Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: March Magnetic Paddle R3a

Category: Keys & Paddles

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : March Magnetic Paddle R3a
Reviews: 90MSRP: 250. and up
Description:
Handmade Brass Paddle with Excellent "Feel"
Product is in production
More Info: http://sites.google.com/site/marchmagneticpaddles/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
45904.9
KC4YLX Rating: 2002-04-26
5=Perfection=March Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Mr. March is a Craftsman and honest businessman.

I waited a long time for this and the wait was worth it. You don't make good wine in one day and you don't get a "March" in one day. Both are worth the wait and expense.

I'll have pictures of mine up soon so check my callsign on QRZ.com for a link.

Thank you Mike.

After you dig past the beauty of the paddle, you will find quality and perfection in the design, raw materials and build. My unit has a new clear finish that will help pervent tarnish in years to come. We will have to wait to see how that works out. I found pictures of several March units on the web and sent my order in with the pictures attached. I got exactly what I wanted!

Have you ordered yours yet?

NB1R Rating: 2002-04-17
effortless Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hi: I waited over 3 months for my R3a to arrive. It came yesterday and I am pleased to report that it is all that I'd hoped for. The craftsmanship is superb. The pictures don't even give a hint as to its beauty. I have a very light touch so I have the magnets set apart quite a bit. Another feature is the smoothness of the paddle arms. They can be adjusted so that there is no apparent, and aggravating, horizontal movement of the arms that you find in other paddles. I've been bugging since 1942 in the AACS and this is finest tool yet! 73, Ned, NB1R
K1NDV Rating: 2002-03-06
Very very nice! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Received my R3a a few weeks ago. It feels great especially at high speed. I was impressed with the quality and I was happy to finally see a paddle that had the proper adjusting points that could do what Ive been looking for ie no vertical play. I often key paddles on the top edges of the finger pieces and most paddles miss letters-NOT this GEM!!!! This is by far amongst the very few best paddles available. With the R3a- one would not have to look any further. I plan on getting a 2nd R3a ASAP.
KWAME Rating: 2002-02-12
Smooth Feel and Work Of Art Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I received my R3a March paddle last November and enjoy it very much. I've been in and out of CW operations since 1964 and have always used a straight key, until recently when I decided to try something different. I tried the Bencher BY-1 and the Kent SP-1, they are both very nice pieces of equipment but they didn't have the feel I was looking for. I did some research on the March R3a paddle and decided to buy one, and I am very glad that I did. The R3a has a very smooth feel to its movement, yet it is very eye catching and a work of art. Since I received the March R3a paddle I have not stopped having fun.

This paddle will stay in place when you are sending. The March R3a has very sustantial feet on it which keep it in place even with a sender with a heavy hand like mine.

73, K2RMC
N1TP Rating: 2002-02-10
Smooth and Solid Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The R3a's weight and foot pads keep the R3a in place on the desk. The posts on which the finger pieces pivot are adjustable to allow silky smooth pivoting with no horizontal looseness whatsoever. I dislike a paddle that develops looseness after hours of use, especially one that falls apart during a contest. The R3a's adjustments remain rock solid. I've been a CW operator since 1983 and have used only iambic paddles. Mike March's R3a iambic is the best paddle I've ever used. The R3a is a "Mack Truck." It takes several months to receive your custom made R3a, but the wait is more than worth it. My R3a has a smooth black base and clear finger pieces.
K4KB Rating: 2001-11-29
The Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Let me preface this by saying that I have been a ham for 42 years. I love CW, operate 90% of the time in this mode and I'm a member of FISTS. During these years I have used a wide variety of straight keys, bugs and paddles ranging form J.H. Bunnell and Vibroplex to Kent, but had never experienced anything even close to a March paddle..

I ordered my March paddle and waited patiently for it. Finally it arrived!!! What an exquisite precision instrument, it's made like a fine Swiss watch. I took a magnifying glass and looked at it from every possible angle. Rather than a well made paddle, every detail looks like something crafted for Tiffany's, worth of being displayed in a Museum of Fine Arts.

After this thorough inspection, I adjusted it and put it to work. My CW, "flowed" from it. It's smooth movement enhanced my sending and made it effortless.

Mike March is a delightful person to deal with. He responds quickly to any questions and provides excellent guidance and advise.

If you don't have one yet, indulge and give yourself the satisfaction of owning one.

Jorge, K4KB - Winston, GA
W9WIS Rating: 2001-11-26
Only Key I Now Own ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Mike March is an artist ! The purchase of one of Mike's R3a keys was one of the best upgrades to my equipment I have ever done. I took delivery of the key about 3 months ago. Fit, finish and the design of this key is flawless. It has improved my iambic sending ability greatly. I sold my venerable Bencher and Hi-Mound paddles and never looked back. Well worth the price and the wait when compared to what $200 buys these days.
VE7RGX Rating: 2001-11-18
Fine Quality Paddles Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just Received the paddles a week ago,and the quality of the workmanship is outstanding.Had my finish Qso with the paddles and the feel of them was great.The adjustments for this paddle are next to none.Mike has produced one of the best if not the best paddles around.They are a pleasure to use.Thanks Mike for the R3a and the paddles will be displayed in the shack as a piece of artwork.
W7DAM Rating: 2001-08-31
A joy to own and use Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Aside from being a work of art, the first thing I noticed was that the finger spacing of the paddles was perfect. As many have said, operation is very smooth and does not have a clicky feel. The paddles have numerous adjustments which allowed me to get it to feel perfect and, as I become accustomed to using it, will allow fine tuning to retain that perfect feel.

Mine is customized with blue finger pieces and is certainly an example of fine craftsmanship. When it comes time for me to get a second radio, I won't hesitate to get another R3a.

Dave, W7DAM
N3WT Rating: 2001-08-03
Perfect for fine CW Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The magnets give this paddle a nice smooth feel, very different from the springs of the Bencher. A pleasure to operate and a thing of beauty. My XYL did not even notice a new IC-756PRO, but she noticed the new R3a the first night. I now place the paddle in the middle of my desk. The real rosewood finger pieces adds true class to the R3a paddle. If you enjoy fine CW you will like the March R3a. I highly recommend the R3a to all fine CW operators or key collectors.