Comparing Signal Generators  

Watched a few of your videos now, and found them very interesting, and easy to understand. A very good channel. Highly recommended.

Hi Bill, I’m aware that I haven’t commented on individual videos, but I just wanted to leave a comment to say how useful your videos are to me. I’m very late to the electronics party - I’m 66 now - and passed the Amateur Foundation exam last year. Although I’ve had over 30 years military comms operating experience, I’ve never delved into the inner working of the equipment. I’m currently studying for Intermediate and hope to progress to Full in due course. I’ve followed your videos on making the Chinese radio, and am currently building the same kit. You’ve got a nice relaxed delivery style and provide easy to understand explanations, so long may it continue. I’m retiring this year, so should have more time to spend on the hobby, although the XYL has already mentioned the dreaded “D” (decorating) word. Thanks again, Bill. 73 DE M7ERF (Ian)

One thing Chinese manufacturers just don't seem to do well is in the naming of their brands for sale in the English-speaking world. Junctek? Is that pronounced junk-tek? That's not a good name. Similarly, MeanWell makes good power supplies, but in English the term "means well" is used exclusively in cases where a person (or institution) screwed-up something even though with good intentions--"He meant well, but he completely botched the job."

Very nice illustration!

Excellent video Bill. I generally buy the cheap Chinese stuff. For a hobbyist it works perfectly fine for me.

Signal Generators. Yet another great video to watch, and try at home. Thank you.

I don't think the SA is the right device to compare two frequencies. Counter would give you much better results, but if you don't have one, there is another alternative - use your oscilloscope. Trigger on the reference observing the output of your generator. This gives you the phase comparison between your reference signal and the generator output, so when you obtain a steady (or almost steady) image on the screen of your oscilloscope, you are sure both reference and observed signal are (perfectly) same on the phase. And two signals being same in phase implies they are also same in frequency (this is how PLL works), so. If you tune the generator to obtain steady image on the screen while triggering on reference signal, you know that they are now both on the same frequency and then just read the frequency that your generator shows on its display and, knowing the frequency of your reference, you know exactly how off the generator's internal reference is. This gives you resolution better than 0.5Hz, which is something you never achieve using the spectrum analyzer.

Short of replacing the crystal oscillator itself there is no way to adjust the SDG1032X.

As it is possible to create own waveforms i expect it is possible to create a wave consisting of 2 (or more) sine signals. (There will be less datapponts so the signal will be less smooth). Did you do experiments with this to output higher frequenties?

What is that ext reference signal type?

Yeah, I started in electronics when the good stuff was a 20Mhz CRT

So are those actually RF signal generators?

Why green trace remains the same while zooming in and out frequency axis!!??