For whatever reason, there seems to be an affinity between amateur astronomers and an interest in electronics. I have found that many amateur astronomers are licensed 'Hams'. If you are both of these, let me know by e-mail at the bottom of this page.
My QSL card. These are exchanged by mail with other Hams reached by Short Wave Radio to 'confirm' the contact.
It is a neat part of the hobby if the cost of the snail-mail doesn' t kill you.
In the 'Ham' Shack is a Hallicrafters HT-44 transmitter and a SX-117 receiver. Power input is 100 watts of SSB and CW.....

..... feeding a 6 element Highgain antenna on a 70 foot tower. I have 'worked' over 275 counties from this location.

In the astronomy trailer at our 'dark sky site', on cloudy nites I use a Yaseu FT-890 transceiver (red arrow) It has the same power and does a lot more than the Hallicrafters gear pictured above. The CCD closed circuit TV camera (green arrow) lets me see the computer screen, when I am making adjustments at the telescope from the observatory 130' away.
The most fun of all, was in the beginning (1954) when the equipment was inadequate, the antennas were small, but the magic was all there. After being forced into learning code by the regulations at the time, CW transmissions became more enjoyable than Fone.
Email me if you are a Ham
Field Day!  A remote location, a tent a bunch of batteries, power supplies, receiver, transmitter and a picnic lunch with your family. Calling CQ CQ CQ .... with your daughter... It doesn't get any better than this.

My daughter in the picture here is now 47 years old. What great memories.
A Yeasu Tranceiver, 200 watts.

Much equipment over the years, boils down to just this... less than a ft in size and packs more power than the room full of radio gear I used to have.
Genuine 'Ham'
Ham Radio