For me, doing remote ops combines off-roading, exploring, camping, and playing the radio. The idea is to set up a radio station in a very remote location and make contacts.

Not unlike how light pollution keeps us from seeing all the stars in the sky, radio noise in populated areas keeps us from hearing the multitude of distant stations out there. It’s like trying to listen to a whisper in a crowded stadium of people. When I get out there, away from the cities and towns, and set up my station, the noise floor is very low, and I can hear everything. I don’t get out there nearly as much as I like.