baskinator parent
A ham technician license is pretty easy to obtain in the US, and a handheld radio can be had for cheap. HF takes a little more hardware though.
Bonus: all of the US license exams can be taken online, proctored by three volunteers watching you on your laptop and second mobile device camera.
And I believe you don't even need a technician license for just listening in.
You do not!
You can get started for as little as $17: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074XPB313
For the other amateur radio operators on the site, the UV-5Rs from the main Amazon seller all comply with spurious emissions regs - the ones from AliExpress are hit or miss. Plus searching YouTube with 'Baofeng UV5R' will turn up a ton of material including explaining why people should care about the spurious emissions.
Just a note: this device is not able to listen shortwaves as it's capable to listen only VHF/UHF.
If you want to listen shortwaves for cheap, you need something like an ATS-25 or this: https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005008266218975.html
I have a yaesu ft65 and every now and then turn it on. I listen to an automated voice dispatching fire trucks in Dallas TX. They’re pretty busy as something comes across about once a minute. Heh I turned it on while typing this and “emergency child birth” just came across. Man, glad I’m not dealing with that at 7:30AM Monday morning.