Two of the major Part 15 and RSS-210/BETS-1 transmitters are made in Canada (the ProCaster & the Decade MS-100). I don't believe that the tariffs enacted by the 'geniuses' in the White House apply to these as of today. I could be wrong, but Canada appears to have been largely exempted from the sweeping tariffs announced yesterday.
Who knows what will happen in the future, though. If you're looking to purchase one of these over the next little while, better sooner than later.
Speaking of the price of tranmitters let's go ahead and look at thhe current prices. There's actually numerous discontinued certified Part 15 AM transmitters to be found on ebay and other places but currently there are only 4 certified that are still being mannufactured, so lets glance at those..
● ISS Talking House (TH5) aka InfoSpot aka I.A.M Radio
https://theradiosource.com/products/infospot.htm
▪︎Indoor Transmitter only: $148.95
▪︎W/external Range Extender: $648.90
● The Procaster https://www.chezradio.com/
▪︎Direct from Chez: CAD1145 *Approx: USD $795
▪︎At Progressive Concepts: $880.00
And lastly, the apparently very capable but unpopular
● Grain Industries GI-100/1000
http://www.waynemillerassociates.com/WMA/WMAproducts.htm
A few months ago it was listed at $630, but now it doesnt specify.
It was the second runner-up of highest feild stregth in the notorious HB transmitter challenge, losing only to the Rangemaster.. but I dont know a single person who's ever owned one... Why? I'm convinced the only reason is because it looks homebuilt and thus unprofessional- It's ugly. If he put it in a different housing it might prove a whole lot more popular and he would sell more in my opinion.
And if course top contender
HAMILTON RANGEMASTER
AM1000C
(I almost forgot to include the Rangemaster! Is that crazy?)
Anyway, I am presuming that certifcations do not expire.. Is this correct? As there are numerous other brands and models of part 15 AM transmitters that had been manufactured 1970s-1990s which are no longer on the market but can be found from time to time on ebay and surplus auctions.
I need to make a list of the ones I have turned up from the past.
The overall effect of any tariff is supposedly to increase the cost of imported goods, making locally produced products more competitive. Generally, all they do is raise all prices for everyone, as the local manufacturers think they can now raise prices as well. That applies to the Rangemaster & Grain transmitters.
While the Talking House is by the far the cheapest transmitter on Rich Power's list, it is manufactured in China, which has had a 54% tariff added. I would imagine that will affect prices dramatically. Never mind the fact that the transmitter has relatively poor sound quality, reliability and range (unless you purchase the Range Extender).
There is no real competitor for the Decade MS-100 right now, so people looking for professional sounding FM transmitters will have to pay the price. You can't really consider the Whole House 3 and the BVE AXS-FMT transmitters to be in the same league as the Decade. Plus, the former, at least (and I think the latter) are manufactured in China, so they will see price increases as well.
Rich mentioned the Grain Industries which is hardly known or mentioned but is not anywhere in the league of the Procaster or Rangemaster and maybe worse than the Talking House as if you check the specs the frequency response is only to 3K!
But the Procaster at a 25% tariff will bring the price up to $931.25 USD by the time you get it from ChezRadio and shipping on top of that. Maybe better to get it from Progressive Concepts if they are selling them in the US for $800. The Decade with a 25% tariff will make the price with import duty now $656.25 add shipping. But Progressive Concepts that sells Procaster and dealers that sell Decade's in the USA still get the items from the Canadian manufacturer so the price will increase greatly there too as it originates from Canada. Anyone that wants a Decade or Procaster new, and Procasters hardly ever show up used, should as Artisan mentioned get it now before they significantly raise the price to reflect the tariff. Even from US locations.
And the Wholehouse 3 is a toy compared to the Decade. And it is made in China also so it will go up by what? 54%? But we don't know if the company is in the USA but have the product made in China, will that also be tariffed? Or does it actually have to made in the USA? This is against free trade that the President signed in his last term and is only making everything cost more. And this hobby more out of reach $$$ wise for many if you want the best. Even your food will cost more as Trump has put a Tariff on Canadian potash which the USA farmers need. Ok I'm getting side tracked...back to the subject....
As for the Rangemaster, does he have them made in the USA or does he send them out with his design to have made in China? What about the Schlockwood? Something to look into as if that's the case up will go the price of those too....to a whopping $1686.30 USD for a Rangemaster!! That is if the tariff on China is as Artisan said at 54%. And that isn't for the frequency agile model!
So if anyone wants these better get it now quick!
.. Grain Industries.. if you check the specs the frequency response is only to 3K!..
Where do you see that?
@richpowers Look on the site and the specifications.
Here's Carl's post from 6 months ago... https://www.part15.org/community/transmitter-talk/the-best-am-transmitter/paged/2/
Here's the specs from Grain Industries site...300Hz -3Khz, very bad for good audio quality.
Also don't even know if this is still available as I saw no order page or home page where to order. Another one bites the dust.
http://www.waynemillerassociates.com/wma/AM_transmitter_manual.pdf
@mark he also explains why he "would not rule out the Grain Transmitter based on its published frequency response." .
I looked and still havent seen it in the manual, but that just might be because it's staring me in the face.
@richpowers Go down to the specifications....scroll down past the contents and you will come to it. But it's not available anymore.
@artisan-radio I found this six year old article interesting. Below are excerpted the key points.
China Tariffs: How Will They Affect Electronics Manufacturers?
Sep 10, 2019
https://blog.matric.com/china-tariffs-on-electronics-manufacturers
Two days after Independence Day 2018, President Donald Trump’s aggressive new tariffs went into effect, imposing an extra 25% tax on imported Chinese goods. ... And where will the tariffs on electronics from China end up as we approach 2020?
Tariffs of 25% imposed previously on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods are set to rise to 30%. That was initially going to happen Oct. 1, but in September the president announced a delay to Oct. 15.
Will Your Electronics Manufacturers Take a Hit?...
Keep This In Mind
A 25% tariff on electronic components doesn't mean a direct 25% increase in the final cost of your product. Some estimates put the price hike in the 3% range for a typical low-to-mid-volume production, ..
Components made in Taiwan and Hong Kong are not subject to these tariffs and should continue to be priced as normal.
The total price rise will depend on the cost of goods price rise to American businesses. If you do all your manufacturing offshore, and are just reselling ready made goods, then a price rise of 3% is totally false. Most businesses use percentages to calculate profit, and it's not uncommon to have a price bump from cost of goods to retail price of 100% (and even that is an over simplification when the goods pass through multiple hands, each taking their cut).
If your cost of goods rise 54%, then expect that kind of retail price increase from today's price. If it's less because you're using locally available components, and you do some kind of manufacturing locally as well, then the pricing can get complicated (cost of goods could be buried in the final cost of manufacturing, or it could be separate), but you will still see larger price rises. Or profit margin slashing.
And given that the competition's pricing is rising at least 25% due to the tariffs, I would expect to see that kind of price rise as a minimum. After all, it's competition that forces prices lower (and the innovation to do so).
The tariffs are being sold one way. But in reality they're a gigantic tax hike on the American people, who will end up paying for them in what they purchase. They'll increase costs, inflation and that is being reflected in the current stock market.
So.. I don't know what the ramifications were 6 years ago when that article was written and this tariff thing had happened last time. I dont recall electronics prices shooting up 6 years ago.. If anything it seems electronics have been a lot cheaper generally than they were 20 years ago. Even if the transmitters go up in price some it's still basically a one time purchase. The prices will go up without tarriffs too, just not as soon.
But I don't know. These kind of things aren't really something that frustrates me. It's just different redintions of the same ole tune. If it's not one thing it will surely be another.
I don't think there's much potential of tariffs doing damage to the part 15 hobby in anyway .
Most of the manufacturers are small (very small) businesses. Even small changes (and this isn't a small change) can affect them greatly. The biggest issue is that some may go out of business - voluntarily or otherwise. Tariffs are a big pain to deal with. I wouldn't blame them.
So, no, ultra low power broadcasting will continue. There may just be fewer equipment choices (and there aren't that many already).
Most of the manufacturers are small.. The biggest issue is that some may go out of business - voluntarily or otherwise...
Well.. I metioned that the Grain was still listed at $630 on his website as of a month or two ago because I saw it, and now no price is shown. It was actually recently removed..
The Rangemaster website has been in a state of disarray from an unfinished site rebuild for about a year now - which is a indication that perhaps sales have been down for a while (this is total presumption but it seems obvious)
Early last month I had contacted the Savannah Wildlife Reserve (in N.C.) inquiring if their 5 transmitters on 1610 AM for their audio tour were still active. - They were all InfoSpots (TH) and had been installed by ISS in 2013 (See Wildlife Refuge Uses Special Radio Stations to Tell Stories and Drive Time At Savannah Wildlife Refuge and there's others).
Amy Ochoa, Refuge Ranger replied to me on March 3:
"The radio tour is not active anymore. We replaced it a few years ago with an interactive mobile app. You can download the app for free in the app store for your phone...."
It was kind of disheartening, for years there's been all this push to keep AM in cars, which looks like it's going to succeed, yet they go and abandon their part 15 AM Audio Tour system (which was a $20,000 install) and trade it for a phone app.
How much business you think Rangemaster, Procaster and the Talking House has been doing the past few years? Speculativly, I'd say sales took a big nosedive years ago. Whens the last time you seen Kieth step in here?
Only a few of us keeping this forum alive, about the same at HB, and the MBCF and HFunderground only hears a peep now and again.
Not real sure about how the Facebook part 15 groups are doing. I pop in and look around sometimes but facebook aint my scene.
Now Carl is MIA.
My point is tariffs are the very least of Part 15 worries. Our hobby has been disintegrating for years - or at least the online community. We need a Part 15 revival of some kind..
Well, I have to admit that low power broadcasting has issues.
I look at it similarly to amateur (ham) radio a while ago, which has since experienced a bit of a renaissance. How? By embracing new technologies, while still supporting the classic ones. And as a result, getting new blood into the mix.
I find it ridiculous that someone by now hasn't come out with a low power, unlicensed, digital transmitter. They're really not much more complicated than analog ones, and there are plenty of open source avenues to explore and experiment with.
Even Internet streaming is looked down upon by the traditionalists. Never mind something like an SDR. To the crusty oldsters, radio is modulating carriers with analog signals and that's it. But it could be so much more.
I wonder, do most people even realize that their cell phone is just a radio, digitally transmitting to an antenna? Bluetooth is radio. Wireless networking is radio.
Radio is an integral part of everyone's life. Maybe we just have to look outside the box we find ourselves in to take advantage of that.