Alan,
HF is an option/opportunity for many but not all.? Maybe because few are aware, or too many are unaware of leveraging 'X'-band/implementation beyond the local 144 and 440 repeaters, or that there is actual meaningful RF beyond a $100 hotspot with Interwebs dependance in mom's basement... :O
NVIS is a terrific option if folks understand how "it exists".? A 'typical' FT-something plus ATAS-120 user barely has a viable/effective HF platform (counterpoise, grounding, bonding, etc. 'challenges') much less awareness/effectiveness of folding over a mere 3-4 foot whip to maybe establish NVIS pattern.
Many don't realize, amid their challenge to work "great DX" that their dipoles, inverted-Vs, G5RVs, etc. are so low that most of what they get is near-NVIS radiation pattern = DX fail.
CalOES' limited CESN (California Emergency Services Net) HF participation is indeed mostly 40/80 NVIS and has only maybe a dozen random entities on the rolls.
Amid this, unlike CHP's 'devotion' to VHF-Lo 42-48 MHz... we seem rare/vacuum about 29 and 52 MHz VHF operations.? ?I can only wish I'd hear something, someone on 52.525.
