This looks like the most solid kit I've seen so far. For some reason their sales page is broken, so I don't even know what they're asking price is!
I'd like to know more about what you think of your M3. I've been skating by without a way to measure inductance (easily) for too long, and now it looks like I'll be getting into RF soon, so the added features would prove useful.
Is it awesome enough that I should send them an email asking after a kit?
It is indeed awesome
The things I like about it are:
Really comprehensive, high-resolution measurements of capacitors and inductors.
Resistance down to 1 milliohm with 4-lead measurement (but see below).
Ability to measure power transformers and chokes. It'll even figure out the secondary voltage on an unknown transformer! I have also built the LC meter from AADE (
http://aade.com/lcmeter.htm), another awesome kit. However, it only measures at higher frequencies (from tens-hundreds of thousands of Hz) and can't do low-frequency measurement needed for big iron cores. The M3 measures at several different (user-selectable) frequencies from 100/120-15000 Hz. On the other hand, when I just want to match capacitors (by capacitance), I actually go to the AADE first, because it's so quick to use.
Really nice display and printed metal case. The case is pre-drilled, too, which is a big deal for a guy like me with POOR drilling skills.
SMALL for all it can do. Its capabilities seem like something from a big rack-mount meter.
Some negatives (like Dave, gotta point out the negatives too, even when you love a product
):
Little clicky buttons are perfectly functional, but I'd prefer more substantial ones. That would probably make construction a little harder.
You have to make the four leads yourself out of miniclips and mini-coax cable. It wasn't easy. The task would be a lot easier with a high quality soldering iron with a fine tip.
I thought that the attachment to the clips was a little bit tenuous because there is no strain relief, and the central wire in the coax is pretty stiff. I ended up making another set using Pomona 4555 minigrabbers which also don't have strain relief, but they have less play in them, and the wire insertion is at a better angle. M3 was very helpful in assisting me with that. I also ended up building their Kelvin leads (what a time saver!). But you still need 4 leads for transformer measurements.
You need a separate power supply. I would really love if it could run on internal batteries.
I bought mine about 2 years ago for $175. The Kelvin lead kit was about $40. If you're mostly interested in RF inductors, then you might be able to go with the AADE, which is only $100 for the kit.
Cheers.