Ham radios are available at stores including Radio Shack, catalogs, and even ham club- sponsored swap meets. This summer, our family took a camping trip near Lake Tahoe. Kevin, Matthew and I packed our trendy sports utility vehicle and caravanned with other family members for a 12- hour drive to our campsite. There were several areas en route where we had no cell phone signal, however, we were in constant communication with ham radios because each car always had a licensed ham operator in it. In addition, along the way, we often passed through towns where our conversations were overheard by local monitoring ham operators.
Ham radio is more than just a useful tool for travelers.
There's a civic element, since police and fire departments rely on ham radio during emergencies. There is a social aspect, too. Some ham radio operators are deeply involved in club activities. Others enjoy building radios and antennas, and experimenting with radio communication. And then there are those, like my husband, who use their radios for recreational communication.