I want to buy a programmable signal (square, sin, triangle, sawtooth) generator. I want to be able to enter frequency, duty cycle and optionally signal amplitude, either manually, through the generator's panel keys or optional computer interface. I want to frequency range 0.1Hz - 100MHz.
As Frank says, I don't think there are any. The low cost "function" generators seem to stop at around 20MHz.
It would probably be cheaper to get a low cost function generator (sine, sawtooth, square) up to 20MHz, and a separate low cost "signal generator" (sine only) up to 100MHz+.
Of course there are new things coming out all the time, so I may be out of date. There are reasonably priced DDS chips capable of this, so perhaps someone has packaged one into a modern, low cost instrument.
I have been looking at the new Tektronix arbitrary function generators
These would do what you want and much more, and are competitively priced for their product class. But hardly student priced (thousands of $) :(
You'll have a hard time finding a commercial unit that does 100MHz, and if you did you can't afford it. Why do you need 100MHz?
2 to 20MHz is about the upper limit for most general purpose function generators.
The ones with a keypad to enter the frequency will be a DDS (Direct Digital Synthesis) type.
There are some low cost function gens on eBay like this one:
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This is by far the best you'll get for that sort of money.
If you want to roll your own for not much cost then you can try the MAX038 chip for an analog solution, like this one:
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Or there are a few DDS chips around for a digital solution like this one:
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Analog devices have "demo boards" for their high frequency DDS chips that will give you 100MHz if you *really* need sort of frequency, they cost a couple of hundred dollars and are PC driven only unless you design you own interface.
At $1300, the new Goodwill GFG-3015 is an excellent example of a low cost fully optioned function generator:
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Fine for the lab, but not exactly a hobbyist price.
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