Tariffs, Lead Times, and a Sharper W0AEZ: Why I'm Doubling Down on In-House Gear | June Update 2025
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1. The landscape in 2025
Section 301 duties on Chinese electronics jumped to 25 % this spring, and a looming “reciprocal” layer could make that even steeper by August. Finished antennas, lithium batteries, and RF widgets all took the hit. At the same time several Shenzhen brokers quietly stopped stocking low-volume hobby parts. Result: my landed cost for a generic items are now higher than Amazon’s price, and the reorder ETA is anybody’s guess.
2. What this means for the catalog
| Category | Past approach | New approach |
|---|---|---|
| HT battery packs (Yaesu, Kenwood-series, etc.) | Designed & built in-house | Unchanged—flagship products, warranty backed. More models coming |
| UltraLite QRP Battery line | Designed & built in-house | Unchanged—capacity expansion in R&D |
| 3D-printed enclosures/kits | Printed & assembled locally | Unchanged—more models coming |
| Premade antennas & power adapters | Small-lot resale imports | Under review—may be discontinued if tariffs erase value |
| Misc. trinkets/gadgets | Convenience add-ons | Likely to be phased out |
3. Why keep the batteries and kits?
Because they’re mine from start to finish:
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I control the design, so I can switch to tariff-friendly cell vendors (Korea, Japan) without rewriting the whole product.
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I print every enclosure and test every pack on the workbench, which means I can stand behind them with a no-nonsense warranty.
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Community feedback directly feeds the next revision—something impossible with a mass-market antenna from a mega-factory.
4. Lead times & transparency
Hand-building at small scale means there’s a queue. If tariffs raise costs, I call it out in plain text and roll the price back if duties drop. No smoke, no mirrors.
5. How you can shape the new lineup
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Tell me what matters—comment below or email kevin@w0aez.com with the accessories you truly want me to keep or the problems you’d like solved by a custom W0AEZ design.
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Beta test in-house gear—I’m starting a tester list for upcoming gear. Testers get prototypes at cost in exchange for brutal, honest feedback. Help shape future products to best serve the ham community.
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Spread the word—every order, review, and QSO photo helps an independent shop survive the tariff wave. Word of mouth is a powerful thing.
6. Thank you
Solo running a micro-manufacturing ham shop in 2025 means playing designer, importer, builder, shipping clerk and warranty clerk all at once. Your patience with lead times, your questions, and your field reports keep this whole operation worthwhile.
Here’s to lighter packs, longer activations, and gear you can trust—because I built it myself.
73 and see you on the air,
Kevin Rowley
W0AEZ Radio Gear LLC
