There have been many manufacturers and suppliers of amateur radio equipment since the invention of the wireless communication -- in the late 1800s. Many manufacturering companies where founded by enthusiasts, some have grown to be international operating coorporations, some have played their part in history and are no more. Today the market is dominated by the Big Three: Yaesu, ICOM and Kenwood. With the advent of Software Defined Radio (SDR) a whole new type of radio has emerged. Manufacturers like FlexRadio, WiNRADiO, Perseus and others jumped into this market and equipment like never before saw the light of day. RigReference.com currently has 293 manufacturers listed.