Distributed traveling wave oscillator circuitry is disclosed. The oscillator circuitry includes a signal path, a plurality of active switching means, and a direction promoting means. The signal path is formed from a pair of adjacent conductors and exhibits endless electric or magnetic continuity. The signal path also includes a portion that creates a signal phase inversion which sets half-cycles of oscillation to be the time of a single traverse of the signal path by the signal. The plurality of active switching means is connected between the adjacent conductors of the signal path for setting rise and fall times of each said half-cycle of oscillation. The direction promoting means establishes the direction of the traveling wave on the signal path.