Jake,
Ham radio is more or less whatever you want to make of it. It can be very much a build it yourself kind of thing, or never build anything. Just depends on what you want or like doing.
Is it a 'niche' type thingy? It certainly can be, and typically is in some respects. It's not quite as 'common' as playing golf, video games, etc, but not exactly as rare as bungee-jumping, sort of. The 'type' of communicating done is sort of the 'niche' thing, as in chasing distanct stations for contacts, contacting someone in all states, a sort of 'wallpaper' chasing thingy. If you can think of some means of communication, voice, teletype, TV, satelite stuff, whatever, there's someone involved in it in ham radio. So, various 'niches' develope, and of course, their's is always -the- way to do it and everyone else is missing out, right?
Handy-talkies.
They are primarily for very short range communications. Thats because of the frequncies/bands they operate on, and the rather short/stubby antennas on them. The antennas are the largest limiting factor for any VHF/UHF radios, handy-talkies, real live 'base' radios, whatever. VHF/UHF is a sort of "line of sight" thingy. Which means the higher the antenna the further away the radio can 'see'. Power has very little to do with range on VHF/UHF bands. So, repeaters do play a very important part in the VHF/UHF bands. They are also getting quite common, and because of that do require a couple of additional features for their use, such as 'tones' for recognition so that you can use them. Most newer hand-held radios have that feature along with gobs more.
Handy-talkies make for terrible 'first' radios, primarily because they are almost never simple to use, and because of their limited range. That's from my experience, so probably isn't valid for everyone! Just be aware of thier limitations.
The license testing can be broken down into three or four subjects. First is safety, as in don't harm/kill yourself. Radios stuff can have some very lethal voltages associated with it. Then there are the regulations for use of radios, who, what, where, when they can or can not be used. Third is theory, why this stuff works like it does. And fourth is operating practices/procedures. How to do stuff, and why it's that way (typically because it reduces confusion). So why a radio license to start with? About the same reason there are drivers license. Making sure (sort of) that people are competent to drive, or use a radio with out harming them selves or someone else. That makes sense, at least to me anyway.
A last word of warning! This stuff is as addictive as almost anything you can think of. It can get very expensive and time consuming. And it's a hell of a lot of fun too!
Enter are your own risk...
- 'Doc
"You spent how much for a stupid radio? ... Oh well, it's cheaper than a new bass-boat."
