[KarlInOhio]

I got my license a few years ago. You can get a cheap, Chinese transceiver for $30 on Amazon. The technician's license isn't very difficult. Even if you don't plan on using it a lot it is good to have a way to communicate without a phone/cable/power infrastructure working.

[zeugma]

There are a couple of Elmers in my town that periodically do a class for tech license. Unfortunately, I haven’t done a whole lot with mine. Life tends to intervene.