Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area is one of the most serene conservation areas in the St. Louis region. Located in the farming community of Black Walnut, between Orchard Farm and Portage des Sioux, MO, it is also about half way between Saint Charles and West Alton. I chose December 29, 2018 to go on a DXpedition to Marais Temps Clair. The temperature hovered around 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero Celsius); I made sure I dressed warmly.
As was the case with the November DXpedition to Babler State Park, a General Electric Superadio III was used for AM broadcast band DX. A Tecsun PL-600 was used for the shortwave broadcast bands, along with the 20-foot longwire that came with the radio. Since the folding table didn't fit on the passenger side of the 2002 Chrysler Voyager I was driving, I put the PL-600 on the front passenger seat and the Superadio III in back of the steering wheel. The pictures below show the receivers on the front passenger seat before starting the DX session, and the shortwave antenna clipped to the car radio antenna.
Sunset skip conditions prevailed on the AM broadcast band when I started tuning prior to 1600 CST (2200 UTC). The areas coming in were other parts of the Midwest, as well as the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. On the shortwave bands, conditions favored the Americas. The place where I set up my listening post, the parking lot of the conservation area office on Island Road a mile from State Road H (Highway H), was just a few miles from the three-tower array of KHOJ (1460 kHz), located on MO 94 in Boschertown.
At 1600 CST (2200 UTC), KHOJ was running day pattern with 12,000 watts. The adjacent channel interference covered up 1450 and 1470, but was able to hear DX on 1440 kHz and semi-local WJBM on 1480 kHz. At 1630 CST (2230 UTC), KHOJ switched to night pattern with 210 watts. With the listening post in a null toward Peoria, I was able to hear the usual mix on 1450 kHz; WMBD was fighting it out with WVOL in suburban Nashville on 1470 kHz. On 1460, WKAM Goshen, IN was heard underneath KHOJ. WBGZ 1570 kHz Alton, IL was in like a local both on 1,000 watts day power and 74 watts night power. Like with my home QTH in Hazelwood, the conservation area is in a null of KFNS 590 kHz Wood River, IL toward Omaha. Sure enough, KXSP was heard underneath KFNS. The adjacent channel digital interference from KFUO 850 kHz Clayton, MO covered up 840 and 860, but I was able to hear WCCO 830 in Minneapolis and WWL 870 in New Orleans.
On the shortwave bands, the U.S. and Cuba were the dominant countries. I did hear the Canadian Forces aviation weather station CHR on 6754 kHz USB from the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, ON around 2320 UTC, giving the weather for airports in Canada and Europe with a very good signal. I wrapped up the session around 1730 CST (2330 UTC), leaving for my home QTH as the snow flurries started falling.
As is the case with Babler State Park, the noise floor at Marais Temps Clair is nonexistent, although the adjacent channel interference from the St. Louis stations was a tad stronger. The place is also perfect for a sunrise DXpedition, as well as daytime and evening DXpeditions. The area is open from 0400 to 2200 local time.
AM RADIO LOGBOOK
570 kHz WNAX Yankton, SD noted at 1704 CST (2304 UTC) with local ads, "570 WNAX" ID into regional news. A good to fair signal was noted over KLIF.
580 kHz WIBW Topeka, KS at 1605 CST (2205 UTC) with local ads, "WIBW 580 and 104.9" ID into a talk program. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with WILL and adjacent channel interference from KFNS 590.
720 kHz WGCR Pisgah Forest, NC at 1608 CST (2208 UTC) with Southern Gospel music, Eastern time check, "Gospel Carolina Radio" ID into another music set, fading before 1615 sign-off. A good signal was noted over WGN with adjacent channel interference from KWRE 730.
740 kHz CFZM Toronto, ON at 1709 CST (2309 UTC) with Oldies and Adult Standards, "Great Big Zoomer Hits" mention. A good signal was noted over KRMG.
800 kHz CKLW Windsor, ON at 1714 CST (2314 UTC) with weather forecast into a review of weather events in Ontario during 2018. A good signal was noted over KQCV.
880 kHz KRVN Lexington, NE at 1617 CST (2217 UTC) with The Joe Kelly Show and Lexington area ads. A fair signal was noted over WIJR and WCBS.
990 kHz CBW Winnipeg, MB at 1630 CST (2230 UTC) with Country and Folk music, talk about text messages, "CBC Radio One" ID. A fair signal was noted over other stations.
1030 kHz WBZ Boston, MA at 1635 CST (2235 UTC) with Eastern time check, "WBZ News Radio 1030" ID, local news item and local ads. A good signal was noted over KCWJ, KFAY and KTWO.
1060 kHz KYW Philadelphia, PA at 1637 CST (2237 UTC) with sports report, mention of "Sports Radio 94 WIP", "KYW News Radio" ID, promo for Traffic on the Twos into local ads. A good signal was noted over other stations.
1480 kHz KCZZ Mission, KS at 1653 CST (2253 UTC) with sports talk and highlights, "ESPN Deportes" mention and local ads in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with WJBM and WLMV.
1660 kHz WQLR Kalamazoo, MI at 1657 CST (2257 UTC) with local ads, "1660 the Fan, WQLR Kalamazoo" legal ID at 1700 (2300). A good signal was noted over KWOD.
SHORTWAVE LOGBOOK
5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana at 2158 UTC (1558 CST) with Salsa music, ID into a newscast in Spanish A fair signal was noted.
5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba at 2307 UTC (1707 CST) with ID into commentary in Spanish. A fair signal was noted.
6090 kHz ANGUILLA Caribbean Beacon at 2233 UTC (1633 CST) with a sermon by Pastor Melissa Scott. A good signal was noted.
9265 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WINB Red Lion, PA noted at 2240 UTC (1640 UTC) with light vocal Christian music and a brief sermon in English. A good signal was noted.
9330 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WBCQ Monticello, ME at 2244 UTC (1644 CST) with The Overcomer with Brother R.G. Stair (some DXers call him Brother Scare). A good to fair signal was noted.
9720 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba noted at 2245 UTC (1645 CST) with Music With a Message, focusing on Cuban revolutionary songs. A very good signal was noted.
Sunset skip conditions prevailed on the AM broadcast band when I started tuning prior to 1600 CST (2200 UTC). The areas coming in were other parts of the Midwest, as well as the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. On the shortwave bands, conditions favored the Americas. The place where I set up my listening post, the parking lot of the conservation area office on Island Road a mile from State Road H (Highway H), was just a few miles from the three-tower array of KHOJ (1460 kHz), located on MO 94 in Boschertown.
At 1600 CST (2200 UTC), KHOJ was running day pattern with 12,000 watts. The adjacent channel interference covered up 1450 and 1470, but was able to hear DX on 1440 kHz and semi-local WJBM on 1480 kHz. At 1630 CST (2230 UTC), KHOJ switched to night pattern with 210 watts. With the listening post in a null toward Peoria, I was able to hear the usual mix on 1450 kHz; WMBD was fighting it out with WVOL in suburban Nashville on 1470 kHz. On 1460, WKAM Goshen, IN was heard underneath KHOJ. WBGZ 1570 kHz Alton, IL was in like a local both on 1,000 watts day power and 74 watts night power. Like with my home QTH in Hazelwood, the conservation area is in a null of KFNS 590 kHz Wood River, IL toward Omaha. Sure enough, KXSP was heard underneath KFNS. The adjacent channel digital interference from KFUO 850 kHz Clayton, MO covered up 840 and 860, but I was able to hear WCCO 830 in Minneapolis and WWL 870 in New Orleans.
On the shortwave bands, the U.S. and Cuba were the dominant countries. I did hear the Canadian Forces aviation weather station CHR on 6754 kHz USB from the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, ON around 2320 UTC, giving the weather for airports in Canada and Europe with a very good signal. I wrapped up the session around 1730 CST (2330 UTC), leaving for my home QTH as the snow flurries started falling.
As is the case with Babler State Park, the noise floor at Marais Temps Clair is nonexistent, although the adjacent channel interference from the St. Louis stations was a tad stronger. The place is also perfect for a sunrise DXpedition, as well as daytime and evening DXpeditions. The area is open from 0400 to 2200 local time.
AM RADIO LOGBOOK
570 kHz WNAX Yankton, SD noted at 1704 CST (2304 UTC) with local ads, "570 WNAX" ID into regional news. A good to fair signal was noted over KLIF.
580 kHz WIBW Topeka, KS at 1605 CST (2205 UTC) with local ads, "WIBW 580 and 104.9" ID into a talk program. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with WILL and adjacent channel interference from KFNS 590.
720 kHz WGCR Pisgah Forest, NC at 1608 CST (2208 UTC) with Southern Gospel music, Eastern time check, "Gospel Carolina Radio" ID into another music set, fading before 1615 sign-off. A good signal was noted over WGN with adjacent channel interference from KWRE 730.
740 kHz CFZM Toronto, ON at 1709 CST (2309 UTC) with Oldies and Adult Standards, "Great Big Zoomer Hits" mention. A good signal was noted over KRMG.
800 kHz CKLW Windsor, ON at 1714 CST (2314 UTC) with weather forecast into a review of weather events in Ontario during 2018. A good signal was noted over KQCV.
880 kHz KRVN Lexington, NE at 1617 CST (2217 UTC) with The Joe Kelly Show and Lexington area ads. A fair signal was noted over WIJR and WCBS.
990 kHz CBW Winnipeg, MB at 1630 CST (2230 UTC) with Country and Folk music, talk about text messages, "CBC Radio One" ID. A fair signal was noted over other stations.
1030 kHz WBZ Boston, MA at 1635 CST (2235 UTC) with Eastern time check, "WBZ News Radio 1030" ID, local news item and local ads. A good signal was noted over KCWJ, KFAY and KTWO.
1060 kHz KYW Philadelphia, PA at 1637 CST (2237 UTC) with sports report, mention of "Sports Radio 94 WIP", "KYW News Radio" ID, promo for Traffic on the Twos into local ads. A good signal was noted over other stations.
1480 kHz KCZZ Mission, KS at 1653 CST (2253 UTC) with sports talk and highlights, "ESPN Deportes" mention and local ads in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with WJBM and WLMV.
1660 kHz WQLR Kalamazoo, MI at 1657 CST (2257 UTC) with local ads, "1660 the Fan, WQLR Kalamazoo" legal ID at 1700 (2300). A good signal was noted over KWOD.
SHORTWAVE LOGBOOK
5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana at 2158 UTC (1558 CST) with Salsa music, ID into a newscast in Spanish A fair signal was noted.
5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba at 2307 UTC (1707 CST) with ID into commentary in Spanish. A fair signal was noted.
6090 kHz ANGUILLA Caribbean Beacon at 2233 UTC (1633 CST) with a sermon by Pastor Melissa Scott. A good signal was noted.
9265 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WINB Red Lion, PA noted at 2240 UTC (1640 UTC) with light vocal Christian music and a brief sermon in English. A good signal was noted.
9330 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WBCQ Monticello, ME at 2244 UTC (1644 CST) with The Overcomer with Brother R.G. Stair (some DXers call him Brother Scare). A good to fair signal was noted.
9720 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba noted at 2245 UTC (1645 CST) with Music With a Message, focusing on Cuban revolutionary songs. A very good signal was noted.
