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.