For Ham radio, get the ARRL repeater directory, and program your radio for the repeaters as you go along.
If you get to Billings, MT, the most used repeaters are 145.410 (on top of the Bull Mountains between Billings and Roundup) and 147.360 (on Red Lodge Mountain). Those two repeaters are linked together, and both require 100 Hz tone for access. The coverage area extends from Greybull, WY to Stanford, MT N/S, and from Big Timber MT to Custer MT W/E. There is a morning net M thru F at 0800 local time (I am net control on Mondays). There is a Swap Net Tuesday evening at 1845, and a Tuesday Evening Net at 1900 LCL. There is a coffee klatch at various places around town every Thursday at 1000 LCL. There is a Tech Net Wednesday evening at 2000 LCL on the 147.000 repeater, no tone required. On Thursday evening at 1900 there is a YL net for the ladies, but men can check in also, on the 36 and 41 repeaters. There are a few base stations which monitor 146.520 simplex.
CB is a handy tool, but not all that useful these days. I will be putting one in the motorhome next spring. I have several of them, so might as well get some use out of them! I was going to get it done this year, but kept putting it off...
Cell phones, on the Verizon network, are fairly useful here in Montana on the three freeway corridors (I-15; I-90; and I-94) and near larger towns. In the mountains or out in the wide open spaces there are a LOT of dead areas.
Have a good trip.
73
KJ7POE
