capt. spauldin
Dec 12, 2008, 06:19 PM
As the economy slips and slides, it may be some consolation to know that the RC hobby is much more affordable now than it used to be. A glance at the past shows the extent to which that’s true.
I recently came across the March 1961 issue of Popular Science magazine. In it was an installment of a multi-part article describing the construction of a RC model of NS Savannah. The piece provides a fascinating look at an earlier era of RC boat-building. Among the things in it that caught my eye was a table titled “Cost of Typical R/C Outfits.” The table showed prices for components for single-channel, four-channel, and 10-channel systems; the entry for a “four-channel transmitter and receiver” indicated that such a system would cost $120.
What if the author of the 1961 article wanted to buy a comparable “R/C outfit” today? It’s very difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison because technology has improved greatly over the years, giving buyers “more for their money.” However, it is possible to make a rough comparison. For example, four-channel Futaba radio sets – transmitter, receiver, and servo(s) – currently are available from Tower Hobbies for prices ranging from $85 to $150. The mid-point of that range is $117.50. That’s right in line with the price $120 price of 47 years ago, in absolute terms.
What about inflation, I hear someone ask. A little research unearthed the fact that the Consumer Price Index rose by about 6.9 times from 1961 to 2007 (using full-year data). That means that if prices for RC equipment had kept pace with inflation, it would have taken roughly $830 in 2007 to buy the system that $120 bought in 1961. How much was $120 in 2007 dollars worth in 1961? A little more than $17.30. (Relative value calculations were made at www.measuringworth.com.)
Prices for RC equipment clearly have fallen by quite a bit during the past few decades in absolute and inflation-adjusted terms. Nonetheless, the then-versus-now comparison is even more interesting when it comes to “affordability.” It’s safe to say that RC was a very expensive hobby half-a-century ago if a person bought rather than built his own equipment. In 1961, a four-channel system was a substantial purchase; $120 accounted for just over 2% of the median household income of $5,735 that year. In 2006 (the latest year for which I could find data), $120 was barely a blip at 0.2% of median income of $58,407.
Many things have gotten much more affordable over the years. Glad to see that RC equipment is among them.
Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
I recently came across the March 1961 issue of Popular Science magazine. In it was an installment of a multi-part article describing the construction of a RC model of NS Savannah. The piece provides a fascinating look at an earlier era of RC boat-building. Among the things in it that caught my eye was a table titled “Cost of Typical R/C Outfits.” The table showed prices for components for single-channel, four-channel, and 10-channel systems; the entry for a “four-channel transmitter and receiver” indicated that such a system would cost $120.
What if the author of the 1961 article wanted to buy a comparable “R/C outfit” today? It’s very difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison because technology has improved greatly over the years, giving buyers “more for their money.” However, it is possible to make a rough comparison. For example, four-channel Futaba radio sets – transmitter, receiver, and servo(s) – currently are available from Tower Hobbies for prices ranging from $85 to $150. The mid-point of that range is $117.50. That’s right in line with the price $120 price of 47 years ago, in absolute terms.
What about inflation, I hear someone ask. A little research unearthed the fact that the Consumer Price Index rose by about 6.9 times from 1961 to 2007 (using full-year data). That means that if prices for RC equipment had kept pace with inflation, it would have taken roughly $830 in 2007 to buy the system that $120 bought in 1961. How much was $120 in 2007 dollars worth in 1961? A little more than $17.30. (Relative value calculations were made at www.measuringworth.com.)
Prices for RC equipment clearly have fallen by quite a bit during the past few decades in absolute and inflation-adjusted terms. Nonetheless, the then-versus-now comparison is even more interesting when it comes to “affordability.” It’s safe to say that RC was a very expensive hobby half-a-century ago if a person bought rather than built his own equipment. In 1961, a four-channel system was a substantial purchase; $120 accounted for just over 2% of the median household income of $5,735 that year. In 2006 (the latest year for which I could find data), $120 was barely a blip at 0.2% of median income of $58,407.
Many things have gotten much more affordable over the years. Glad to see that RC equipment is among them.
Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding