Got this like $40US Baofeng UV-5RA-plus, 2-Band HAM (one band is like
down around 140 for freq, other starts around 400), months ago and now
just it getting up and working. More like programming it via USB
serial-reported COM3/4 cable/chipped-device with CHIRP open-source
radio software.

Got it to work (updated VB routines and lots of finagling/hacking on
an older XP/SP1). Total newb, so I've tons of radio terms, features
on this radio for a reason to learn them.

Dumb 1st question. In a big metropolitan area, tons of people,
sophisticated trunking systems and government voice encoding and
stuff.

Though, all I want to use it for is a scanner. Get some "repeaters"
in and working, hear some noise other than prerecorded computer
generated Nation Weather Services programming.

So far I'm not having much luck...it's like an episode from "The
Walking Dead." That normal? When's all the traffic supposed to be
happening?

Beginning to wonder whether a CB would have served better.