Nellie Ohr’s license would have limited her to a 10-mile radius, which would have included all of DC. Plus she speaks fluent Russian. She was probably using it like a secure cell phone. Might even have been encrypted.
Technician License does NOT limit communication to 10 miles. The range would depend on antenna, transmitter power, elevation of antenna, and whether or not a repeater was used for the communication link. Encryption is prohibited, however, standard digital protocols are available on bands authorized for Technician use. Potential range could cover most of the metro DC area.