It’s fairly easy to get your license now that code is not required. I studied the manuals and took practice tests with iPhone apps. I’m at a General License now and plan to start working on the Extra in the near future. I’ve got a G5RV jr strung in my attic because of HOA restrictions. Contacts with all states except Hawaii is easy. But, I’ve made contact with guys around the world - Europe, West Coast of Africa, Cook Islands, and S. America to name a few. We are at the bottom of the solar cycle now (12 year cycle) so propagation is pretty poor. However, the next solar cycle has started and propagation should be getting better.