i've been looking at a few email chess organizations as this
is a route i've
chosen to play a classic strategy game and meet new folks.

why are they all free with limitations? is there a group of
some kind out
there free without limitations?

If you are interested in traditional correspondence chess, the
classical IECC
(http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Midfield/1264/) and IECG
(www.iecg.org) are all free without limitations.

If you are talking about online chess, most sites offer free
access with limitation only.
I don't know them all, but this is the usual situation.

If you mean server based correspondence chess, many sites offers
this, but also with limitations. I know only my site that offers
free server based correspondence games without any limitations.
If you are interested in this type of playing, see www.e4ec.org
for details.

Andras Galos
E4EC