Uhm yeah talking with people is optional and only required to check how well they receive you when you set antenna up. Buying off the shelf everything is not f

Uhm yeah talking with people is optional and only required to check how well they receive you when you set antenna up. Buying off the shelf everything is not fun. Buy radio and try to build an antenna from metal wire or whatever else. Then try to see if old farts can hear your calls. It is much more like fishing it is supposed to be boring unless you are really interested in the topic. Yes there is Chinese vendor that you can buy antennas that will work much better than whatever you cobble up by hand but yeah YOU are the one to make it fun for yourself not old farts in your propagation range.