In other discussions we talked about how tarrifs might impact prices of some part 15 transmitters. Personally, I don't think tarrifs will have much impact, but that's neither here nor there, what I'd like to point out just how inexpensive the premium part 15 transmitters really are now.
In the early 1970s the Info System transmitters were the only choice at $1200 per unit (about $8,756.11 today)
In the 1980s it was mostly the H---something- I forget the manufacturers name at the moment and don't feel like looking it up but that's who had been supplying the NPS during the era and they were about the same price as the 1970s
In the 1990s the primary option were the LPB (and TransAMs) transmitters, about $3,500 (about $7,419.08 today), however that did include installation, as quoted in Seagrants studies at the time https://part15lab.blogspot.com/2014/04/part-15-radio-in-state-parks.html?m=1
Incidentally, something that hadn't really occurred to me before that I just noticed is that most of those Seagrants operations in the 90s had broadcast on 1200 AM with about half mile range (1mile radius). That's pretty striking I thought for such a a low frequency.
Anyway, back to the point. Today the premium AM transmitters generally cost between about $700 to $1,000 per xmtr.
So it really seems to me we have it good even if they go up a little due to tarrifs (if they go up at all). They're still way cheaper than they ever been before.
Oh I should mention the Talking Houses of the 1990s too, though I don't put them in the class of "premium" transmitters, still it helps puts things in perspective; back then they cost approx $400 per unit ( about $847.90 today)
The Talking Signs back in the early 2000's were about the same price as the Talking House.
I agree, that we have it pretty good right now re prices. But the point is that it could be better without the tariffs.
I'm not sure how much the auto-tune Talking Houses were in 2000, I was referring to their earlier tape cassette models, those were the ones that cost $400-$500 back then depending what part of the country, but no less than $400 per unit ($897 today).