That generator has a 600 ohm output impedance, I believe, so it may not be that likely to deliver a fatal current to the base. The transistor could nevertheless be dead, for this reason or some other.

Another possibility is that you have got some problem with the circuit, such as a short-circuit, a wiring error, or incorrect identification of the transistor leads.

There are a few things you could check:

If you have a DC voltmeter, measure the voltage from the collector to the emitter - is it really zero?

If you remove the transistor from the circuit, does the expected DC voltage then appear at the collector resistor?

Are you sure that the oscilloscope is set up to measure a DC voltage - what happens if you use it to measure the DC supply?

If you have a meter with a transistor test feature, what result does this give with the suspect transistor? PLEASE clean off any solder and flux carefully from the transistor leads first if it has been soldered in, you don't want to spoil the nice little socket in the meter!

 

There are a few things you could check:

If you have a DC voltmeter, measure the voltage from the collector to the emitter - is it really zero?

If you remove the transistor from the circuit, does the expected DC voltage then appear at the collector resistor?

Are you sure that the oscilloscope is set up to measure a DC voltage - what happens if you use it to measure the DC supply?

If you have a meter with a transistor test feature, what result does this give with the suspect transistor? PLEASE clean off any solder and flux carefully from the transistor leads first if it has been soldered in, you don't want to spoil the nice little socket in the meter!

If I use my multimiter to look at the voltages, everything looks good and the circuit appears to be functioning. It is only when I connect my o-scope probe and ground glip that the signal goes flat...
If I just connect the probe (no ground clip) I get no signal, but as soon as I connect the ground clip I get a flatline at 0v.... Very confusing and frustrating.
I know that my scope still works because if I touch the generator and scope probes together, I see the signal.

 

It is difficult to advise somebody at a distance. There may be something basic being overlooked, all the more difficult if it turns out to be the something that people more used to this work may take for granted.

The first thing you may want to do is to find out whether your device is working properly, or whether it is faulty in some way.

This is something where ideally you might want to get help from someone else who knows more about the subject. In the absence of anyone to advise you face to face, we need to do this slowly, step by step to avoid confusion.

I suggest that you begin by going to using the scope / signal generator by itself to monitor its own output. What happens when you then connect the two ground clips together?

Let's hear the answer to that, rather than give you a list of instructions.

 

I suggest that you begin by going to using the scope / signal generator by itself to monitor its own output. What happens when you then connect the two ground clips together?

Let's hear the answer to that, rather than give you a list of instructions.

Thanks for sticking with me, Adjuster!
And sorry for my delayed response - I didn't have much time to devote to the subject over the long weekend (the office gave me the day off for veterans day!)

Anyway, to answer your question --

If I connect the waveform generator probe to my o-scope probe (no ground clips) I get a good signal on the 'scope... If I then connect the ground probes together, I see no change in the signal.

I have also verified my circuit and equipment is working by setting up a 555 timer circuit to generate a waveform, then hooking up my o-scope at the collector with it's ground clip at common ground - I see a good signal on the 'scope that way as well. However when I then remove the 555 timer's input and replace it with the waveform generator, I once again get 0V output to the 'scope.

I'm baffled , so, thanks again for your time!!

 

I figured it out... As long as I connect the o-scope probe w/ground clip to the output and ground of the circuit, and only connect the waveform generator probe w/ NO ground clip to the input, I get good results on the scope...

My thought is that the ground clips share a mutual connection inside of the 'scope/generator unit, and by connecting both ground clips to the circuit, I was essentially shorting the input to ground.