I worked as a 911 dispatcher for 14 years, so scanner listening was more than just a hobby for me. I could keep up with what was going on not only in my community, but also surrounding areas. And when I was at work, my wife could listen to me work.
Scanners in past years have gotten a bad reputation due to the highly publicized case of the Florida couple who intercepted a cellular telephone call from Newt Gingrich and subsequent legislation proposed by the U.S. Congress. However, all this is pretty much moot with almost all cellular traffic being digital which cannot be overheard with an analog scanner. Nor will scanner manufacturers include the ability to decode digital cellular signals for obvious reasons. There are plenty of analog cordless phones out there which can be overheard on a scanner, which is why my cordless phone is a digital spread spectrum one. However, since using a radio device to listen to cordless or cellular telephone signals is still a crime, so I will not include any information regarding cordless or cellular listening here. Those looking for such information can find it by searching the internet.
My scanners consist of a Uniden BC8500XLT (precursor to the BC9000XLT), a Uniden BC700A, Radio Shack PRO-2026, and an old Regency Whamo-10. My antennas consist of a super J-pole, a homebrew bicone design, and a military surplus AT-197/GR discone. Photos of my antennas can be found on my photos page.
Doug's Southwest Missouri Scanner Frequency List, for Springfield, Mo and surrounding area.
JC Alexander's Page has info on scanning plus frequencies for SW Missouri area.