Home-made communications and security technology

[gizmoguy1@gmail.com (John Preston)]

Given the enormous complexity of modern technology (100+ KLOC software
projects,
1+ billion transistor CPUs, etc.) I view security failures to be an
inevitability: the attack surface is rich for exploitation by enemies,
and bugs and errors constantly emerge due to both man and machine.

That said, I do not think it unwise to consider it a prerequisite for
the most paranoid-level technologies that they be easily understandable
and scrutinisable by individual people. Hence, I have an interest in
pen-and-paper ciphers, simple wireless communications systems for Morse,
voice, and data, and simple computers.

Is this something other people think is a sensible or important line of
inquiry? Do these technologies and the people using them exist? Are
there movements advocating this approach? Thank you.