New transievers will decde CW (morse code) with pretty good accuracy and put it on the display. Have had extra license for years. Never used UHF/VHF and use HF at times. A number of antennas from a simple diploe (long wire) to a 43' vertical with a radial field of wire buried around it. The code requirement has been gone for a long time. A lot of stuff on the air now is digital modes and a LOT of stuff is now SDR, software defined radio so the users does most everything on the computer and has a box attached to it to receive and transmit. Looking at my logbook have 100+ different countries on my contact list. A lot of people get on regular "nets" groups on the same time like hurricane stuff, and just general chat. I normally just use it to talk to people all over the world, but you end up talking to people with an above average income and disposable money and technically(radio) oriented than on the internet. Can say/do anything as long as it's not encrypted. It took the FAA years to finaally nail a guy in the midwest that was stepping all over frequencies he had no license to use in powers above what you are limited to. 100 watts is a good strting spot for HF and with a good cheap dipole you get good reception both ways. I talk at times to a guy in Lebanon that has multiple 1000' foot towers that is really into ham radio. If you make a contact they can look up your call sign and send you a contact card or vice versa. I talked to a guy in Hawaii that sends a card on native wood from Hawaii, normally has a pic or something related to the area. It's not for everyone. Some like to talk, some get into the technical aspects, some people look to use it in a bug out situation and such. Endless things. Lot of people have transeivers in their vehicle and such. First contact I made was a guy in CT driving home from work one day. I have one contact from guantanamo bay Cuba and other odd things. One prince on the air I'd have to look up from where in Europe. Buzz Aldrin at the anniversary of Apollo mission. Once to a gulfstream airplane guy was on ham on the way back from Mexico to CA. I get contacts from islands that I have to look up to find out where in the hell they are, some oddball countries as well. People sailing is a big one.
Was funny to hear some Europeans that fled Europe during the "pandemic" to go live on a small island with no traffic at all. I do not live in a HOA obviously. Entire segment of the hobby that make stealth antennas for HOAs or put the wire in their attic out of sight.
You have to have an address on file to get a license. I use a UPS box as my address. If you want a license take the online test the questions only change once every 10 years or so. Very little of the info is on how to actually use and talk on the radio. Pick that up using a radio quickly. Most is tech related and some obviously on what you are restricted to as far as bands, powers, and legal aspects like in an emergency anyone can use any band without a license if needed in a true emergency. You can imagine some people in some parts of the world go all out, entire antenna farms of giant antennas and very large amplifiers.
Tech license gets you limited amounts on what you can use, general more so, and extra license you get your own slice of certain bands that really cuts down on the goofiness and into people actually talking about whatever or tech related. Can take all 3 if you want at the same time, or take them in steps. I took mine at a nearby hospital and the local group did the test and graded it then sent it in to the FCC. 90% of the stuff is of no use to most hams, memorize it, take test, and move one. License last 10 years and if you renew you don't have to retake the test if you don't let it lapse.
