Make sure that you are familiar with the FCC regulations. The FCC is not lenient with rule breaking by amateurs. Do not transmit outside of your frequency limits or use more power than you are allowed. Find some repeaters in your area and listen to the good operators. There are many amateur public service organizations devoted to disaster services. Skywarn was established by the National Weather Service and uses amateur radio operators to warn of severe weather. The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) is run by the Department of Defense to provide communications for the Military to complement their communications. We operate outside of the Ham frequencies with MARS call signs. Ham radio encompasses many different activities. That link I posted shows a lot of things hams can do. For me, I still remember the first time I talked to a ham a couple of states away while transmitting through a satellite using my HT and a hand held antenna. Or the first time I listened to my signal being bounced off the moon. Great fun.