What equipment is commonly used to test and align various types of transmitters and receivers?

Signal generators are essential tools for testing and aligning transmitters and receivers because they produce electrical signals of specific frequencies and amplitudes. These signals can simulate the types of inputs that a transmitter or receiver would typically encounter during operation, allowing technicians to evaluate the performance and responsiveness of the equipment. By using a signal generator, technicians can assess the equipment’s modulation, frequency response, and overall signal integrity, ensuring that it operates correctly within the desired specifications.

In contrast, while oscilloscopes and function generators can also play roles in testing, they serve different primary functions. An oscilloscope primarily visualizes electrical signals, making it invaluable for analyzing waveform shapes and characteristics but not primarily for aligning transmitters or receivers. A function generator can produce various waveforms but is often not as specialized as a signal generator for the specific frequencies and modulation types needed in communications systems. A frequency counter measures the frequency of signals but does not generate the signals necessary for alignment.