Negotiating pay when I have been out of work

A recruiter asked for my salary expectations on a first call as I look for work as a machine operator. I also do not want to sell myself short. How do you research fairly?

Check several sources for pay in Pittsburgh, then pick a range where the low end is one you can live with.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 4 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.