XR2206 Function Generator kit, and Chinese project boxes

A number of items from the Far East have been trickling in over the holiday period, including 2N3906 PNP transistors, veroboard, audio transformers and project boxes. One such packet arrived today with five project boxes, snap-on lid types, for about £3. The quality is good, not perfect, but certainly adequate, and quite impressive for the cost! Two of these will become small Radiation detectors using the SI-19BG and the SBM-10 G-M tubes.

Another packet with two larger white boxes has also arrived. These are for the BOI-33 tube based detectors. The photo above shows the first version board fitted into the box. I need now to sort out a battery supply (waiting on coin cell holders - this will run on a 3V lithium cell), plus power switch, LED and neon indicator holes, and a sound hole for the loudspeaker, plus a row of holes along the side to allow better beta penetration to the tube.

Also for about £3 shipped, I received this little function generator kit. Actually a little smaller than I expected, the board was of reasonable quality, although the edges are a little rough, and some of the holes are a little too large.

Putting it together was very easy, although the instructions that came with it were pretty rubbish! The parts list at least was accurate.

Hard to see in the photo, but the clear acrylic case is etched with the names of the controls. The board is not bolted into the case, as the five(!) M3 nuts and bolts were too short to do so! However, the case itself is a reasonably tight fit and so there is little movement.  I've yet to test it though.