On Fri, 5 Oct 2007 11:08:01 -0400, "robb" wrote:

there is quite a variety of sig/func generators on the bay ...
just wondering if there is a basic series or brand to looking for
to test/setup a tek 2236 scope ?
thanks
rob


If you want to test the time base at the low end,
you can use the signal generator from my Daqarta
software with your sound card. Sound cards use
crystal time bases, so you get pretty decent accuracy.
At a sample rate of 48000 Hz the max sound card
output will be under 24000 Hz, so you won't be
able to calibrate below 50 usec per division. At the
low end there is no particular limit, since the generator
maintains the timebase accuracy for as long as you
want to wait. (Of course, you need to use a pulse or
square wave to pass the sound card's AC coupling cap.)

Daqarta also has a wide variety of available waveforms,
including different kinds of noise, plus you can provide
your own Arbitrary waveform or even play a WAV file.

Sound cards have no intrinsic amplitude calibration...
they are perfectly repeatable, you just don't know what
the attenuator steps are, or the full-scale range. Daqarta
has an Auto-Calibration feature to figure out the attenuator
steps, but you need something external to calibrate full scale.
But once you do that, you're all set. The attenuation range
is usually quite wide (more than 60 dB) and you can also
change the size of the digital waveform to take that even
farther... 90 dB is fairly easy to get.

By the way, the Daqarta signal generator is FREE.
At the end of 30 sessions or 30 days, the input capabilities
will stop (unless you purchase), but the output and analysis
capabilities keep on working. You are welcome to use it forever like
that.

Best regards,


Bob Masta

DAQARTA v3.50
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
www.daqarta.com
Scope, Spectrum, Spectrogram, Signal Generator
Science with your sound card!