I don't know.
I have never been into HAM. I can say that most of the people I see on forums talking about HAM are nut-case conspiracy theorists, anti-government 'freemen', gun nuts and ranters. Not the sorts I would feel inspired enough to spend money to talk to.
I hear the related SSB marine community has a good number of friendly, roughly normal, people who depend on it daily for information, communications and company.
Huh? I've never met a ham that fits those qualifications (well, I'm a bit of a gun nut - I own 4 ) I have heard a few of them down on the 75m band. Most hams I know are fairly normal folks, except for being, well, hams