I've actually had one for a while - never really did much with it, though. My last desktop didn't like the driver or something.
They run $10-$15 or so. Here's the top-rated one on Amazon
http://amzn.to/1N8ujyCIt's a receiver that receives from 25Mhz to 1700Mhz - That includes CB, 10M, 6M, 2M, 220, 440, and 900mhz han bands along with FRS, GMRS, MURS, business, and many more. Plus a lot of scanner frequencies, but that doesn't do me any good here because all the PD and FD are encrypted. Aircraft and Marine are also in there.
You can convert it to run on HF ham bands for about $50. I've got the part coming. I'm thinking it will be cool with my "old school" Kenwood with no rig control to spot traffic on the waterfall and follow it with the radio. One all band radio I have can even hook into it and be controlled by it, but that's pretty advanced.
Here it is tuned to NOAA Weather. The other peaks are other weather stations.
The other peaks in that range are other weather stations.
So far I've got it working well on FB Broadcast bands and the 2M ham band including repeaters. I've had some repeater QSOs in which I turned down the volume on the transceiver and used this for the receiver.
But boy what it lacks in initial investment it makes up for in learning curve. I thought it was going to be literally plug and play, but I got pretty frustrated with it. I wound up talking to an author on the subject and he helped me go in the right direction so much that I bought his book ($10). You have to be a bit of a tinkerer, but there's a lot of potential there for SHTF communications.
I'm picturing having "listeners" covering bands and reporting activity to people with transceivers as the primary use.
