Relative affordability of Amateur Radio (1984-2024)

Amateur radio has come a long way in the past four decades, with significant advances in technology making transceivers more powerful and feature-rich. This post explores the extent to which the affordability of these devices has changed in relation to average income? Let's explore this by comparing the Icom IC-7300*, a modern mid-range transceiver, with the Yaesu FT-757 which was released in 1984.

Icom IC-7300	Yaesu FT-757

Transceiver Models and Their Release Prices

Icom IC-7300 (2020s)

• Price at Release:
  • USD: $1,200
  • GBP: £936 (using an exchange rate of 1 USD = 0.78 GBP)

Yaesu FT-757 (1984)

• Price at Release:
  • USD: $1,100
  • GBP: £825 (using an exchange rate of 1 USD = 0.75 GBP)

Adjusting for Inflation

To understand the relative affordability, we need to adjust the historical prices for inflation.

Inflation Adjustment (USD)

Using a standard U.S. inflation calculator:

1. Yaesu FT-757 (1984 to 2023)
   • 1984 Price: $1,100
   • Adjusted for 2023: Approximately $3,030

Inflation Adjustment (GBP)

Using a UK inflation calculator:

1. Yaesu FT-757 (1984 to 2023)
   • 1984 Price: £825
   • Adjusted for 2023: Approximately £2,650

Average Income Comparison

Next, we compare these prices to the average income at the time to determine relative affordability.

Average Income Data (USD)

1. 1984 Average Income: Approx. $21,600 per year
2. 2023 Average Income: Approx. $70,000 per year

Average Income Data (GBP)

1. 1984 UK Average Income: Approx. £8,600 per year
2. 2023 UK Average Income: Approx. £38,000 per year

Affordability Analysis

Yaesu FT-757 (1984)

• Price as a percentage of average income (USD): $\frac{1100}{21600} \times 100 \approx 5.09\%$
  

• Adjusted 2023 price as a percentage of 2023 income (USD): $\frac{3030}{70000} \times 100 \approx 4.33\%$

• Price as a percentage of average income (GBP): $\frac{825}{8600} \times 100 \approx 9.59\%$
  

• Adjusted 2023 price as a percentage of 2023 income (GBP): $\frac{2650}{38000} \times 100 \approx 6.97\%$

Icom IC-7300 (2023)

• Price as a percentage of average income (USD): $\frac{1200}{70000} \times 100 \approx 1.71\%$
  
• Price as a percentage of average income (GBP): $\frac{936}{38000} \times 100 \approx 2.46\%$

Conclusion

Over the past 40 years, mid-range amateur radio transceivers have become more affordable relative to average income, when prices are adjusted for inflation - the current Icom IC-7300, a mid-range transceiver, costs a smaller percentage of today's average income than the Yaesu FT-757 did in 1984, which was a comparable model for its time.

Amateur radio equipment has demonstrably become more affordable over time, making the hobby increasingly accessible. Compared to earlier models, modern transceivers provide advanced features and better performance at lower relative costs when accounting for inflation and average income growth. There really has never been a better time to be a ham radio operator.

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