I was showing my kids that with a cheapie radio (yb 205 ~$25.00 plus
shipping when i bought it) and a piece of wire, one could catch quite
a few stations.
The only mod I've done is take out the antenna (which was sort of
shorting out all the time anyway) and put a 1/8 mini plug in it's
place. I've got it connected to a random wire, grounded, fed with a
coax from outside.
We would scan a band, find stuff that was interesting, cross reference
it on the yb400pe, then look it up on ilg.
We had a ball finding stuff.
I've said it before (in this group, as a matter of fact), and I'll say
it again, you don't have to spend very much to enjoy this hobby.
All you really need is the desire to listen.
and a piece of wire.