I will tell you (some of you) about advances in ham radio... though some old timers argue it's not really radio.. Digital voice modes.. D-Star, DMR, YSF and so on.
With these modes, which use mostly FM. like FM you can talk radio to radio. Radio to Repeater to Radio.. but wait there's more.. Radio to Repeater (or hotspot) to INTERNET to Radio, repeater or hotspot. (Some of the newer radios connect direct to the internet)
Most all the digital modes work close enough to the dame way (Some terms change) that I will describe only D-Star..
To my left as I type is an ICOM IC-51A+2 in Terminal mode.. a Data cable connects it to a Raspberry PI zero W (10 bucks from Sparkfun) Plus memory card. also in the box is a cell phone recharge battery (5.00 clearance wal*mart) and extra cable. NO RF. I connet the pi-to either my house or phone wi-fi and from there to a "Reflector" (This works like a disco mirror ball. Send a signal to it and it "Reflects" to in the case of 030C over 800 remote locations.. Some (most) are "Smaller") These remotes may be other "Coolspots" as I call mine, or Hotspots (more on that in a second) or Reflectors or a direct connect radio. ANYWHERE ON EARTH.
Behind me is an ICOM 5100A (Got it for free) 5-25-50 watt VHF/UHF FM/D-star
It is a dual radio (Two receivers in one box. both dual band, one transmitter) on the low power setting it monitors one and scans another hotspot. these are small (like 30mW) transceivers, simplex. connected to additional Raspberry pi-zero-w-h (About 15 bucks with header pins at sparkfun) other than the link to the pi is RF. same as the cool spot. The 5100 also scans a couple of D-star Repeaters (And several FM) in the area. Those D-Star repeaters are also connected to different reflectors (as are the two hotspots) so I'm monitoring a total of 4 Reflectors here.
I've talked to Hong Kong from Michigan (half way around the world)
Also... There is a D-Star radio on the International Space Station. So the sky, is no longer the limit. (have heard the FM transmitter on the ISS. never talked to 'em however)
Oh on the ID-51A+2.... I push a few buttons. it's an FM/D-star Radio same as the 5100 though not as powerful being hand held.