[dragnet2]

You can get a nice older ham radio with general coverage receiver and 100 watts talk output for a couple hundred bucks. You can make your own wire antenna for a few dollars, no big antennas or towers needed, and you can talk to the other side of the planet.

It's an interesting hobby, and lots of fun. Getting the license to transmit on your new/old radio is easy, and takes little study. It's a very rewarding hobby, with many aspects and modes.

[bd476]

dragnet2 wrote: "You can get a nice older ham radio with general coverage receiver and 100 watts talk output for a couple hundred bucks. You can make your own wire antenna for a few dollars, no big antennas or towers needed, and you can talk to the other side of the planet.

It's an interesting hobby, and lots of fun. Getting the license to transmit on your new/old radio is easy, and takes little study. It's a very rewarding hobby, with many aspects and modes."

That's one of my dreams and it will happen, hopefully soon and before the next big quake.