Simple Setup for a Newbie

A simple set up for a newbie, you can't go wrong with either a Uniden PC 66/68/78 or a Cobra 25/29 model. All of these are excellent radios. And they all use mostly the same components too. Just make sure you have a good antenna and low low swr's. The antenna will make or break any radio.
A Cobra 19 might get out a mile to two miles so I am told.

And I'd be careful of buying a "used" radio. It might be stolen. Or it might be one that Billy Bob truck driver tried to modify by clipping diodes and adjusting pots and now it sounds distorted and works like crap across all 40 bands. Best bet if you do this is bring a friend with another radio and try out the one for sale, to see if it sounds good on the other side or not.

P.S. right now Uniden has a $30 rebate on it's 68 series radios and a $40 rebate on it's 78 series radios. It's good until the end of this year.