The ZIA system has coverage from San Diego, California, to central Texas as another example. There are links such as these throughout the country, and usually no fee is charged for their use. Most repeater systems are not linked, but still provide communications over a radius of 100 miles. For the purpose of simplicity we will confine ourselves to a few popular pieces of equipment by several manufacturers. As the amateur radio operator becomes licensed, he or she can investigate the various manufacturers and learn which produces the equipment best suited for them.
All amateur operators have opinions on why they bought their favorite piece of equipment.
There are some shared values between equipment manufacturers. These units can be used in the car with an outside antenna extending their range. As in anything, people take advantage of novices. Any General Class amateur from a local club will be more than happy to guide a first purchase. Most parts of the country operate with the 2-meter 440 MHz systems.