Even if the first products you buy are Chinese. I'm compelled to add that because there is such a cost difference -- in great part fueled by lack of interest in the radio hobby -- that is crucial right now.
I'm referring specifically to Baofeng handie-talkie radios, ~136-174 and ~400-520Mhz. Roughly $40 each and though they are a pain to program they are functional. It is time to obtain as many as you can afford for what is to come. Look for packages where a pair of them are sold along with 110V/12V chargers, extended time batteries, dual and single band antennas, programming cable (for use with free CHIRP software)... for under $100.
Of course, no one is going to flood the airwaves and transmit illegally and create a babbling storm on the airwaves. Just to have.
Consider basic VHF/UHF handie-talkies now. Then the lower frequency greater distance modes later as you 'formalize' your hobby.
Of course some or all of you will eventually become licensed HAMs and be enriched greatly. If your kid's resume has an amateur call sign it might give them a real boost for a tech job, and it's easy. There is a need for your family to have reliable local off-grid communication in an emergency. Actually there always was, but people have become complacent and entrusted their lives too much to the cellular network.
"I don't need to have a flashlight or spare tire or wrench in my car, I have AAA." That level of ridiculous unpreparedness.
And of course you will find a few HAM Karens out there moaning about dropping the Morse requirement, treating radio equipment like 'munitions' and (like Civil Defense groupies) treating any band-unlocked transmit-capable unit as a danger to society. The kind of people who would waste time pressing you for a callsign when you are trying to communicate an emergency. Thankfully fewer every day, and to them I say, I'm an Extra and fuck you. There is a shameful deficit of young amateur radio operators out there.
SORRY most present day amateur radio manufacturers, you took the high road. The last US manufacturers went belly-up back in the days of discrete components. You (US hams) gave the market away to the Japanese and the Koreans without a fight. Then you failed to successfully pass the hobby down to your children until every radio became a Boutique Item loaded with ever more fancy features. Baofeng saw a market gap a mile wide and they drove into it. Bless them..
You want to have at least six fully functional HT units. For the price of ONE SINGLE Boutique (well made sure but what the fuck) radio you have one for every menber of your family, and spares.
Of course I'm not shilling or promoting anybody. Just looked around one day and saw there was literally nothing else even close in the price range.
I've been wanting to become a licensed HAM Radio Operator, how do you go about that?
Find a study guide and or practice test. Plenty available free online.
Study and practice until you can reliably pass the practice test.
Find a local testing place - duck duck go it.
Go take the test. Pay the license fee. Pass the test. They send you your license.
I have a few more questions like, Why do you need a HAM Radio License? As far as I understand a Ham Radio just broadcasts onto the open-air, and depending on the power of the Radio, Weather, Time of Day, and Antenna, it's range can increase or decrease. So why wouldn't you need a License to operate a Walkie-Talkie?
There are repeaters in your area, radio systems with very wide range. In the event of a local emergency there will be voices on it with information important to you. On regular days you will hear HAMs just having casual conversations. These may be people you know and see every day. They don't mind if you listen in, and it's silly not to, to learn even before you become a licensed operator yourself. So by all means, your first step could be to get a pair of HTs and program them with your local frequencies and listen. When you get your ticket (Technician is easy) you'll know the lingo and the people.
You are required to have a license to transmit. So just don't push that button. But the FCC is very clear that no one is subject to legal action if they transmit to communicate an emergency.
What are HTs?
Govt "owns" the airwaves. They allow free use of some of them, and licence use of others, etc. Some radios operate on the ones you don't need a license for (CB, FRS / walkie-talkie, etc) and some you need a license for (GMRS, amateur radio ("HAM") bands, business-band, etc).
You only need a HAM radio license to legally transmit on HAM bands. You can buy a ham radio and set it up and listen to any frequency it can receive and you're legal as long as you don't hit that transmit button.
The basic purpose to get a license is to be able to legally practice and learn how and what works before you really need it in an emergency.
Okay. Last Question, this completely What-If, Textbook Theory, I am not an idiot, I swear. But How would the Government go about attempting to punish you, if you Illegally Transmitted? And how would they know you are "you"?