08-18-2007, 07:28 AM
There won't be much of any use for a power supply; I dont' recall having used one in the last 40 years on radios.
A high impedance AC Voltmeter (hp 400 series) are a requirement for peaking IF's accurately.
A frequency counter is essential if your signal generator doesn't have a read-out.
An oscilloscope is excellent but you must learn to use it properly. That will take time and practice especially in triggers and what to trigger off of.
A high impedance 10:1 divider probe is essential for use with the scope, AC voltmeter, and counter. Using ordinary wire or coax and clip leads into a circuit will load and add capacitance to whatever you are looking at-and you will NOT be getting the results you had hoped for. The hi-Z probe will always look like a 10Meg resistor (nothing!) to a circuit.
Something not always thought about but very important- a cheap external attenuator that will remain forever on the output connector of your sig gen. 10dB is perfect- it will reduce your signal level to one tenth and protect your sig gen from getting fried when you accidentally make connection to the B+ (high voltage). The attenuator will fry instead of your sig gen (been there, done that).
Your signal generator should go down to 175KHz and be capable of 70% AM; better yet a range of audio to 50MHz. IF's are usually 455-470 KHz, but will go down to 175KHz in some Silvertones- that's the only reason for going down to 175KHz.
A high impedance AC Voltmeter (hp 400 series) are a requirement for peaking IF's accurately.
A frequency counter is essential if your signal generator doesn't have a read-out.
An oscilloscope is excellent but you must learn to use it properly. That will take time and practice especially in triggers and what to trigger off of.
A high impedance 10:1 divider probe is essential for use with the scope, AC voltmeter, and counter. Using ordinary wire or coax and clip leads into a circuit will load and add capacitance to whatever you are looking at-and you will NOT be getting the results you had hoped for. The hi-Z probe will always look like a 10Meg resistor (nothing!) to a circuit.
Something not always thought about but very important- a cheap external attenuator that will remain forever on the output connector of your sig gen. 10dB is perfect- it will reduce your signal level to one tenth and protect your sig gen from getting fried when you accidentally make connection to the B+ (high voltage). The attenuator will fry instead of your sig gen (been there, done that).
Your signal generator should go down to 175KHz and be capable of 70% AM; better yet a range of audio to 50MHz. IF's are usually 455-470 KHz, but will go down to 175KHz in some Silvertones- that's the only reason for going down to 175KHz.
Pete AI2V
