Signal Generator Kit, XR2206 Precise Function Signal Generator Frequency Module DIY Kit Sine Triangle Square Output Adjustable 1Hz-1MHz, 9-12V Direct Current Input(1 Piece)

This is a great cheap little kit considering it includes a case and knobs.Tips:1. Check online for all sorts of tips2. Make sure all parts are soldered tight onto the board since the case holds the board in place by everything just fitting tightly. Example is IC socket as well as variable resistors.3. Two of the tall capacitors fit better if you lay them down on the board or else they can push on the case.4. I needed to just slightly file one of the case tabs so I did not need to force it in.5. If you have not build one of these inexpensive kits and their plexi case. Just be patient and enjoy the process. Example pealing paper of of the plexi does take time but will work.6. The 4 short screws are for alignment and spacing to the case bottom. You may need to slide them a little in their board holes, just loosen and re-tighten them, to get them to align with the holes in the case bottom.7. After soldering you need to trim all the parts such as caps and resistors but ALSO other parts such as the power connector. Put the bottom part of the case on, after inserting the 4 short screws and nuts, to see what all should be trimmed.PROS1. Cheap2. Works fine when built3. You get a nice little case and knobs4. Fun little projectCONS1. No real instructions at all. Just a faded circuit diagram and parts list. The diagram is correct and the circuit board is stenciled well so you can work this out without any help.2. Zero instructions on the case. As mentioned above the 4 small screws are attached to the circuit board via the 4 nuts and are use to align the board to the case and the nuts act as spacers. The long screws hold the case together without nuts, they just screw into holes in the case and work fine as such. Be careful since I same some builds online that skipped the 4 small screws.

The kit construction was not bad, taking around 30 minutes while being methodical and careful.If you are looking for a simple signal generator for basic testing or possibly using it as a decent signal source for a more complicated circuit/system, this little kit does fine.Be aware that depending on the selected frequency, there is amplitude and waveform distortion on the the signal. Also, it appears that you cannot adjust the square wave amplitude, only the sine and triangle wave amplitudes were adjustable (this could be a user error or possible a kit construction mistake, though I am doubtful about the latter).If you use the higher frequency ranges and view the output with an oscilloscope at a longer time range (milliseconds), you will see that there is a low frequency amplitude modulation affecting the signal. If you are planning to use the output of the generator in a sensitive circuit, this may be an issue for you (see my comment about using an AGC below).There is a DC offset on the output as well. You can remove this with a DC blocking capacitor, taking care to use a proper value that doesn't lead to inadvertent filtering of the output.I plan to take the output of the signal generator, remove the DC component, put it through an AGC to stabilize the amplitude, and add an adjustable DC offset to it after the output signal cleanup. These are simple circuits to build and add to the output of this basic kit. I'm personally OK with this as I consider it part of the hobby. If you want something less fiddley and more stable, I would suggest looking for a high-end kit or a commercially manufactured bench-top signal generator.In short, as a *starting point* for a cheap and cheerful but more fancy signal generator, this kit is a decent start. Also, with a bit of rework, you could use the signal generator as an audio-range oscillator for a DIY analog synthesizer. This would be a bit more advanced work though and I'm not sure if the effort would be worth it.Hope that's helpful. Good Luck!

Great product. Works exactly as advertised. Very fun to build. There are NO detailed instructions. This kit is intended for someone with some skill and is detail oriented. Great value. Definately recommended!

As someone who loves gadgets and making things myself, assembling this was fun, if a bit time consuming, at about 2.5 hours.As received, there is a bare circuit board, 5 resistors, 8 capacitors, 1 IC socket and IC (unlabelled), 3 potentiometers with knobs, 2 jumper blocks, a power connector, an output connector, a clear plastic case in 6 pieces, and mounting bolts.The instruction sheet has specifications, a schematic diagram, a parts list, and a few troubleshooting comments, in reasonably good English. The print quality was not good, with some sections barely legible because of a too small font, and some smudging.Electronic assembly is by standard soldering of part leads to the circuit board.For mechanical assembly, there are four bolts and nuts for mounting the circuit board to the base plate that are too short, but they are really not necessary, as assembling the case itself holds the board in place quite firmly. The four case screws go through holes in the top plate corners to bottom plate holes star-cut to make them self-tapping. One of the potentiometer knobs was too loose-fitting, but easily fixed with a masking tape shim.There is a jumper block for frequency range selection 1-10 Hz, 10 - 100 Hz, 100 Hz - 3 KHz, 3 - 65 KHz, and 65 KHz - 1 MHz. A second jumper selects sine wave or triangle wave. The power input of 9-12 VDC is a standard center pin negative and jacket positive connector. The output is a three place screw-locked wire receptacle connector with contacts for: ground / square wave / sine or triangle-wave.It works! This is a great value at $10 ! I have not done any measurements of frequency accuracy or distortion quantitation. This unit is perfect for my needs.