Cheap function generator options.

[chayced]

I'm playing around with a toroidal coil and eventually want to use it for some wireless power transfer experiments. My problem is that i need a function generator that can output around 1-5 mhz, and they are kinda pricey. I'm not going to need to know the precise frequency I'm producing, just to be able to sweep it through a range until I hit resonance. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm really looking for an option under $50, because if I go much over that I might as well spend the money on a used unit off eBay.

Thanks in advance!

 

[seang]

once i made a quick and dirty fg with a PIC. You can try this, but it may be difficult to produce a decent 5 MHz sine wave; got a scope?

A 1 MHz sine wave is probably do-able.

You could also hit the torroid with an impulse, collect data with a dsPIC, and then fft.

hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will give you some help.

cheers