You can program the radio without the programming CD. I would recommend that you at least learn how to program it yourself. The programming CD's make life a lot easier for you if you are trying to download multiple frequency banks but the downside is you won't learn your radio as well as you probably should. If you don't want to order the programming CD as SteveC recommended downloading CHIRP onto your computer, it's free programming software that's compatible with those Baofeng radios. Another thing to think about is investing in a solid antenna. Without an antenna you will be at the mercy of your rubber duck that comes with the radio. They are decent if you are up high and out of a vehicle. A good antenna will get you out there by leaps and bounds drastically increasing your transmit/receive range and clarity. They make plenty of them that are compatible right out of the box for a radio like you bought there. Check and see if they are supplying you with an additional 2AA or similar battery box. Since it's a handheld you will need a way of keeping the battery charged, which means having an inverter or an extra battery pack. The last I would suggest is downloading RepeaterBook onto your phone and computer. You can use that to find all the repeaters in a given area you plan to travel in. In my opinion it's an invaluable item to have along with your radio system.
