Just a follow-up on my previous posts.
I've been using the JDS6600 DDS Arbitrary Function Generator for a few weeks now.
Now I've had more time to use it, I'm really delighted with it. Most recently I've been using it at low signal levels (at around the 20mV) looking at emitter-follower characteristics, and I can't fault it at all.
OK, so I built my own little earth grounded 5v linear power supply to feed it, but that's why I bought this version rather than the other types that are directly mains powered in the first place, as I felt I would get a clean signal like that.
The controls are easy to use, it's intuitive, and the display is really helpful as it shows the shape of the waveform that it's producing on Channel 1. The buttons themselves feel quite tactile, and very similar to the ones on my scope. They're slightly rubberized and you know you've pressed them.
The unit can be set up to start up in whatever mode you want when it first starts up too. This is really useful if you're doing a similar set of tests aver a number of sessions. So if for example, you can set the unit to start up with both channels turned off, and the first channel to be ready to output a triangle wave at 5MHz, with an amplitude of 20mV, and the second channel ready to output a sine wave of 1KHz and 1V. You can have channels default to be on or off on startup, whether you want the buttons to beep or not when pressed. That kind of thing.
The other neat thing is that it just so happens that the colours on Channel 1 and Channel 2 are yellow and light blue respectively, which just so happens to match my Rigol scope. I don't know if there is an industry standard for colour coding scopes and function generator channels or not. It makes things a lot easier trying to work out if what signal I'm looking at.
I've not tried loading up my own arbitrary waveform to the unit yet, and at the moment I can't think of why I would need to, but as it's got that functionality I may as well give it a try too at some point.
It's a very lightweight little unit, and so I've put one of those anti-slip mats under it to stop it moving around.
Here is a picture of mine, pumping out a triangle wave, 1KHz, at 30mV. The scope is on the collector of a 2N3904 set up as an emitter follower with a gain of ten. I've also got one of my other favourite things placed on top of the signal generator - a packet of Milliput.
I'm really happy with the unit. It's serving me very well.
Trys