So when I started studying, I have to learn how to calculate power. All I am looking for is to get my license and be able to transmit. I don't want to have to learn how to put up a tower and calculate radio power. I just want to buy a radio online and transmit right away. Why do I have to learn this other stuff?
Below is not meant to be snarky or condescending, just statements of fact.
If you don't want to learn enough to pass the test (extremely easy) then ham radio might not be for you. Maybe you need something more along the line of GMRS, MURS, or FRS.
With regards to ham radio, it does not matter what you want, it matters what the regulations are. And while I detest regulation for regulations sake, it turns out there are actually valid reasons to test knowledge and require certain minimal information to be a ham radio operator.
For almost every other radio service, assuming you follow the regulations, the regulations limit the hardware or operations to a point were it becomes hard for you to hurt yourself or others with your radio. The radios for those services require certification, and to be certified they have specific power and capabilities limitations.
A few examples:
1. For Part 95 (GMRS / FRS / CB / etc) you are not allowed to, and legal hardware will not, run high power. For ham radio, you can legally run up to 1500 Watts of power, and there is potential hazard in that, so a ham operator has to at least be exposed to the fact there is potential hazard, and how to assess if there is a specific hazard in application.
2. For many other services, the end user (the person on the radio) cannot legally change the transmitter frequency and the hardware cannot allow such operator frequency changes. They can dial a programmed "channel" for selection, but not set or change what frequency that channel transmits on. That means the operator cannot accidentally dial up a frequency that causes potentially harmful interference with other service radio users, such as aircraft and public service. Ham radio operators can set their own transmit frequencies, and they are supposed to know (as part of the testing) what frequencies they can, or cannot, transmit on, or at least (if not working from memory or knowledge) that they should find that information and where that information can be found.
3. Most other radio services require the operator to use type certified equipment (radios). With a few exceptions (such as commercially sold external amplifiers that can be used below 144 MHz) there is no type certification requirement for ham radio. This means the ham radio operator can use any other service hardware for Part 97 (ham radio) operations, as long as he/she can make it properly function on authorized ham radio frequencies and modes. The ham radio operator is free to build his/her own equipment from scratch, if so desired. The ham radio operator, not the equipment, is responsible for making sure their emissions are legal, on legal frequencies, in legal modes, at legal power levels, and with legally required spectral purity. These requirements (the operator is responsible) exist even when the ham radio operator is using _purchased commercially marketed_ ham radio gear. And so the ham radio operator is supposed to know these requirements, or at least that the requirements exist and how and where to find them.
Ham radio is different from other radio services, period. Other radio services exist for commercial communications, or family members talking to each other, or police / fire / EMS making potentially life saving calls. Ham radio does not exist for any of those reasons. Ham radio may be used for some of those applications at times, but it does not exist for them.
@mmckenna has already poste Part 97.1, which defines why ham radio exists, and notice none of those uses I just mentioned are part of it.
T!