I do have a license, actually. I’m not sure I can convince my relatives to join in on the plan, though. It would certainly work between friends with cheap Baofeng portable radios, though the range sure isn’t cross-country.
Edit: range wouldn’t be cross country on VHF or UHF, which is what Baofengs use.
You could build a relay system that lets you galavant across town while sending and receiving messages between your handheld radio <-> house/apartment <-> internet.
You can, but not in any secret way, at least not without breaking FCC rules. Encrypted comms on Amateur radio bands aren’t permitted.