DXpedition #10 - Babler State Park, Wildwood, MO

One year and one day after my first DXpedition, I returned to Babler State Park in the city of Wildwood, MO for my tenth DXpedition. This time, I set up in the parking lot north of the Gray Park Trailhead, about half a mile from where I set up for the November 24, 2018 DXpedition. The skies were partly cloudy with temperatures in the mid-60s Fahrenheit. It was warm enough to keep one window open on the 2002 Chrysler Voyager I was driving.

This would be the first time I would take the 30-foot homebrew roll-up longwire to Babler. I built this antenna after the first Babler DXpedition; I broke it in on the first Sioux Passage DXpedition in May 2019. I lashed the mast supporting the antenna to a tree about 30 feet away from the listening post; the center insulator was clipped to the front passenger window, which was partially open. Once again, I took along the Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX and the General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX. On this DXpedition, I took along the newest piece of equipment in my setup; a Whistler WS-1040 handheld digital scanner. 

Reception conditions on the AM (MW) band were typical daytime conditions before 1400 CST (2000 UTC). After 1400 CST (2000 UTC), I was hearing other areas of the Midwest before stations from the East started coming through around 1430 CST (2030 UTC). After 1600 CST (2200 UTC), stations to the west started to come in. On the shortwave bands, conditions favored Africa before 2000 UTC (1400 CST), although a few stations in the Americas were coming through. South Asia and the Middle East came through after 2100 UTC (1500 CST), with East Asia coming through after 2200 UTC (1600 CST). On the scanner, I noted the Franklin County (MO) Sheriff's Department on 151.34 MHz, Lincoln County (MO) Fire/EMS Dispatch on 159.285 MHz and several frequencies on the 800 MHz Saint Charles County trunked radio system (the latter of which I cannot hear at my home listening post in Hazelwood). I also heard the NOAA Weather Radio stations on 162.425 (WNG728 Bellflower, MO), 162.450 (KXI70 Jerseyville, IL) and 162.525 MHz (WWF75 Bourbon, MO) in addition to local KDO89 on 162.550 MHz. I started monitoring around 1315 CST (1915 UTC), wrapping up around 1645 CST (2245 UTC) to face the Monday rush hour traffic in western Saint Louis County.

All times on the AM (MW) broadcast band logs are CST; all times on the shortwave logs are UTC.

The Tecsun PL-600 and General Electric Superadio III on a folding tray table inside the minivan.

The longwire antenna and mast, lashed to a tree near the parking lot.

AM BROADCAST BAND LOGS

570 kHz WKBN Youngstown, OH - 11/25 1631 noted with local ads, promo for The Sean Hannity Show, "News/Talk 570" ID into weather forecast. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with WNAX.

750 kHz WNDZ Portage, IN - 11/25 1437 noted with local ads in Spanish. A fair signal was noted over KBNN.

780 kHz WJAG Norfolk, NE - 11/25 1635 noted with talk on the corn crop and prices. A good to fair signal was noted over WBBM with slight adjacent channel interference from WEW 770.

790 kHz WKRD Louisville, KY - 11/25 1515 noted with talk on University of Kentucky and University of Louisville sports, "Cards Radio 790 KRD" ID, station promo and local ads. A good to fair signal was noted over WMC and WRMS.

880 kHz KRVN Lexington, NE - 11/25 1740 noted with extended agricultural forecast for Nebraska and Kansas, ads for various Nebraska businesses, financial report, seat belt safety PSA. A good signal was noted over WCBS and WIJR.

890 kHz WKNV Fairlawn, VA - 11/25 1529 noted with "Joy FM" ID into Southern Gospel music. A fair signal was noted over WLS.

960 kHz WFIR Roanoke, VA - 11/25 1531 noted with Virginia Tech Hokies basketball pre-game show from the Maui Invitational in Hawaii. A fair signal was noted over KZIM.

1020 kHz KDKA Pittsburgh, PA - 11/25 1447 noted with promo, local ads including one mentioning a number in Area Code 724. A fair to poor signal was noted with moderate adjacent channel interference from KXEN 1010.

1030 kHz WGSF Memphis, TN - 11/25 1452 noted with a Regional Mexican format, promo in Spanish mentioning Radio Ambiente. A fair to poor signal was noted over KCWJ.

1040 kHz WPBS Conyers, GA - 11/25 1555 noted with discussion mentioning Georgia in Vietnamese. A good signal was noted over WHO.

1060 kHz WILB Canton, OH - 11/25 1455 noted with EWTN promos, Christopher Minute, local underwriting announcements. A fair signal was noted over WMCL.

1110 kHz KFAB Omaha, NE - 11/25 1716 noted with "News Radio 1110 KFAB" ID, promo for the iHeart Music Awards mentioning CW 15 (KXVO-TV) into local ads. A good signal was noted with moderate adjacent channel interference from KMOX 1120.

1170 kHz KFAQ Tulsa, OK - 11/25 1505 noted with weather forecast, sports show promo, "Talk Radio 1170" ID before fading to WWVA with Sean Hannity. A good signal was noted over KBOB and WWVA.

1340 kHz KSMO Salem, MO - 11/25 1319 noted with ads mentioning Salem. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KXEO.

1340 kHz KXEO Mexico, MO - 11/25 1324 noted with a Gold-based Adult Contemporary format, "KXEO" IDs. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KSMO.

1350 kHz KRAP Washington, MO - 11/25 1407 noted with a Hot Adult Contemporary format, "Westplex 107.1" ID. A fair signal was noted, mixing with WSIQ.

1360 kHz KBKB Fort Madison, IA - 11/25 1417 noted with local ads, weather forecast, "Fox Sports Radio 1360" ID into Fox Sports Radio. A fair signal was noted.

1410 kHz WING Dayton, OH - 11/25 1421 noted with local ads, promo for Ohio State sports talk show, "1410 ESPN Radio" ID into local sports talk show. A good to fair signal was noted over other stations.

1480 kHz WJBM Jerseyville, IL - 11/25 1427 noted with a Country format, "104.7 FM and AM 1480 WJBM" ID. A fair signal was noted over other stations.

SHORTWAVE RADIO LOGS

3330 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 11/25 2153 noted with "CHU Canada" ID in French, UTC time checks in English and French, time signals, ID in English at 2154. A good to fair signal was noted.

4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Pará ZYG362 Belém, Pará - 11/25 2209 noted with commentary in Portuguese. A poor signal was noted.

5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta - 11/25 2012 noted with commentary in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted.

5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 11/25 2208 noted with commentary in Spanish. A fair signal was noted.

5960 kHz ALBANIA China Radio International relay Cerrik - 11/25 2004 noted with news, station promo and commentary in English. A fair signal was noted.

5995 kHz MALI ORTM Radio Mali - 11/25 2030 noted with commentary in French. A fair to poor signal was noted.

7375 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Galbeni - 11/25 2045 noted with commentary in Romanian. A good to fair signal was noted.

9445 kHz INDIA All India Radio via Bengaluru - 11/25 2118 noted with traditional Indian music, commentary and ID in English. A good signal was noted.

9555 kHz SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Radio International via Riyadh - 11/25 2228 noted with ID and promos in Arabic. A fair signal was noted.

9820 kHz CHINA CNR2 Business Radio via Xianyang - 11/25 2202 noted with promo into commentary in Chinese. A fair signal was noted.

9870 kHz SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Radio International via Riyadh - 11/25 2229 noted with promos and commentary in Arabic. A fair to poor signal was noted.

10000 kHz BRAZIL PPE Rio de Janeiro, R. de. J. - 11/25 2150 noted with time signals, beeps every 10 seconds and announcements in Portuguese. A fair signal was noted under WWV.

11660 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC relay - 11/25 1938 noted with news analysis in Hausa. A good signal was noted.

11770 kHz NIGERIA Voice of Nigeria via Abuja - 11/25 1935 noted with commentary in Fulfulde. A good signal was noted.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 11/25 1930 noted with discussion and pop music in Portuguese. A very good signal was noted.

11900 kHz SÃO TOMÉ É PRINCIPE Voice of America relay - 11/25 1940 noted with commentary in French. A good to fair signal was noted.

12075 kHz BOTSWANA Voice of America relay Mopeng Hill - 11/25 1943 noted with sports report in French. A good signal was noted.

13845 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA University Network via WWCR Nashville, TN - 11/25 2226 noted with a recording of a sermon by Dr. Gene Scott. A fair to poor signal was noted.

DXpedition #9 - Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, IL

On the afternoon of November 14, 2019, I took my radios on my first DXpedition outside of the State of Missouri. I chose Pere Marquette State Park as the site for my first DXpedition to the Land of Lincoln. The park is operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, named in honor of Father Jacques Marquette, who explored the Illinois River with Louis Jolliet (after whom the city of Joliet, IL is named) in the late Seventeenth Century. The centerpiece of the park is Pere Marquette Lodge, built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The restaurant is noted for their fried chicken, arguably the best in downstate Illinois. As I found out, this area is prime for DX.

The park is about 40 miles north of Saint Louis, MO in southwestern Jersey County on Illinois 100. The road leading to the lookouts with views of the Saint Louis area was closed due to conditions as a result of the snowfall of November 11. I set up near the marina on the banks of the Illinois River; this is my Plan B. The area is within line-of-sight of scenic Calhoun County. Once again, I brought my General Electric Superadio III for AM (medium wave) broadcast band DX; the Tecsun PL-600 was used for shortwave DX, along with my 30-foot homebrew longwire antenna. This time, I set it on the ground. Temperatures were around 40 degrees Fahrenheit under sunny skies; the sunshine kept the 2002 Chrysler Voyager I set up the listening post in warm. 

The first thing I found out is that KFNS 590 Wood River, IL and KHOJ 1460 Saint Charles, MO have weaker signals than at the other seven DXpedition sites. The park is in KFNS' null toward WMT 600 Cedar Rapids, IA and a KHOJ null toward WMBD 1470 Peoria, IL. The other Saint Louis AM signals were strong, although I noted DX on adjacent channels, even through the digital sidebands of KFUO 850. The closest stations to the park, KYRO 1280 Troy, MO and WJBM 1480 Jerseyville, IL, had decent signals; I could cleanly seperate these signals from adjacent channel WIRL 1290 Peoria, IL and KFTK 1490 East Saint Louis, IL. I also noted two local format changes on this DXpedition: WSDZ 1260 Belleville, IL switched to Relevant Radio in English, while KXFN 1380 Saint Louis, MO switched to Relevant Radio in Spanish.

I began monitoring around 1325 CST (1925 UTC); typical daytime conditions prevailed on the AM broadcast band until just before 1400 CST (2000 UTC). After 1400 CST (2000 UTC), other parts of the Midwest started to come in; sunset conditions favored Ontario and the Eastern seaboard in addition to the Midwest. Shortwave reception conditions favored North America and Africa before 2000 UTC; European stations began coming in after 2000 UTC. Two clandestine stations were noted on the bands; one hostile to the government in Chad, the other hostile to the Turkish government. Tropical band Cubans began to be noted around 2130 UTC; South American stations began coming in after 2200 UTC. I wrapped up monitoring around 1655 CST (2255 UTC).

All times on the AM broadcast band logs are in Central (U.S.) Standard Time; all times for the shortwave logs are in UTC.

The Tecsun PL-600 and General Electric Superadio III used on the Pere Marquette DXpedition.

The homebrew shortwave antenna leading into the van.

AM BROADCAST BAND LOGS

540 kHz KWMT Fort Dodge, IA - 11/14 1444 noted with a Country format, call letters and local ads. A fair to poor signal was noted with adjacent channel interference from KTRS 550.

580 kHz WILL Urbana, IL - 11/14 1329 noted with Here and Now, promo for All Things Considered mentioning AM 580 and 90.9 FM, underwriting announcement mentioning WILL. A fair signal was noted, alone on the channel.

590 kHz KXSP Omaha, NE - 11/14 1645 noted with talk on University of Nebraska athletics. A fair signal was noted through KFNS.

710 kHz KCMO Kansas City, MO - 11/14 1334 noted with local ads into The Dave Ramsey Show. A fair to poor signal was noted, alone on the channel.

740 kHz CFZM Toronto, ON - 11/14 1639 noted with Oldies format, mentions of Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits and gasoline prices in Ontario, Eastern time check, traffic report for the Greater Toronto Area, "Zoomer Radio" ID. A good to fair signal was noted over KRMG with adjacent channel interference from KWRE 730.

750 kHz KBNN Lebanon, MO - 11/14 1434 noted with local ads, "KBNN" ID into The Dave Ramsey Show. A fair to poor signal was noted over WNDZ.

770 kHz WABC New York, NY - 11/14 1651 noted with "77 WABC" ID into New York area traffic report. A fair signal was noted through WEW.

860 kHz CJBC Toronto, ON - 11/14 1649 noted with commentary and Adult Contemporary music in French. A fair signal through digital adjacent channel interference from KFUO 850.

940 kHz WMIX Mount Vernon, IL - 11/14 1450 noted with Adult Standards format, "940 WMIX" ID. A fair to poor signal was noted over KPSZ; weaker than in recent years.

990 kHz WNML Knoxville, TN - 11/14 1548 noted with "99.1 Sports Radio" ID into local ads. A fair signal was noted over CBW.

1040 kHz WPBS Conyers, GA - 11/14 1550 noted with discussion in Vietnamese. A fair signal was noted over WHO.

1100 kHz WTAM Cleveland, OH - 11/14 1456 noted with local ads, talk on the upcoming Browns game, "News Radio WTAM Cleveland, an iHeart Radio Station" legal ID at 1500. A fair to poor signal was noted, alone on the channel.

1110 kHz WBT Charlotte, NC - 11/14 1551 noted with "99-3 WBT" and "WBT, a Radio-dot-com Station" mentions, station promo, "News/Talk 1110 and 99.3 WBT" ID into a talk show with Jim Bohannon filling in. A good signal was noted over KFAB with adjacent channel interference from KMOX 1120.

1140 kHz WRVA Richmond, VA - 11/14 1614 noted with local ads. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KXRB and WVEL.

1150 kHz WGGH Marion, IL - 11/14 1619 noted with local ads, The Mike Gallagher Show, "WGGH Marion" legal ID at 1630 into SRN News. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with other stations.

1180 kHz WHAM Rochester, NY - 11/14 1630 noted with Eastern time check, "News Radio 1180 Wham" ID, news headlines and traffic report. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with other stations.

1210 kHz WILY Centralia, IL - 11/14 1346 noted with "WILY 1210 AM and 98.7 FM" ID into a Classic Hits format. A fair to poor signal was noted with slight adjacent channel interference from KLPW 1220.

1220 kHz KLPW Union, MO - 11/14 1348 noted with a Classic Rock format, "KLPW" ID by Saint Louis radio legend Radio Rich Dalton into local ads. A good signal was noted, alone on the channel.

1260 kHz WSDZ Belleville, IL -11/14 1500 noted with "Relevant Radio 1260 WSDZ Belleville, 95.1 K236CS Saint Louis" legal ID into Relevant Radio News. A very good signal was noted, alone on the channel. Change in format from Urban Gospel.

1340 kHz KXEO Mexico, MO - 11/14 1503 noted with a mix of Adult Contemporary music and Oldies, "Your Local Radio, 1340 KXEO" ID. A fair signal was noted over WSOY.

1380 kHz KXFN Saint Louis, MO - 11/14 1646 noted with discussion on Catholic teaching, “Relevant Radio en español” mention in Spanish. A good to fair signal was noted over other stations. Change from Conservative Talk.

SHORTWAVE LOGS

3330 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 11/14 2200 noted with "CHU Canada" ID in English, UTC time checks in English and French, brief pause before starting time signals, ID in French at 2201. A fair to poor signal was noted.

5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 11/14 2129 noted with commentary in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted.

5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 11/14 2201 noted with news headlines in Spanish into vocal music. A fair to poor signal was noted.

9395 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Overcomer Ministry via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 11/14 1952 noted with Brother Stair telling Bible stories. A good signal was noted.

9420 kHz GREECE Voice of Greece via Avlida - 11/14 2106 noted with traditional Greek music and commentary in Greek. A good to fair signal was noted.

9455 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Overcomer Ministry via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 11/14 1953 noted with Brother Stair telling Bible stories. A very good signal was noted; slightly better than on 9395 kHz.

9525 kHz CLANDESTINE Denge Walat via Issoudun, France - 11/14 2114 noted with commentary in Kurdish into traditional Kurdish music. A fair to poor signal was noted.

9600 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Kasgar - 11/14 2119 noted with discussion in English. A fair to poor signal was noted.

11720 kHz SÃO TOMÉ E PRÍNCIPE Voice of America relay - 11/14 2136 noted with pop music countdown and ID in English. A good signal was noted.

11770 kHz NIGERIA Voice of Nigeria via Abuja - 11/14 1937 noted with commentary in Fulfulde. A good signal was noted.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazonia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 11/14 2227 noted with a discussion in Portuguese. A very good signal was noted.

11810 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay - 11/14 2138 noted with a feature on sourdough bread in English. A good signal was noted.

12050 kHz CLANDESTINE Radio Ndarason International via Woofferton, U.K. - 11/14 2026 noted with "Radio Ndarason International" ID and commentary in Kanembu. A good signal was noted.

12095 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay - 11/14 2020 noted with discussion on the flooding in Venice in English. A good to fair signal was noted.

15555 kHz USB UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WJHR Milton, FL - 11/14 2016 noted with preacher talking about the Bible's teaching on adultery in English. A good signal was noted in upper sideband.

15580 kHz BOTSWANA Voice of America relay - 11/14 2009 noted with pop and hi-life music, "VOA" ID in English. A fair to poor signal was noted.

17775 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA KVOH Rancho Simi, CA - 11/14 2005 noted with Contemporary Christian music in Spanish. A very good signal was noted.

DXpedition #8 - Creve Coeur County Park, Maryland Heights, MO

On the afternoon of October 25, I took my radios to Creve Coeur County Park, located in Maryland Heights, MO. The park is run by the Saint Louis County Parks Department; the park is located in an area bound by Marine Avenue, Maryland Heights Expressway (MO 141) and Page Avenue (MO 364). The primary feature is Creve Coeur Lake, which used to be a loop in the Missouri River.

I set up my listening post near the Taco Bell Shelter at the lake's northeastern shore. For AM broadcast band DX, I once again brought my General Electric Superadio III. Instead of the Tecsun PL-600, I was lucky I brought my Yaesu VX-5 handheld transceiver. Although it is designed to transmit on the 50 MHz (6 Meters), 144 MHz (2 Meters) and 440 MHz (70 centimeter) Amateur Radio bands, it has receiving capabilities for AM, FM, shortwave broadcast, VHF and UHF Public Service bands. I was able to couple a coiled 30-foot longwire to the VHF/UHF magnetic-mounted antenna to pull in shortwave DX. 

Monitoring began around 1540 CDT (2040 UTC) with late afternoon conditions on the AM broadcast band favoring the Midwest. A bluff directly behind where I parked the 2002 Chrysler Voyager attenuated lower-powered Saint Louis AM radio stations enough to pull in DX, like WBEL 1380 or KGYM 1600. Shortwave broadcast reception conditions favored the Americas and Asia, although Spain was heard on three frequencies and Greece was also noted. Sunset AM conditions extended into Minnesota and Texas. I wrapped up monitoring around 1810 CDT (2310 UTC), one minute before sunset.

General Electric Superadio III used for AM broadcast band DX.

Coiled 30-foot longwire used for shortwave DX.

AM BROADCAST BAND LOGS (all times CDT)

  910 kHz WSUI Iowa City, IA - 10/25 1715 noted with a discussion on politics, "Iowa Public Radio" ID, Central U.S. time check, news headlines and underwriting announcements. A fair signal was noted over KVIS.

  930 kHz WTAD Quincy, IL - 10/25 1705 noted with local ad, "WTAD" ID into The Mark Levin Show. A fair signal was noted over KWOC.

  960 kHz KZIM Cape Girardeau, MO - 10/25 1719 noted with promo for America's First News, "KZIM, KSIM" ID into The Lars Larson Show. A good signal was noted over KMA.

  980 kHz KSGM Chester, IL - 10/25 1605 noted with local news featuring an item from Sainte Genevieve, MO. A fair signal was noted, alone on the channel.

1080 kHz WNWI Oak Lawn, IL - 10/25 1725 noted with local ads in Polish. A fair to poor signal was noted over KRLD with WRYT nulled.

1250 kHz WSPL Streator, IL - 10/25 1735 noted with an Adult Standards format, "98.5 WSPL" ID. A fair signal was noted over KYYS.

1270 kHz KFLC Benbrook, TX - 10/25 1751 noted with local ads in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with WMKT and other stations.

1280 kHz KYRO Troy, MO - 10/25 1608 noted with a Classic Hits format, "FM 105.3, AM 1280 KYRO" ID. 105.3 refers to K287CM Wentzville, MO. A fair signal was noted over WBIG and WGBF. Change of format from News/Talk.

1290 kHz WIRL Peoria, IL - 10/25 1625 noted with an Oldies format, "Stand by for more of the biggest hits of all time, Super Hits WIRL" ID into local ads. A fair signal was noted over WHIO.

1380 kHz WBEL South Beloit, IL - 10/25 1640 noted with a Classic Hits format, "The Beat" jingle. A fair to poor signal was noted in a KXFN null.

1400 kHz WGIL Galesburg, IL - 10/25 1618 noted with local ads and "WGIL" ID. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KFRU and KJFF.

1410 kHz WIZM La Crosse, WI - 10/25 1756 noted with local ads, local talk show and "WIZM" ID. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with other stations.

1490 kHz KTTR Rolla, MO - 10/25 1655 noted with "The New Hot 104.9" ID into a Contemporary Hit Radio format. A fair to poor signal was noted over KFTK and other stations. Change of format from Contemporary Christian.

1510 kHz WCAZ Macomb, IL - 10/25 1800 noted with "Real Country 93.1 FM and 1510 AM, WCAZ Macomb/Carthage, W226CH Macomb/Carthage" legal ID into Fox News Radio. A fair signal was noted over WLAC.

1520 kHz KOLM Rochester, MN - 10/25 1802 noted with end of a CBS Sports Radio Sports Flash, mention of CBS Sports Radio. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KOKC and KRHW.

1530 kHz WLIQ Quincy, IL - 10/25 1541 noted with a local ad, "Your home for Classic Country, Kick AM 1530" ID into a Classic Country format. A fair signal was noted over WCKY.

1560 kHz KLTI Macon, MO - 10/25 1805 noted with a Country format, "KLTI, Today's True Country" ID. A fair signal was noted over KGOW and KTUI.

1570 kHz WFRL Freeport, IL - 10/25 1543 noted with Classic Country format, "AM 1570 the Giant" ID. A fair signal was noted through WBGZ.

1590 kHz KVGB Great Bend, KS - 10/25 1556 noted with The Dave Ramsey Show, "KVGB" ID into local ads. A fair to poor signal was noted over KMOZ.

1600 kHz KGYM Cedar Rapids, IA - 10/25 1559 noted with local ads, "KGYM Cedar Rapids" ID in a multi-station ID into ESPN sports update. A fair to poor signal was noted through KATZ.

1640 kHz WSJP Sussex, WI - 10/25 1809 noted with talk on forgiveness. A good signal was noted over WTNI.

SHORTWAVE LOGS (all times UTC)

5980 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Radio-TV Marti via Greenville, NC - 10/25 2212 noted with commentary mentioning Cuba and Venezuela in Spanish. A good signal was noted.

7315 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHRI Cypress Creek, SC - 10/25 2307 noted with Christian teaching in English. A good to fair signal was noted.

7380 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 10/25 2308 noted with commentary in English. A good to fair signal was noted.

9420 kHz GREECE Voice of Greece via Avlida - 10/25 2233 noted with discussion in Greek. A good to fair signal was noted.

9455 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Overcomer Ministry via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 10/25 2231 noted with Brother Stair discussing Scripture in English. A very good signal was noted.

9625 kHz PHILIPPINES Voice of America relay via Tinang - 10/25 2235 noted with commentary and discussion in Chinese. A good to fair signal was noted.

9665 kHz BRAZIL Radio Voz Missionaria ZYE890 Camboriu, Santa Catarina - 10/25 2210 noted with a sermon in Portuguese. A fair signal was noted.

9675 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Beijing - 10/25 2250 noted with commentary in Chinese. A fair to poor signal was noted.

9690 kHz SPAIN Radio Exterior de Espana via Noblejas - 10/25 2208 noted with discussion on the re-burial of Generalissimo Francisco Franco in English. A very good signal was noted.

9900 kHz TAIWAN Radio Taiwan International via Paochung - 10/25 2254 noted with commentary and discussion in Chinese. A good to fair signal was noted.

11850 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via Quivican - 10/25 2201 noted with ID and news in Spanish. A good to fair signal was noted.

11940 kHz SPAIN Radio Exterior de Espana via Noblejas - 10/25 2204 noted with commentary on the re-burial of Generalissimo Francisco Franco in English. A good to fair signal was noted.

12030 kHz SPAIN Radio Exterior de Espana via Noblejas - 10/25 2207 noted with commentary and discussion on the re-burial of Generalissimo Francisco Franco in English. A good signal was noted. 

DXpedition #7 - James S. McDonnell Park near Saint Ann, MO

On the afternoon of October 19, 2019, I took my radios to James S. McDonnell Park near Saint Ann, MO. The park is located near where Adie Road and Link Avenue splits. Link Avenue heads south into the West Overland area (where it turns into Warson Road), while Adie Road goes southwest toward northbound Lindbergh Boulevard (U.S. 67). I chose this particular park because one of the local Amateur Radio clubs I belong to, the Saint Louis and Suburban Radio Club, has operated their Field Day station from there on several occasions. The park is named in memory of the founder of McDonnell Aircraft Company (now part of Boeing).

Weather-wise, the temperatures were in the lower 60s under mostly cloudy skies with occasional rain sprinkles in the area. I set up on a soft shoulder on a roundabout roughly 100 yards east of the McDonnell Shelter, the site of SLSRC's 2019 Field Day operation. I lashed the 10-foot mast supporting one end of the longwire to a tree about 30 feet from where I set up my listening post. A five-foot mast, lashed to the fully open sliding door of the 2002 Chrysler Voyager I was driving, supported the longwire on the other end. I originally set up my listening post outside; however, when the sprinkles started falling, I moved the folding table I set up my listening post on inside the vehicle.

Late afternoon and sunset conditions on the AM (MW) broadcast band favored the Midwest, Mid-South and the Carolinas. On the shortwave broadcast bands, I once again heard at least one transmitter from each continent. For AM (MW) broadcast band DX, I once again used the General Electric Superadio III with a built-in ferrite rod antenna. For shortwave broadcast DX, I once again used the Tecsun PL-600 with a homebrew 30-foot longwire.

The end of the 30-foot longwire lashed to a tree.

The listening post before the rain came.

The listening post moved inside the van.

The antenna mast lashing.

The center insulator attached to the five-foot mast near the listening post.

AM BROADCAST BAND LOGS (all times Central U.S. time)

720 kHz WGCR Pisgah Forest, NC - 10/19 1739 noted with a Southern Gospel format, mention of previous song played by a female announcer, into The Digital Heritage Moment, with a feature on wildlife in southern Appalachia. A fair signal was noted in a WGN null.

810 kHz WHB Kansas City, MO - 10/19 1745 noted with local ad, "WHB" ID into talk on college football. A fair signal was noted over other stations. 

940 kHz WECO Wartburg, TN - 10/19 1752 noted with a Southern Gospel format, "AM 940 WECO" ID. A fair to poor signal, noted mixing with other stations.

980 kHz KMBZ Kansas City, MO - 10/19 1800 noted with legal ID, "Talk 980 KMBZ" mention into ABC News. A fair signal was noted over KSGM and WYFN.

1070 kHz KFTI Wichita, KS - 10/19 1806 noted with Classic Country, "Classic Country 1070" ID. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KHMO, WAPI, WCSZ and other stations.

1070 kHz WCSZ Sans Souci, SC - 10/19 1810 poked through with an announcement in Spanish into a Regional Mexican format. A poor signal was noted, mixing with KFTI, KHMO, WAPI and other stations.

1200 kHz WRTO Chicago, IL - 10/19 1640 noted with national ad in English into soccer coverage promos in Spanish. A good signal was noted with adjacent channel interference from KQQZ 1190 kHz.

1350 kHz WPDR Portage, WI - 10/19 1646 noted with Oldies format, "AM 1350 WPDR" ID. A fair signal was noted over KRAP and WSIQ.

1510 kHz WLAC Nashville, TN - 10/19 1708 noted with Vanderbilt University football play-by-play, local ads, "This is Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC" ID. A good to fair signal was noted over WCAZ.

1530 kHz KVDW England, AR - 10/19 1821 noted with an Urban Gospel format and a local promo. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KGBT and WCKY.

1530 kHz KGBT Harlingen, TX - 10/19 1824 noted with soccer play-by-play in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KVDW and WCKY.

1560 kHz KLNG Council Bluffs, IA - 10/19 1826 noted with the tail end of a Christian teaching program, choral Christian music until sign-off at 1830. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KGOW.

1560 kHz KGOW Bellaire, TX - 10/19 1825 noted with commentary in Vietnamese. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KLNG.

1580 kHz WLIJ Shelbyville, TN - 10/19 1711 noted with a Country format, mention of call letters. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with other stations.

SHORTWAVE LOGS (all times UTC)

4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Para ZYG362 Belem, Para - 10/19 2307 noted with commentary in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was noted.

5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 10/19 2113 noted with commentary in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted.

5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 10/19 2257 noted with tail end of commentary in Spanish into RHC interval signal. A fair signal was noted.

5050 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWRB Morrison, TN - 10/19 2258 noted with ID and Christian teaching program in English. An excellent signal was noted. 

5085 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WTWW Lebanon, TN - 10/19 2301 noted with Ham Radio Live and an ad for ICOM America in English. An excellent signal was noted.

7490 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Overcomer Ministry via WBCQ Monticello, ME - 10/19 2116 noted with Brother R.G. Stair talking about the military strength of Russia, Israel and other countries in English. A very good signal was noted.

9790 kHz FRANCE Radio France Internationale via Issoudun - 10/19 2119 noted with commentary and discussion in French. A fair signal was noted.

11610 kHz MADAGASCAR Madagascar World Voice via Mahajanga - 10/19 2124 noted with Chinese language lessons with English translations into Christian teaching program in Chinese. A good signal was noted.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazonia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 10/19 2217 noted with pop music and talk in Portuguese. A very good signal was noted.

11820 kHz SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Radio International via Riyadh - 10/19 2130 noted with the Holy Qu'ran program in Arabic. A good signal was noted.

11915 kHz SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Radio International via Riyadh - 10/19 2133 noted with the Holy Qu'ran program in Arabic. A fair to poor signal was noted.

13680 kHz JAPAN NHK World (Radio Japan) via Yamato - 10/19 2138 noted with piano music and talk in Japanese. A fair to poor signal was noted.

13740 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 10/19 2317 noted with commentary on Cuban political processes in English. An excellent signal was noted.

13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 10/19 2322 noted with commentary in English. A fair to poor signal was noted.

15580 kHz BOTSWANA Voice of America relay Mopeng Hill - 10/19 2103 noted with news in English into pop music, A fair signal was noted.

DXpedition #6 - Lincoln Shields Recreation Area, West Alton, MO

For my sixth DXpedition, I decided to give a different place a try. This time, I decided to give the Lincoln Shields Recreation Area a try. I've taken pictures from this area in the past, but I often wondered how DX would be at this location. It didn't take me long to find out!

On the afternoon of October 4, 2019, I took my radios there. Lincoln Shields Recreation Area is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, located in West Alton, MO at the southern end of the Clark Bridge along U.S. Highway 67. The area is within sight of downtown Alton, IL. Temperatures were in the upper 60s Fahrenheit under mostly clear skies; just four days before, the mercury was in the mid-90s Fahrenheit. A breeze was blowing in from the Mississippi River, some 20 yards to the north of where I set up my listening post.

I set up on the southern end of the asphalt parking lot, lashing the 10-foot high mast of the 30-foot longwire to a sign post with a "Bike Route" sign. A second mast, five feet high, was set up on the passenger side sliding door of the 2002 Chrysler Voyager I was driving. Once again, I brought my Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX and my General Electric Superadio III for AM broadcast band DX. The longwire was connected to the Tecsun. I began monitoring shortly after 2100 UTC.

On the AM broadcast band, late afternoon band conditions favored the Midwest. Stations were not only noted from Missouri and Illinois, but also from Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma. I discovered that I could put a tight null on the 20,000-watt day signal of WSDZ 1260 Belleville, IL in the late afternoon hours. I could hear several AMs carrying Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Saint Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves from the Cardinals' radio network. The biggest surprise of the afternoon turned out to be WING 1410 kHz Dayton, OH. I had expected WIZM La Crosse, WI to be dominant on the channel. The closest transmitters were of KFNS 590 and WBGZ 1570.

This was the first DXpedition where I heard at least one shortwave relay station from each continent. So many pleasant surprises were noted, including KBS World via Gimje, South Korea on 11810 kHz, Radio Free Asia via Dushanbe on 9875 kHz and Radio Brasil Central on 11815 kHz. Conditions were fair in the late afternoon all the way to the 49 Meter band, with 60 Meters from as far south as Brazil in by 2300 UTC. I finally wrapped up monitoring at 2340 UTC, five minutes before sunset.

General Electric Superadio III for AM broadcast band DX, Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX.

Clip mount for the center insulator supporting the longwire before adding the RG-6QS cable.

Longwire antenna for shortwave DX at sunset.

AM BROADCAST BAND DX (All times CDT)

  740 kHz WVLN Olney, IL - 10/4 1736 noted with local ads mentioning phone numbers in Area Code 618. A fair signal was noted with adjacent channel interference from KWRE 730 kHz.

1100 kHz WTAM Cleveland, OH - 10/4 1743 noted with talk on Las Vegas, "WTAM" ID and mention of the station's Web site. A good to fair signal was noted; alone on channel.

1170 kHz KFAQ Tulsa, OK - 10/4 1821 noted with local ads, promo for The Pat Campbell Show, "Talk Radio 1170" ID, promo mentioning Tulsa, into sports talk show. A good signal was noted over KBOB and KJXX.

1400 kHz WGIL Galesburg, IL - 10/4 1638 noted with Game 2 of the National League Division Series. A fair signal was noted through KJFF.

1410 kHz WING Dayton, OH - 10/4 1702 noted with "ESPN 1410" ID, "From the Buffalo Wild Wings Studios, this is WING" mention into sports talk. A fair signal was noted over WIZM.

1450 kHz WKEI Kewanee, IL - 10/4 1755 noted with Game 2 of the National League Division Series. A poor signal was noted through other stations with ACI from KHOJ 1460 kHz.

1470 kHz WMBD Peoria, IL - 10/4 1701 noted with local news, "WMBD" ID. A good signal was noted with ACI from KHOJ 1460.

1500 kHz WBRI Indianapolis, IN - 10/4 1724 noted with The New Believers Christian teaching program, "AM 1500 WBRI and 96.7 FM" ID into USA Radio News. A fair signal was noted over KSTP and WPMB.

1510 kHz WCAZ Macomb, IL - 10/4 1642 noted with Classic Country format, "Classic Country WCAZ" ID. A fair signal was noted over WLAC.

1520 kHz KRHW Sikeston, MO - 10/4 1644 noted with Classic Country format, "Country Legends 98-9 and 1520 KRHW" ID. A fair signal was noted over WHOW.

1660 kHz KWOD Kansas City, KS - 10/4 1648 noted with local spots, promo mentioning Missouri State sports into Fox Sports Radio. A good signal was noted, alone on channel.

1690 kHz WVON Berwyn, IL - 10/4 1649 noted with "The Talk of Chicago, WVON" ID and several promos. A good signal was noted, alone on channel.

1700 kHz KBGG Des Moines, IA - 10/4 1654 noted with Des Moines traffic report and local ads. A good signal was noted, alone on channel.

SHORTWAVE LOGS (all times UTC)

4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Para ZYG362 Belem, Para - 10/4 2317 noted with commentary in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was noted.

5010 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Deutsche Welle via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 10/4 2227 noted with tail end of commentary in Spanish into "Fidelio" interval signal. A fair signal was noted.

5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 10/4 2218 noted with classic Cuban vocal music and commentary in Spanish. A fair signal was noted.

5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 10/4 2216 noted with light vocal music and commentary in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted.

6175 kHz  ALBANIA China Radio International relay via Cerrik - 10/4 2233 noted with traditional Chinese music until 2255, commentary in Portuguese. A fair signal was noted.

6195 kHz BOTSWANA Voice of America relay Mopeng Hill - 10/4 2110 noted with African hi-life music and talk in English. A fair signal was noted.

6950 kHz USB UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (PIRATE) Radio Free Whatever - 10/4 2304 noted with rock music, DJ (Dick Weed?) talking about Liam Gallagher and Oasis, mention of other pirates and various food and drink, off at 2310. A good to poor signal was noted.

7350 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Kasgar - 10/4 2301 noted with news in English. A fair to poor signal was noted.

9445 kHz INDIA All India Radio via Bengaluru - 10/4 2133 noted with traditional Indian music and commentary in English. A fair signal was noted.

9620 kHz TURKEY Voice of Turkey via Emirler - 10/4 2131 noted with Middle Eastern music and description of the song played in English. A fair signal was noted.

9875 kHz TAJIKISTAN Radio Free Asia via Dushanbe - 10/4 2334 noted with discussion in Tibetan. A fair signal was noted.

10051 kHz USB CANADA Gander VOLMET - 10/4 2158 noted with aviation weather reports for various Canadian cities. A good signal was noted.

11810 kHz SOUTH KOREA KBS World via Gimje - 10/4 2209 noted with news and analysis in English. A fair to poor signal was noted.

11815 kHz BRAZIL Radio Brasil Central ZYE440 Goiania, Goias - 10/4 2312 noted with pop music and local ads in Portuguese. A good signal was noted.

11820 kHz SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Radio International via Riyadh - 10/4 2213 noted with the Holy Qu'ran program in Arabic. A fair signal was noted.

11880 kHz AUSTRIA Adventist World Radio Africa via Moosbrunn - 10/4 2121 noted with a Christian teaching program in English. A fair signal was noted.

12095 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay - 10/4 2118 noted with talk on human versus artificial intelligence in English. A very good signal was noted.

13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki- 10/4 2335 noted with pop music, talk and "RNZ National" ID in English. A fair to poor signal was noted with ACI from WWCR on 13845 kHz.

15370 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 10/4 2124 noted with news analysis in Spanish. An excellent signal was noted. 

DXpedition #5 - Sioux Passage County Park near Florissant, MO

The second DXpedition of September 2019 was a return to Sioux Passage County Park near Florissant, MO; the site of my May 2019 DXpedition. This time, the boat launch area was open; however, the debris from the flooding early in the summer blocked the boat launch ramp. According to the information I've been getting from the U.S. Coast Guard river information broadcasts on 157.1 MHz, recreational boating is strongly discouraged; it has been discouraged since the flooding hit in the spring of 2019. Temperatures were in the lower 80s Fahrenheit; the humidity was comfortable. The Missouri River seemed to keep things a bit cooler than inland from the river.

Once again, I brought the General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX, with the Tecsun PL-600 used for shortwave DX. This time, I was able to stretch out the longwire the full 30-foot length, from the passenger side sliding door of the 2002 Chrysler Voyager that transported the setup to a pile of fallen logs some 30 feet away. I set up the receivers on a folding tray table.

On the AM (MW) broadcast band, sunset conditions favored the Midwest and Mid-South. I logged daytime regulars WMIX 940 kHz Mount Vernon, IL and KZIM 960 kHz Cape Girardeau, MO, along with sunrise and sunset regulars WRTO 1200 kHz Chicago, IL and KFEQ 680 kHz Saint Joseph, MO. I was pleasantly surprised to hear WRUS 610 kHz Russellville, KY over KCSP Kansas City, MO. The digital interference from KFUO 850 kHz Clayton, MO is minimized at sunset, so I could hear WSON 860 kHz Henderson, KY. 

Reception conditions on shortwave favored the Americas and Europe. Unlike with the May DXpedition, I logged a number of stations on the 60 Meter shortwave broadcast band; I concentrated on the lower shortwave bands. I even checked the longwire on the FM broadcast band before switching to shortwave; I had a local-like signal from WTRH 93.3 MHz Ramsey, IL (near Vandalia) and heard KCMQ 96.7 MHz Columbia, MO taking out K244FO Crestwood, MO. I began monitoring the shortwave bands shortly after 1820 CDT (2320 UTC) on the upper portion of the 25 Meter shortwave band. After 1830 CDT (2330 UTC), I checked the 90 Meter band, noting a fair signal from time and frequency station CHU Ottawa, ON, Canada on 3330 kHz. I also noted a pirate for the first time on a DXpedition, when I noted Wolverine Radio on 6935 kHz USB at 1852 CDT (2352 UTC). I also logged both shortwave relays in Romania (carrying Radio Romania International): 7420 kHz via Galbeni and 6040 kHz via Tiganesti. I monitored until 1930 CDT (0030 UTC 9/15), when it was time to take down the antenna and pack up the radios before the park closed around 1945 CDT (0045 UTC 9/15).

Support for 30-foot longwire for shortwave broadcast DX.

Jetstream JTCE4 before adding a 12-foot length of RG-6QS cable.

General Electric Superadio III and Tecsun PL-600 receivers used in the DXpedition.

All times on the AM (MW) broadcast band DX logs are CDT; all times on the shortwave logs are UTC.

AM BROADCAST BAND DX

610 kHz WRUS Russellville, KY - 9/14 1902 noted with Oldies format, "Thanks for listening to WRUS Russellville" legal ID at 1903. A fair signal was noted over KCSP.

680 kHz WMFS Memphis, TN - 9/14 1914 noted with Memphis area ads into sports talk program from ESPN. A fair signal was noted over KFEQ and WCTT.

680 kHz KFEQ Saint Joseph, MO - 9/14 1915 noted with Kansas City Royals baseball play-by-play. A good to fair signal was noted over WCTT and WMFS.

860 kHz WSON Henderson, KY - 9/14 1922 noted with Saint Louis Cardinals baseball play-by-play and local ads. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KKOW; digital adjacent channel interference from KFUO 850.

940 kHz WMIX Mount Vernon, IL - 9/14 1846 noted with Adult Standards format, "940 WMIX" ID. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with KPSZ.

960 kHz KZIM Cape Girardeau, MO - 9/14 1850 noted with "KZIM, KSIM" dual-station ID into weather forecast. A good signal was noted; alone on the frequency.

1200 kHz WRTO Chicago, IL - 9/14 1855 noted with local ads in Spanish. A good to fair signal was noted over KYOO and WSAI.

SHORTWAVE DX (All logs in AM mode except where noted.)

3330 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 9/14 2331 noted with time signals, "CHU Canada" ID in French on odd-numbered minutes and English on even-numbered minutes, UTC time checks in English and French. A fair signal was noted.

4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Para ZYG362 Belem, Para - 9/15 0022 noted with talk and pop music in Portuguese. A poor signal was noted.

5010 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 9/14 2333 noted with anti-Cuba talk in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was noted.

5050 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWRB Morrison, TN - 9/14 2335 noted with church service recorded off a low-quality telephone line in English. A good signal was noted.

6040 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Tiganesti - 9/15 0027 noted with talk on Romanian art in English. A good signal was noted.

6935 kHz USB UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (PIRATE) Wolverine Radio - 9/14 2352 noted with a "Wolverine Radio" ID in English into 1920s Jazz. A good signal was noted.

7380 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 9/14 2355 noted with talk in Portuguese into instrumental music. A good signal was noted until WHRI switched on their 7385 kHz transmitter at 2359.

7385 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHRI Cypress Creek, SC - 9/15 0000 noted with sign-on announcement into Christian teaching in English. An excellent signal was noted.

7420 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Galbeni - 9/15 0006 noted with pop music in English and ID in Spanish. Romanian is scheduled at this hour. A good signal was noted.

7570 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Overcomer Ministry via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 9/15 0011 noted with anti government talk by Brother R.G. Stair in English. A good to fair signal was noted.

9665 kHz BRAZIL Radio Voz Missionaria ZYE890 Camboriu, Santa Catarina - 9/15 0020 noted with sermon in Portuguese. A good to fair signal was noted.

12050 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WEWN Vandiver, AL - 9/14 2322 noted with interview in Spanish. A good signal was noted.