>>573702That's part of the allure.
HAM radio requires as much or as little infrastructure as you want.
You can go nuts with internet linked VHF/UHF repeaters, or you can take a Yaesu FT817 on to a mountain top with a dipole antenna made from lamp cord, and a 5w solar panel, then make contacts halfway around the world utilizing atmospheric bounce...no repeaters, no infrastructure required.