I have my HW-16 warming up as I write, but I hear static crashes in the 'phones. We have rain moving in this afternoon, and we're under a Tornado Watch.
I've been cleaning the shack a bit, and ran across a July 1982 issue of QST magazine. I've spent some time reading the ads and editorial copy, and its been an interesting blast from the past.
I checked prices in ads for then-current ham gear, and its very interesting how the prices compare today, adjusted for inflation.
Using a web site that gives values in “today” dollars, you can conclude that technology has gotten cheaper over the last 27 years or so.
For example, a then-new top-of-the-line Kenwood TS-930S retailed for about $1800. Adjusted for inflation by using the consumer price index, in today's dollars, the rig would sell for about $4100, which is more than a IC-756PROIII or FT-2000.
If you compare the features, you sure get a lot more rig now for less money. The TS-930S had dual VFOs and general coverage receive. Filters (what's DSP??) were extra.
Even some equipment I own and use today is fairly expensive by today's values. The Datong FL-2 audio filter that I own (and I use the FL-3, which is the same as the FL-2 but with auto notch filter) sells for $200 in QST. That equates to about $450 today.
The Kenwood TR-2500 2-meter HT sold for $300, which roughly equates to $670 today. You can buy a full-featured HT for about $100 today.
Other rigs of the day include the Kenwood TS-830S, the TS0-130S, the Ten-Tec Omni C, the Yaesu FT-ONE, the FT-102 and the Drake TR-7 and TR-5. I don't know why, but I've always wanted to buy a TR-7. I almost bought one a couple of months ago. It's a rather large rig, and I already don't have space for receivers I want to add to the shack; another rig I can't use doesn't make much sense. You sure don't see many TR-5s for sale these days, I suspect they didn't produce a bunch of them. This issue of QST has the Drake ad promoting the new TR-7 and is companion R7 receiver as the new “Drake Twins,” lol! I think I would have opted for the outboard VFO rather than the receiver, if nothing more than to save money.
Enough of my trip down memory lane. This issue of QST is going in the trash. One interesting point is the Butternut vertical … the HF-6V was only $159, which today would set you back about $350. The HF6V today is $425, and the HF9V is $500, so perhaps some things were cheaper then as well!
It's amazing how expensive 2-meter FM rigs were then too.