A phase-locked loop that supports a large frequency drift capability, yet maintains a low Kvco, and does not introduce noise or discontinuities in the frequency of the generated phase-locked loop output signal. The phase-locked loop may include a VCO with an LC tank circuit, the capacitance of which may be adjusted in incremental units. By gradually adjusting a control signal applied to a selected VCO LC tank circuit frequency adjustment control line, e.g., in a continuous ramped function, or time-averaged ramped function, from LOW-to-HIGH or from HIGH-to-LOW, over a period of time that is greater than the response time of the phase-locked loop, a frequency range supported by the VCO may be shifted to either a higher frequency range or a lower frequency range, as needed, to accommodate environmentally induced frequency drift in the VCO, without introducing noise or discontinuities in the frequency of the generated phase-locked loop output signal.