He XR2206 Function Generator DIY Kit & Other Goodies

he XR2206 Function Generator DIY Kit & other
goodies
A function generator is an indispensable of electronics lab equipment, but unfortunately such a costly device is
not within the easy reach of an average electronics hobbyist. We know that there are a lot of do-it-yourself
designs out there, but the most popular (and inexpensive) Chinese kit in the market is the one based on the nifty
function generator chip XR2206. Based on my experience, the easy to build 1Hz-IMHz XR2206 function
generator kit allows a variety of routine measurements and experiments, and offers fairer quality sine, square,
and triangle output waveforms with moderate stability and accuracy. Currently, it is more than adequate for a
small home electronics hobby lab!
The XR2206 DIY Kit

When you buy the do-it-yourself kit, it requires a little solder work, and you will get everything needed to
complete the project. The packet also includes a pretty good transparent acrylic enclosure, mounting hardware,
and an instruction leaflet which I’m sure most makers will be able to follow. Fortunately, the kit comes with
though-hole components, and there’re legends on the double-sided PCB that tells you clearly where to mount
and solder each component. Additionally, there’s also a good-quality socket for the XR2206 chip, fancy caps
for the jumpers, and knobs for the potentiometers.
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Kit Construction Clues

The construction will be a piece of cake if you know what you’re doing! As usual, solder all low-profile
components one by one at first, and finally solder the IC socket. Remember to pay good attention to the
polarity of electrolytic capacitors, and the orientation of the XR2206 IC. Trim the legs of all components as
short as possible to avoid accidental short circuits, as well. Following is a couple of random snaps from my
workbench taken while I was building the function generator, a $10 do it yourself kit I bought from a Chinese
vendor.
Quick Test Hints
When construction is completed and you are ready to put the function generator into operation, make sure that
the polarity of power supply. Then feed 9-12V DC (9V typical) through the DC input jack. Here’s a pointer to
generate 1MHz sine wave (and square wave) in a simple way.
 Short bottom two pins (Tri/Sin) of the waveform selector jumper

 Short top two pins (65K-1M) of the frequency selection jumper
 Turn the knob of the fine tune potentiometer to fine tune the signal frequency
 Turn the knob of the coarse tune potentiometer to coarse tune the signal frequency
 Turn the knob of the amplitude potentiometer to adjust the output signal amplitude
You can use a 6F22 9V battery for power, because the entire current consumption is very low at 9V. However,
if you’re using a 9V-12V (never exceed 12V) power supply, ensure that it’s a stable type with very low output
noise and ripple. After successful construction and the first test, finally you can enclose the build. You need to
peel off the outer protective layer of the enclosure panels. The task is not very hard – just wet it with fresh
water and peel off!
In addition, note that the square wave output does not go through the amplitude control. Only amplitude of the
sine/triangle waves can be regulated by the knob (and it’s also influenced by the input supply voltage). Do refer
the specification chart shown below to get a clear perception of the performance of your XR2206 function
generator.
The First Impression

The XR2206 function generator DIY kit is really a cheap and easy to build one that can be handy for most
beginners and electronics enthusiasts. In my lab, it performed quite well making near-perfect square, sine, and
triangular waveforms. Here’s the random oscillograms:
To sum up, if you’re looking for a simple function generator kit that’s cheap and only takes less than an hour to
construct, this kit is for you. You’ll also end up with a proud addition to your existing electronics lab tools.
Keep in mind that it doesn’t replace a professional function generator, nonetheless, looks pretty useful for
electronics hobbyists/makers to repair/debug certain projects, and for learning intentions.
Fiddler’s Thinkings
In principle, the XR-2206 chip itself is a monolithic function generator integrated circuit capable of producing
high quality sine, square, triangle, ramp, and pulse waveforms of high-stability and accuracy. The output
waveforms can be both amplitude and frequency modulated by an external voltage. Frequency of operation can
be selected externally over a range of 0.01Hz to more than 1MHz
(https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Kits/XR2206_104_020808.pdf). So, for many, there’re numerous ways
ahead to exploit its hidden potentials!
For example, you can easily add built-in frequency counter display, optional AM/FM modulation inputs,
synchronizing signal outputs, amplitude/offset controllers, etc. just by incorporating a small microcontroller
based circuitry with the core design. Furthermore, you can use the same design to test/scan common piezo-
transducers if there’s an option to raise the output amplitude close to or above 70Vp-p. This official application
note describes the design and construction of the core of such a complete function generator system suitable for
laboratory usage or hobbyist applications https://www.changpuak.ch/electronics/FG2206/tan005.pdf
(core circuit diagram for the complete function generator system)
The Nostalgic L8038!

Even though not recommended for new designs, the precision waveform generator/voltage controlled
oscillator, Intersil’s L8038 IC (http://eeshop.unl.edu/pdf/ICL8038.pdf) capable of producing high accuracy sine,
square, triangular, sawtooth and pulse waveforms with a minimum of external components is still available for
cheap. Do it yourself waveform generator kits based on L8038 are also available from many online sellers
under $5. So with a few bucks in your hand,
make a simple try and be enlightened.
Here, it’s worth noting that L8038 datasheet implies that all waveforms can operate up to 1MHz, sadly, only
the square wave signal output is useful at that higher frequency. As you might have experienced with the
XR2206 chip, distortion on the sine wave and linearity of the triangle wave fall off rapidly above 100KHz (and
has large glitches). Although there are several factors which make it poor than ideal, the waveform generator is
not a piece of junk – trust me!
Go for DDS…
Now you’ve a pair of cheap and popular function generator chips in hand – the XR2206 from Exar, and the
L8038 from Intersil. Then what about a serious play with one DDS (direct digital synthesizer) device? DDS, as
you may know, is a technique of making an analog waveform (usually a sine wave) by generating a time-
varying digital signal and then performing a digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion. Although many possibilities
for frequency generation are open to us, the DDS technique is rapidly gaining acceptance for resolving
frequency/waveform production demands because single-chip devices can now generate high resolution
programmable analog output waveforms at ease, ofcourse with higher level of accuracy. An in-depth (lengthy
as well) tutorial on digital signal synthesis can be found
at https://www.analog.com/media/cn/training-seminars/tutorials/450968421DDS_Tutorial_rev12-2-99.pdf.
An extremely popular DDS chip in our market is the AD9833, which is a DDS-based programmable waveform
generator operating at 5.5V with a 25-MHz clock. DDS devices like the AD9833 can be programmed through a
high speed serial peripheral-interface (SPI), and need only an external clock to generate simple sine waves.
When it comes to buy prewired DDS function generator modules online you should search for “AD9833” and
you will get plenty of offers with prices of about $10. Take note, AD9833 is not limited to purely sinusoidal
outputs – square, and triangular waveform outputs are also available from the AD9833 DDS
chip. https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD9833.pdf.
One major advantage of the Direct Digital Synthesis technique is that its output frequency can be precisely
selected by writing a value to the frequency register and no calibration is required (the frequency will not drift
with time) because the waveform is derived from a crystal oscillator. Following is the breakdown of the
internal circuitry of a DDS device (Thanks to Analog Devices). The main components are a phase accumulator,
a means of phase-to-amplitude conversion (often a sine look-up table), and a DAC.
When combined with a microcontroller (responsible for the user interface and to send required commands to
the AD9833 which creates the waveforms) – an Arduino for instance – it’s damn easy to build a signal
generator that can generate signals covering a wide range from AF to RF. The output frequency can be set
precisely and it can also be used as a sweep generator to test the frequency response of audio circuits, and
more. I’d like to talk some more about the real build of a simple DDS function generator that will be a handy
addition to your electronics lab toolkit. Stay tuned!

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He XR2206 Function Generator DIY Kit & Other Goodies

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he XR2206 Function Generator DIY Kit & other

The XR2206 DIY Kit

Kit Construction Clues

 Short bottom two pins (Tri/Sin) of the waveform selector jumper

The First Impression

(core circuit diagram for the complete function generator system)

The Nostalgic L8038!

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