Lets create the PineCom

[KNERD]

You can still use Nextel phones off-network, encrypted, and legally.  I haven't done it in years, (no real need to), but I have a box of them for this in case for some reason I ever need them.

That would be something interesting to do

You might be able to find some for sale on the cheap to try it out.  Not all Nextel phones could do this; you need ones with the Direct Talk feature (also called Moto Talk IIRC).  The bad part is having to replace the battery.  I fully expect that all mine need new batteries by now.  They must have been in storage for well over a decade now.

A cursory search on eBay shows they are not so cheap. I do wonder what sort of range one could expect with them without having all the cell tower support. Those two way radios they sell now are quite cheap for up to 30 mile range compared to the Direct Talk cell phones.