Interesting old function gen

[cloudscapes]

Pasco Scientific 9301A I bought off a music forum some years ago. I dug it out to give the outside a good clean.

https://wiki.brown.edu/confluence/download/attachments/29215/Dual+Function+Generator.pdf

Date on the chips is 75/76. It's spotless inside (apart from the flux)!  I'll get some waveforms up later when I've reassembled it. 

[echen1024]

That's a beautiful board... I would replace those electrolytics though...

[Mr Smiley]

Get ready for c4757p to say that's not a real signal generator because it hasn't any push buttons, embedded micro or LCD displays on it 


I thinks it's a treasure 

 

[c4757p]

Get ready for c4757p to say that's not a real signal generator because it hasn't any push buttons, embedded micro or LCD displays on it 

Damn, did I make you mad about the LCR "meter"? Here...



 

(Dude, usually I'm the first one to bitch that some marketing guy vomited blinkylights all over something and made it look like it comes from Fisher-Price! I just think LCR bridges are a pain in the ass...)

That's pretty cool, actually. The circuit is really simple, it seems to do all the basic functions (and more - modulation!), and the dual gen + summing amp is interesting.

I wonder whose idea the integrated microphone preamp was. Seems a bit tacked on.

[kxenos]

Get ready for c4757p to say that's not a real signal generator because it hasn't any push buttons, embedded micro or LCD displays on it 


I thinks it's a treasure 

 

Dude, seriously, GET A LIFE, will you?? It's enough.

[Six_Shooter]

It took me a minute to realize that the board was actually the reverse of the face (control panel). Very neat layout.

[cloudscapes]

Yeah the mic pre is peculiar! Overall it seems somewhat audio centric rather than a general purpose function gen, which suits me fine because I got into DIY to do audio!

[cloudscapes]

some waveforms. sine at the bottom, then modulation. mostly AM and FM. triangle and square doesn't seem to work on the first gen, and its sine symmetry seems to be a bit off (independently of duty cycle control). rest seems to work though.



frequencies haven't drifted much, if at all! 6.002KHz on the sine. it's analog control anyway so I could breathe on the knob and it would change.

also, the waveform switches sound HUGE!  like I'm switching between shuttle bay doors or something similarly massive. CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK
which is surprising because the actual switches look small inside. love the huge frequency pots!

[Bored@Work]

At first glance it looks like an education product. Which would explain the mic.

Yep, after a bit of googling, PASCO is still around http://www.pasco.com/

Who we are

PASCO is the global expert in 21st century science education. For almost 50 years, we have been designing, developing and supporting innovative education technology solutions for primary, secondary, and university level science.

[SeanB]

I just love those switches they use for functions, soldered to the board like that.

[Mr Smiley]

Dude, seriously, GET A LIFE, will you?? It's enough.

       And who are you to tell me what i can and can't do.

 

[Anks]

Would be good to teach people what frequency's need killing when ringing out at a gig.