1. I got my license in college, since my advisor was a big radio guy. I never really could get into it because it’s inherently social (you have to talk to people over the radio). That’s not to say people were unfriendly- everyone really was welcoming. I just never built a “sticky” social connection to it. I was young and didn’t really need more socializing while in school, and didn’t try to make it work...
2. The best trustworthy guide is a person IRL. But others have listed great online resources too.
The technical stuff is super fun and you could spend a lifetime playing with the cool equipment and fiddling with your setup. BUT if you don’t make a social connection and interact with others, it gets old. I keep my radio for emergency purposes (probably good enough reason alone to get into it), and because I see the appeal of it as a hobby, but I almost never use it.
There is a ton of events and things people do “in the community”. There are competitions of all sorts, and meetups, and radio-related things. I haven’t done any, but I also didn’t see much in other comments so I’m hoping people with more knowledge can share.
There’s also related tech like packet radio which is kinda like “dial up over radio”. That’s what the original article linked would most likely be used for. There are emergency prep groups, including completely digital tech that doesn’t use traditional radios like SFWEM and AREDN (basically an emergency mesh WiFi network using special frequencies and commercial equipment).
The test was easy to anyone with a technical background (electrical, not software). To everyone else it’s still pretty doable with studying and prep. I was in school studying electronics, but I think I studied for like 3 total hours for the test. It’s a mixture of topics ranging from regulation to antenna information. IMO the test gives you a good insight into part of the hobby. If you enjoy studying for it you’ll enjoy the technical stuff.
I haven’t picked up my radio in years. Every time I move, I think “surely the Bay Area has a lot of hams, this is a good time to try it out again” and then never get around it it.
YMMV and I don’t want to disparage or discourage anyone from trying it out. There’s a ton of cool things to do. It’s just a reminder that it’s social.