Tariffs imposed in the US are wreaking havoc with markets and the world economy, and torpedoing retirement funds which were, for me, chugging along and growing quite nicely the last few years. The tariffs present a double whammy for US hams. Japanese and Chinese transceivers, a mainstay for the hobby today, will see price hikes like never before. One might think this will be a boon for American radio manufacturers. Those manufacturers would be, well, Elecraft. The second tariff whammy will be component prices. Most components come from overseas, so they, too, will see massive price hikes. So even if Elecraft could ramp up production (they can’t), prices for their already pricey rigs will likely be through the roof. Wayne Burdick, N6KR, of Elecraft posted recently on the K4 Groups.io, “As for tariffs—we appreciate your concern. We’ve already absorbed a lot of them and we’re holding our breath on the rest.” (Despite many people believing the country exporting items pays the tariffs, it’s actually the importer, and a tariff is essentially a sales tax as the money goes to the federal government.) Kits will take a major hit as well with the era of cheap, quick, and easy custom PC board production for hobbyists will be over.
Financial analysts are all abuzz. Opinions naturally vary, but there are predictions that the US is headed for a market crash, resulting in recession or even a Trump Depression. It’s not all that far fetched, and history has an example to look to. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 raised U.S. tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods to record levels. The intent was to protect American farmers and manufacturers by making foreign goods more expensive. It failed, miserably, and was a contributor to the Great Depression.
If we look back in history during the Great Depression, or more appropriately and attune with today’s political climate in the US, Nazi Germany in the 40s, people cobbled together radios with whatever they could find. Normal everyday citizens risked capture and certain death using homebuilt transmitters in the Resistance to relay crucial information to the allies, helping defeat the authoritarian Nazi regime.
Radio amateurs are historically a resourceful and creative bunch. With equipment and component shortages quite likely in an extended trade war and resulting Trump Depression, being able to build rigs with junkbox parts will go beyond a novelty and perhaps become a needed skill, or serve as something to pass the time while unemployed or awaiting delayed Social Security checks to arrive from the DOGE-gutted Social Security Administration.
Depression rig designs are readily available on the Internet and classic QRP texts, especially those of the late Doug Demaw, W1FB (SK). Even a one component transceiver design like the venerable Pixie or the FETer, which can be soldered together in an hour, can yield reasonable results on the air. Manhattan or “ugly” style construction will be the way to go as printed circuit boards from overseas will be prohibitively expensive. If one does not have or cannot obtain copper clad boards, tin from food cans can be soldered to and serve as a suitable substrate for RF projects, and be used to fabricate enclosures as an added bonus. As always, where there is a will, there is a way. Like many of the other difficult times in our history, radio amateurs will weather the storm and we will get through this self-induced and needless brutal financial disaster.
Radio Artisan 