940.pdf

There is a chapter that explains phase as well as harmonic byproducts (distortion)...

Chas