I've thought about getting a ham license before. Never really seriously though. But it does sound like a license and a radio would be very good to have for emergencies. And like many things, even if the initial impetus to get it is one thing (emergencies), as you start into it you probably begin to like it and learn it would be useful for other tings.

Are the licenses expensive?

Do you have to re-new every so often? How often?

Do you have to already own equipment for use/documentation during testing, or can you just test on knowledge alone, and purchase your equipment later?

I've been a computer geek at work for many years, but my actual degree is in Electrical Engineering. I hope I still posses the basic knowledge required for a license. After study of course - I have general knowledge of radio from college, but that was not what I focused on, so a lot of that is tucked away in the back of my brain and would require resurrection.