Thanks for the advice. That is a ton of good info. I have yet to do any footwork to make this happen but I plan to in the near future. I live in Utah and I know there are a number of clubs, in fact one here at the university I work at. I just have to make the time.

Thank for your input. If anyone has anything to add, please do so. Any experiences with ham radios in a rescue or wilderness situation are welcome.