As a kid I remember when my dad got his first police scanner from Radio Shack and then going back out to buy the crystals as we could afford them to hear one more channel! It was amazing to be able to hear the police and fire chatter on the scanner. The whole idea of radio intrigued me. Later, we had one car that had a CB and I was able to talk to other people. As I got older, I was able to buy my own CB for my first car. That was my first adventure into two way radio. I wish I had the presence of Ham radio in my life at that time but it was not. Today, I am still pretty much a teenage kid when I turn a radio on and it starts squawking away with some invisible people chatting away. As time goes on, I find I really enjoy talking on the magic wireless box but I find I enjoy as much and often even more just listening in. Sitting and viewing through a window of sound into someone else’s like and activities. As the world and life comes back around I find myself looking researching and saving to buy another crystal. Today, my crystals are trunking scanners and antennas, etc.
I will record some of the frequencies I have found in this area to listen to and most cost effective equipment I have found as I, like most of you, do not have a bottomless supply of funds to pursue hobbies.
Here is a post with many of the best medical and emergency frequencies in the Portland and surrounding areas : https://wordpress.com/post/rmay4.wordpress.com/711
There is a very active Ham Radio group in this area and this page lists many of the local repeaters and other stations I have in my scanner as well: https://wordpress.com/post/rmay4.wordpress.com/719