I am wanting to build a 10 MHz signal source to be used in troubleshooting a preselector/RF amplifier I built to assist my shortwave radio in picking up weak stations, and am wondering how feasable my current approach is. I currently have a 10 MHz crystal oscilator on a chip feeding into the primary of a step-down transformer, the sescondary of which feeds into the primary of a second step-down transformer. This gives me a .02 volt signal on the second secondary, but it is trashy (tons of harmonics, from what I understand about these things.) If I feed this into a 10 MHz tank circuit, should that be sufficient to clean it up and give me a nice sine wave, or am I just full of crap for taking this approach? I am (obviously) a mere experimenter, with more time than money for accomplishing my goals. If this approach is snake-bit from the start, what approach should I take? I am trying to simulate a 200 microvolt signal arriving at the input to the preselector/RF amplifier so I can track it through the circuit and find out where it is failing. I am planning on adding a third step-down transformer to the layout in an attempt to achieve this signal level, and if necessary use a second tank circuit to clean it up one last time. Now that those of you who understand these things have likely wet yourself from laughing so hard, please do me the favor of sharing some of your knowledge and wisdom. :)
Many thanks for any replies,
Dave