We present a 5.8 GHz VCO for the 5 GHz HIPERLAN/2 and U-NII band. The VCO uses a center-tapped inductor and a substrate shield to improve phase noise. Sensitivity to supply voltage and temperature is reduced by an amplitude control block. The design is based on a distributed inductor model which allows optimization without antecedent inductor measurements. The circuit is fabricated in a 0.8 µ m 45 GHz fT low-cost SiGe-HBT technology and operates with a supply voltage of -2.0 V to -3.3 V .