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.