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You can get one at wallyworld or parts store for about $30. With a 1996 half-ton, it'll be OBD-II. I've never used the cheap ones, so I don't know how well they work. I've only used Genysis and Snap-on scanners.
Auto X-Ray 10150
EZ-Link OBD-II Scanner With Cable: Scans 1996 & Newer Domestic, Asian and European OBD-II Compliant Vehicles; WILL NOT Accidentally Deploy Airbags, Change Transmission Gears, Affect ABS Brake Performance, or Fire Injectors & Ignition Systems.
I bought one off ebay (Brand New) about 2 weeks ago for $50CAD
I think with shipping it came to about $45-$50USD to my door! And it works great
It's not as fancy as the $300 ones you see at the local auto parts store, it has 4 7-Segment LED displays, a connector and an extension adaptor, and thats it I like the simplicity of it. It'll display the codes 5 times, and if you still have it plugged in after it reads 5 times, it clears the memory in your truck. If you unplug it before it reads a full 5 times, it'll leave the computer alone.
Edit: I forgot to say that the person i got it from on Ebay sells tons of them on there for a fixed price, and ships pretty quickly. I was also impressed that they had customs pre-clearance for shipment to Canada.
I just go to Autozone. They'll scan your vehicle for free with their OBDII scanner. That or you can borrow it. Borrowing means you buy it and then get a refund when you're done using it and return it.