DXpedition #18 - Pere Marquette State Park

For the 18th DXpedition on November 6, 2020, I returned to Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, IL, the site of the November 14, 2019 DXpedition. It was quite a difference in 51 weeks; last year, the overlooks were closed due to leftover snow from the November 11, 2019 snow event. This time, the overlooks were open; the temperatures were in the mid-70s Fahrenheit under clear skies; I set up outside the 2002 Chrysler Voyager I was driving. This time, I set up my listening post at Lover's Leap Overlook, one of the highest places in the park accessible to vehicles; this offers a view of Calhoun, Jersey and Madison Counties in Illinois, as well as Saint Charles and Saint Louis Counties in Missouri. On a clear day, you can see the tallest buildings in Chesterfield, Missouri. 

The General Electric Superadio III was brought along for AM (MW) broadcast band DX, along with the Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX. This time, I brought my MFJ-1022 active antenna, which I broke into DXpedition service at Beckemeier Conservation Area in August 2020. The last time I was at Pere Marquette, locals on 1190 and 1430 kHz were still on the air, along with East Saint Louis on 1490 kHz. With the three stations now off the air, I wanted to find out what I could hear on the now-empty channels. On the AM (MW) broadcast band, pre-sunset and sunset conditions once again favored the Midwest and Mid-South; shortwave stations were heard from all over the world with the exception of the Middle East. Monitoring began around 1430 CST (2030 UTC), and wrapped up around 1740 CST (2340 UTC).

The listening post at Lover's Leap Overlook.

AM (MW) BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK (All times CST; for UTC, add six hours; for EST, add one hour.) 

  570 kHz WAAX Gadsden, AL - 11/6 1631 noted with local ads, "News Radio 101.9" ID into weather forecast. A fair to poor signal was heard over WKYX and WNAX.

  750 kHz WNDZ Portage, IN - 11/6 1505 noted with an interview in Spanish. A fair signal was heard over KBNN.

  910 kHz WSUI Iowa City, IA - 11/6 1639 noted with All Things Considered, featuring talk on the election process and Alzheimer's research. A good signal was heard over WJCW.

  950 kHz WNTD Chicago, IL - 11/6 1641 noted with "Relevant Radio" mention during a pledge drive. A good signal was heard over KWOS.

  980 kHz KMBZ Kansas City, MO - 11/6 1651 noted with Kansas City area ads. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

  990 kHz WNML Knoxville, TN - 11/6 1547 noted with local ads, "Sports Radio 990 the Animal" ID into talk on college football. A fair to poor signal was heard over other stations.

1130 kHz KWKH Shreveport, LA - 11/6 1710 noted with talk on the National Football League and local ads. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations; adjacent channel interference from KMOX 1120 kHz.

1180 kHz WLDS Jacksonville, IL - 11/6 1457 noted with The Dave Ramsey Show, local ads, "News Radio 1180 WLDS Jacksonville" legal ID at 1500 into CBS News. A fair signal was heard over WHAM; not bad for 300 watts!

1190 kHz WOWO Fort Wayne, IN - 11/6 1454 noted with local ads, station promo, "Wo-wo Radio" ID into a local talk show. A fair signal was heard, alone on the channel.

1250 kHz KCFI Cedar Falls, IA - 11/6 1615 noted with Oldies format, "True Oldies KCFI" ID into local ads. A fair signal was heard over KRRD, KYYS and WSSP.

1250 kHz KYYS Kansas City, KS - 11/6 1621 noted with a discussion in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KCFI, KRRD and WSSP.

1380 kHz WBEL South Beloit, IL - 11/6 1609 noted with Classic Hits format, "92-3, 98-9 the Beat, '80s, '90s and Whatever" slogan. A good to fair signal was heard in a KXFN null.

1430 kHz WPLN Madison, TN - 11/6 1603 noted with BBC News, "BBC World Service" ID into news analysis. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

1440 kHz WGEM Quincy, IL -11/6 1559 noted with call letters in promo, legal ID at 1600 into ESPN Sports Center Update. A good signal was heard, mixing with WROK.

1440 kHz WROK Rockford, IL - 11/6 1559 noted with "News Radio 1440 WROK" and "WROK-dot-com" mention in promo, legal ID at 1600 into Fox News Radio. A good to fair signal was heard, mixing with WGEM.

1490 kHz KTTR Rolla, MO - 11/6 1554 noted with Contemporary Hit Radio format, "Hot 104.9" ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WOSH and other stations.

1490 kHz WOSH Oshkosh, WI - 11/6 1553 noted with several "News/Talk 1490 WOSH" IDs in a promo. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KTTR and other stations.

1510 kHz WWHN Joliet, IL - 11/6 1736 noted with Urban Gospel format until the carrier was cut at 1737. A fair signal was heard over WLAC.

1520 kHz KRHW Sikeston, MO - 11/6 1733 noted with Classic Country format, "Country Legends 1520 and 98-9 KRHW" ID in promo. A good to fair signal was heard over KOKC.

SHORTWAVE RADIO LOGBOOK (All times UTC; for CST, subtract six hours, subtract five hours for EST.)

  2500 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWV Fort Collins, CO - 11/6 2226 noted with time signals, UTC time check in English at 2227. A fair to poor signal was heard.

  3330 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 11/6 2227 noted with time signals, "CHU Canada" ID in English at 2228, UTC time checks in English and French. A good to fair signal was heard.

  4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Pará ZYG362 Belém, Pará -11/6 2225 noted with promos and commentary in Portuguese. A poor signal was heard.

  5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 11/6 2246 noted with news analysis in Spanish.  A good to fair signal was heard.

  5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 11/6 2243 noted with talk on the U.S. Presidential election mentioning Arizona in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.

  5995 kHz MALI ORTM Radio Mali - 11/6 2247 noted with news analysis in French. A good to fair signal was heard.

  6070 kHz CANADA CFRX Toronto, ON - 11/6 2310 noted with talk on medical marijuana into talk on COVID-19 cases in Ontario in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

  6115 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Overcomer Ministry via WWCR Nashville, TN - 11/6 2308 noted with sermon by Brother R.G. Stair in English. An excellent signal was heard.

  6180 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 11/6 2254 noted with commentary and analysis in Portuguese. A good signal was heard.

  6604 kHz NEWFOUNDLAND Gander VOLMET - 11/6 2326 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports in English. A good to fair signal was heard in USB mode.

  7220 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Xiamen - 11/6 2317 noted with commentary in Vietnamese into traditional Chinese music. A fair signal was heard.

  7850 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 11/6 2219 noted with time signals, "CHU Canada" ID in English, UTC time check in English and French at 2220. A good to fair signal was heard.

  9900 kHz TAIWAN Radio Taiwan International via Paochung - 11/6 2324 noted with promos in Chinese. A fair signal was heard.

11610 kHz MADAGASCAR Madagascar World Voice - 11/6 2118 noted with sermon and Christian vocal music in Chinese. A very good signal was heard.

11720 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Voice of America via Greenville, NC - 11/6 2124 noted with mention of Music Time in Africa, "VOA" ID in English into Hi-Life music. An excellent signal was heard.

11810 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay - 11/6 2129 noted with promos into BBC News in English. A fair signal was heard.

11975 kHz MALI China Radio International via Bamako - 11/6 2134 noted with commentary in French. A good to fair signal was heard.

12075 kHz BOTSWANA Voice of America via Mopeng Hill - 11/6 2136 noted with news analysis in Bambara. A good to fair signal was heard.

12095 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay - 11/6 2139 noted with discussion on European football (soccer) in English. A fair signal was heard.

13630 kHz MALI China Radio International via Bamako - 11/6 2115 noted with talk on E-cigarettes in English. A good signal was heard.

15000 kHz HAWAII WWVH Kekaha, Kauai - 11/6 2047 noted with time signals, UTC time check and announcement about the station in English. A fair to poor signal was heard over WWV.

15034 kHz CANADA CHR Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON - 11/6 2049 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports, "This is Trenton Military, Trenton Military" ID and UTC time check in English. A good signal was heard in USB mode.

15600 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Beijing - 11/6 2110 noted with commentary in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard.

21525 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Pan American Broadcasting via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 11/6 2040 noted with Christian teaching program in English. A fair to poor signal was heard.

DXpedition #17 - Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area

On the evening of October 9 (UTC October 9-10), I returned to Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area, the site of my June 24 sunrise DXpedition. This time, it was a sunset-early evening DXpedition. Once again, I took along my General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX, along with the Tecsun PL-600 and 30-foot portable longwire for shortwave DX and the Whistler WS1040 handheld analog/digital scanner for monitoring VHF/UHF Public Service radio traffic. Once again, I set up in the gravel parking lot on the east end of the conservation area, but on the opposite side of the lot from the site of DXpedition #13. 

I started monitoring around 1810 CDT (2310 UTC October 9), wrapping up around 2140 CDT (0240 UTC October 10). On the shortwave bands, all areas of the world except the Middle East were heard. Reception conditions around sunset and into the early evening hours favored the Midwest and Northeast, although a few stations from the Mid-South were heard. I stayed where I was parked until 20 minutes before the area shut down for the night at 2200 CDT (0300 UTC). This area is a prime spot for both sunrise and sunset DX.

Listening post setup inside the minivan.

Portable longwire antenna for shortwave DX.

AM (MW) BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK (All times CDT; for EDT, add one hour, for UTC, add five hours.)

  540 kHz WAUK Jackson, WI - 10/9 1918 noted with local ad, "ESPN 540" ID into high school football play-by-play. A fair signal was heard, alone on the channel.

  550 kHz WGR Buffalo, NY - 10/9 2120 noted with Game 5 of the American League Division Series, "WGR Sports Radio 550" ID, podcast promo and local ads. A fair signal was heard over KTSA in a null of KTRS.

  680 kHz WMFS Memphis, TN - 10/9 2126 noted with ESPN promos and local ads before fading out. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with CJOB and WCTT.

  770 kHz WABC New York, NY - 10/9 1921 noted with local ads mentioning phone numbers in Area Codes 212 and 718. A fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from WBBM 780.

  800 kHz CKLW Windsor, ON - 10/9 1940 noted with talk on Quebec's struggle for independence from Canada, "AM 800" ID into local ads. A good signal was heard over KQCV.

  860 kHz CJBC Toronto, ON - 10/9 1946 noted with an interview in French. A good signal was heard over WSON.

  900 kHz  KFAL Fulton, MO - 10/9 1947 noted with a Classic Country format, "KFAL AM 900" ID. A fair signal was heard, mixing with CHML.

  970 kHz WMAY Springfield, IL - 10/9 1813 noted with local ad, phone app promo, "92.7, 94.7 and 970 WMAY" ID into an interview. A fair to poor signal was heard over WHA.

1130 kHz WBBR New York, NY - 10/9 2133 noted with a Bloomberg promo, "Bloomberg Radio" ID into a legal talk show. A good to fair signal was heard, mixing with KWKH; ACI from KMOX 1120.

1220 kHz WLPO La Salle, IL - 10/9 1956 noted with a Classic Hits format, legal ID at 2000, "103-9 WLPO" ID at 2003. A fair signal was heard over WHKW and WSLM.

1230 kHz WFXN Moline, IL - 10/9 2006 noted with high school football play-by-play, "Fox Sports 1230" ID into local ad. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

1420 kHz KBHS Hot Springs, AR - 10/9 2040 noted with a Regional Mexican format, "La Zeta" ID and CDT time check in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WIMS and WOC.

1430 kHz WCMY Ottawa, IL - 10/9 1900 noted with legal ID into high school football play-by-play. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WXNT and WYMC.

1440 kHz KTUV Little Rock, AR - 10/9 2104 noted with a "99.9 FM Little Rock" ID in heavily accented English into a discussion in Spanish. A good to poor signal was heard, mixing with WGEM, WROK and WZYX.

1490 kHz KWXT Dardanelle, AR - 10/9 2117 noted with "KWXT, Great Southern Gospel" ID into a Southern Gospel format. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

1620 kHz WNRP Gulf Breeze, FL - 10/9 1847 noted with local ads mentioning Gulf Breeze and Pensacola. A fair signal was heard with ACI from KCJJ 1630.

SHORTWAVE RADIO LOGBOOK (All times UTC; for CDT, subtract five hours, subtract four hours for EDT.)

  2500 kHz UNITED STATES WWV Fort Collins, CO - 10/10 0220 noted with time signals, UTC time check in English at 0221. A good signal was heard.

  3215 kHz UNITED STATES WWCR Nashville, TN - 10/10 0222 noted with right wing talk on China in English. A very good signal was heard.

  3330 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 10/10 0223 noted with time signals, "CHU Canada" ID in English at 0224 and French at 0225, UTC time checks in English and French. A good signal was heard.

  4765 kHz CUBA Radio Progreso via Bejucal, Ciudad de la Habana - 10/10 0225 noted with commentary and ID in Spanish into Cuban-style music in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.

  4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Pará ZYG362 Belém, Pará - 10/9 2317 noted with commentary in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

  5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 10/10 0104 noted with a discussion in Spanish. A good signal was heard.

  5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 10/10 0106 noted with news analysis in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.

  5085 kHz UNITED STATES WTWW Lebanon, TN - 10/10 0113 noted with pop Oldies, "WTWW" jingle. A fair signal was heard.

  5995 kHz MALI ORTM Radio Mali - 10/9 2320 noted with a discussion in French. A fair signal was heard.

  6100 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Galbeni - 10/10 0038 noted with commentary, music clips, promo and ID in Romanian. A very good signal was heard.

  6180 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 10/10 0026 noted with promo and commentary in Portuguese. A very good signal was heard.

  6185 kHz MEXICO Señal Cultura México XEPPM Mexico, D.F. - 10/10 0028 noted with a discussion on economics in Spanish. A fair signal was heard with ACI from Brazil on 6180 kHz.

  6960 kHz UNITED STATES (Pirate) Ball Smacker Radio - 10/10 0150 noted with rock music, QSL information and ID in English. A good signal was heard in AM mode.

  7268 kHz UNITED STATES Hurricane Watch Net WX4NHC - 10/9 2324 noted with information on Hurricane Delta, "Hurricane Watch Net" ID in English. A very good signal was heard in LSB mode.

  7295 kHz MALI China Radio International via Bamako - 10/9 2334 noted with a dramatic play in Chinese. A fair signal was heard.

  9605 kHz UNITED STATES KBS World via WHRI Cypress Creek, SC - 10/10 0159 noted with a "KBS World" ID in English, "WHRI Cypress Creek, South Carolina" ID before the carrier was cut off at 0200. A fair signal was heard.

  9665 kHz BRAZIL Radio Voz Missionária ZYE890 Camboriú, Santa Catarina - 10/10 0202 noted with ID into Christian music and a sermon in Portuguese. A fair signal was heard.

  9815 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Kasgar - 10/10 0207 noted with news analysis in Chinese. A poor signal was heard.

10000 kHz BRAZIL PPE Rio de Janeiro, R.J. - 10/10 0214 noted with announcements in Portuguese and high-pitched tones every ten seconds. A poor signal was noted, mixing with WWV under WWVH.

10000 kHz HAWAII WWVH Kekaha, Kauai - 10/10 0211 noted with time signals, UTC time check in English. A fair signal was heard over WWV and PPE.

11750 kHz CHINA China National Radio 1 Shijiazhuang - 10/10 0134 noted with promos, ads and discussion in Chinese. A fair signal was heard.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 10/10 0016 noted with commentary in Portuguese. An excellent signal was heard.

13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 10/10 0052 noted with commentary in English into pop music. A fair signal was heard.

15000 kHz HAWAII WWVH Kehaha, Kauai - 10/9 2336 noted with UTC time check in English and time signals. A fair signal was heard with no sign of WWV.

15380 kHz CHINA China National Radio 1 Beijing - 10/9 2340 noted with commentary in Chinese. A poor signal was heard.

15555 kHz NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Radio Free Asia via Saipan - 10/9 2342 noted with news analysis in Chinese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

15600 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Beijing - 10/9 2344 noted with traditional Chinese music and brief talk in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

DXpedition #16 - Howell Island Conservation Area

On the evening of September 19, 2020 (UTC September 19-20), I took my radios to Howell Island Conservation Area. This particular conservation area is in two counties; the parking lot is in Saint Louis County (in the city of Chesterfield), while Howell Island itself is in Saint Charles County (near the city of Weldon Spring). A causeway across the Centaur Chute in the Missouri river connects the Saint Louis and Saint Charles County sides of the conservation area; however, access was closed due to flood damage in the spring, which confined my activities to Saint Louis County. The area is also on the final approach to Spirit of Saint Louis Airport.

I set up my listening post on the far western end of the parking lot, toward the biking and hiking trail going through the area. Lashing the mast to one of the posts supporting a gate that keeps motor vehicles out of the main part of the area, I was able to stretch my portable longwire to the full 30-foot length. Monitoring started around 1830 CDT (2330 UTC) and went all the way to 2145 CDT (0245 UTC 9/20). As usual, I used a General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX, and a Tecsun PL-600 LW/AM (MW)/SW/FM receiver connected to the aforementioned 30-foot portable longwire antenna for shortwave DX. Band conditions at sunset and into the early hours of darkness favored the U.S. East Coast and the Midwest, while all continents were heard on shortwave except Africa and the Middle East.

The longwire antenna fully extended at Howell Island.

 

The radios inside the minivan, with logbook.

AM BROADCAST BAND LOGS (All times CDT; for UTC, add five hours; for EDT, add one hour.)

  600 kHz WSJS Winston-Salem, NC - 9/19 2109 noted with college football scores and highlights, "Fox Sports Radio" mention and local ads. A good to fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KFNS 590.

  660 kHz WFAN New York, NY - 9/19 2116 noted with New York Yankees baseball play-by-play and local ads. A good to fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from WSM 650.

  710 kHz WEKC Williamsburg, KY - 9/19 1851 noted with Southern Gospel music until sign-off at 1900. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with WOR.

  710 kHz WOR New York, NY - 9/19 1840 noted with a medical talk show, ads mentioning numbers in Area Code 212, "WOR, WAXQ-HD2 New York, an iHeart Radio Station, the Voice of New York" ID at 1900 into local news. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WEKC, becoming good to fair after WEKC signed off.

  740 kHz CFZM Toronto, ON - 9/19 2128 noted with Oldies format, "Zoomer Radio" ID and DJ talking about the music. A good signal was heard over KRMG.

  740 kHz KRMG Tulsa, OK - 9/19 2129 noted with local ads, mention of 102.3 FM, "KRMG Tulsa" ID into local news. A fair signal was heard through CFZM.

  790 kHz WKRD Louisville, KY - 9/19 1904 noted with local ads into talk on college football, including scores and highlights. A fair to poor signal, mixing with WMC and WVWZ.

  790 kHz WVWZ Ashland City, TN - 9/19 1918 noted with Country music, "The Bear 103.9-dot-com" mention into local ads. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WKRD and WMC.

  820 kHz WVSG Columbus, OH - 9/19 1920 noted with talk on youth ministry and promos, lost at 1930 power cut/pattern change. A fair signal was heard, mixing with WBAP.

  950 kHz WORD Spartanburg, SC - 9/19 1932 noted with ESPN promo into NASCAR race coverage. A fair signal was heard, mixing with KWOS and WWJ.

1030 kHz WBZ Boston, MA - 9/19 2017 noted with local ads mentioning Boston phone numbers in Boston and New England, into The SHP Financial Retirement Show. A good to fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KDKA 1020

1360 kHz WSAI Cincinnati, OH - 9/19 2042 noted with local ads, "Fox Sports Radio" mention, "Fox Sports 1360 Cincinnati" ID in promo. A good to fair signal was heard, mixing with WKMI and other stations.

1410 kHz WING Dayton, OH - 9/19 2047 noted with Cincinnati Reds baseball play-by-play, local ads. A good to fair signal was heard, mixing with WHLN and WIZM.

1560 kHz WFME New York, NY - 9/19 2059 noted with Family Radio promo, lost at 2100 pattern change. A good to fair signal was heard over KGOW and WGLB.

1570 kHz WBGZ Alton, IL - 9/19 2102 noted with local news and ads. A fair to poor signal was noted, mixing with other stations.

1610 kHz CHHA Toronto, ON - 9/19 2055 noted with Latin American pop music, "CHHA 1610 AM, Radio Voces Latinas" ID into ad for the sales department. A good signal was heard.

1690 kHz WMLB Avondale Estates, GA - 9/19 1943 noted with Oldies format, legal ID after 2000. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WVON.

SHORTWAVE RADIO LOGBOOK (All times UTC; for CDT, subtract five hours, for EDT, subtract four hours.)

  4055 kHz GUATEMALA Radio Verdad TGAV Chiquimula - 9/20 0110 noted with a sermon in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard. 

  4765 kHz CUBA Radio Progreso via Bejucal, Ciudad de la Habana - 9/20 0112 noted with brief commentary, ID into contemporary music in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.

  4875 kHz BRAZIL Radio Roraima ZYG810 Boa Vista, Roraima - 9/20 0122 noted with commentary and pop music in Portuguese. A poor signal was heard.

  4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Pará ZYG362 Belém, Pará - 9/20 0021 noted with pop music, ID and promo in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

  5010 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Family Radio via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 9/19 2350 noted with Christian teaching and vocal music in Spanish. A good to fair signal was heard.

  5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 9/20 0030 noted with brief commentary into pop music in Spanish. An excellent signal was heard.

  5050 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWRB Morrison (Manchester), TN - 9/20 0026 noted with anti-Halloween sermon in English. An excellent signal was heard.

  5505 kHz USB IRELAND Shannon VOLMET - 9/20 0000 noted with weather reports for various European airports, "This is Shannon VOLMET, Shannon VOLMET" ID in English. A good signal was heard.

  5930 kHz AUSTRIA BBC relay Moosbrunn - 9/20 0040 noted with commentary in the Dari language. A fair signal was heard.

  6105 kHz FRANCE NHK World-Radio Japan via Issoudun - 9/20 0205 noted with tail end of news, brief music into feature in Japanese. A very good signal was heard.

  6180 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 9/19 2344 noted with commentary in Portuguese. An excellent signal was heard.

  6185 kHz MÉXICO Radio Educación XEPPM México, D.F. - 9/20 0212 noted with a discussion in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard.

  6604 kHz USB NEWFOUNDLAND Gander VOLMET - 9/20 0156 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports, "This is Gander Radio out" ID at 0159 sign-off. A good signal was heard.

  6754 kHz USB CANADA CHR Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON - 9/19 2354 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports, "This is Trenton Military, Trenton Military" ID in English. An excellent signal was heard.

  7305 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Vatican Radio via Greenville, NC - 9/20 0153 noted with homily from Pope Francis and commentary in Spanish. An excellent signal was heard.

  7420 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Galbeni - 9/20 0134 noted with Classical music and commentary in Romanian. A good signal was heard.

  9710 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Kashgar - 9/20 0055 noted with brief commentary in Portuguese, traditional Chinese and pop music, interval signal, ID in multiple languages into news in Spanish. A good to fair signal was heard.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 9/19 2340 noted with local ads into contemporary music in Portuguese. An excellent signal was heard.

13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 9/20 0010 noted with commentary in English. A fair signal was heard.

DXpedition #15 - August G. Beckemeier Conservation Area

For my fifteenth DXpedition on August 21, 2020 (UTC August 21-22), I decided to try another conservation area. This time, I selected the August G. Beckemeier Conservation Area in Chesterfield, MO, about 20 miles west-northwest of downtown Saint Louis. Located on Olive Boulevard (Missouri Highway 340) between Missouri Highway 141 and Ladue Road, it's a 54-acre site with a hiking trail. For the first time, I set up at a picnic table instead of inside my vehicle. The table had plenty of room for all of my radios, my logbook and reference materials. 

The monitoring setup at Beckemeier Conservation Area.

Once again, I brought my General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX, and my Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX. Instead of my homebrew 30-foot portable longwire, I brought along an MFJ-1022 active antenna, powered by a nine-volt battery. I checked out this piece of equipment before adding it to my DXpedition equipment list. The MFJ-1022's performance rivaled that of the homebrew longwire above 3 MHz. I also brought my Whistler WS1040 handheld digital scanner; I heard EMS calls from the City of Saint Louis on the 700 MHz band, along with police, fire and EMS calls from Lincoln, Warren and Saint Louis Counties in Missouri, along with Calhoun County, the City of Wood River and the ambulances from Alton Memorial Hospital in Illinois, as well as the Missouri Highway Patrol on the MOSWIN digital radio system (on high-band VHF) and the Illinois State Police on the STARCOM 21 system (on the 800 MHz band). I also checked the NOAA Weather Radio bands; in addition to local KDO89 on 162.550 MHz, I heard WNG728 Bellflower, MO on 162.425 MHz, KXI70 Jerseyville, IL on 162.450 MHz and WWF75 Bourbon, MO on 162.525 MHz. 

I found this place an excellent area for a DXpedition. I began monitoring around 1835 CDT (2335 UTC), wrapping up around 2030 CDT (0130 UTC). Sunset skip conditions on the AM (MW) broadcast band favored the Midwest and Mid-South, although I logged one from North Carolina and one from Texas. Shortwave band conditions favored the Americas, Europe, East Asia and the Pacific.

AM (MW) BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK (All times CDT; for EDT, add one hour, add five hours for UTC.)

  600 kHz WMT Cedar Rapids, IA - 8/21 1905 noted with local ad, disclaimer mentioning iHeart Radio, "News Radio 600 WMT" ID into talk format. Good to fair signal with adjacent channel interference from KFNS 590.

  680 kHz WMFS Memphis, TN - 8/21 1915 noted with local ads, including one mentioning Olive Branch, MS into sports talk from ESPN Radio. Fair to poor signal with ACI from KSTL 690.

  800 kHz KREI Farmington, MO - 8/21 1919 noted with local spots into The Joe Pags Show. fair signal over CKLW.

  830 kHz WUMY Memphis, TN - 8/21 1922 noted with light Christian music, mentions of "Esperanza" and "Buenas Nuevas" in Spanish. Fair to poor signal, mixing with WCCO; digital second ACI from KFUO 850.

  900 kHz KFAL Fulton, MO - 8/21 1925 noted with local ad, Classic Country format, "Your Home for Classic Country" slogan. Good to fair signal over CHML.

  930 kHz WTAD Quincy, IL - 8/21 1934 noted with local ad, "Talk Radio 930 WTAD and 103.3 FM" ID into The Mark Levin Show. Good to fair sugnal over KWOC.

  960 kHz KCGS Marshall, AR - 8/21 1943 noted with contemporary music, "You're listening to Flashback on KCGS Radio" mention. Good to fair signal, mixing with KMA and KZIM.

1020 kHz WPEO Peoria, IL - 8/21 1858 noted with the end of a Christian talk program, local ads, "The Word" mention, "WPEO Peoria" legal ID into SRN News at 1900. Good signal over KDKA.

1110 kHz WBT Charlotte, NC - 8/21 1904 noted with weather forecast, mention of 99.3 FM, local ad, "WBT" ID in ad. Fair to poor signal, mixing with KFAB; ACI from KMOX 1120.

1180 kHz WGUE Turrell, AR - 8/21 1952 noted with a Regional Mexican format, "La Jefa" ID and local ads in Spanish. Good signal over WHAM.

1210 kHz WMPS Bartlett, TN - 8/21 1954 noted with a trivia show talking about Johnny Weissmuller, "Sunny 103" ID. Good signal over KGYN and WPHT.

1240 kHz WHBU Anderson, IN - 8/21 1958 poked through with mention of 103.7 FM and a local ad. Fair to poor signal, mixing with other stations.

1370 kHz KCRV Caruthersville, MO - 8/21 1850 noted with Country format, "We're AM 1370 KCRV" ID. Good signal, mixing with WLLM; ACI from KXFN 1380.

1570 kHz WBGZ Alton, IL - 8/21 2027 noted with The Clark Howard Show and local ads. Fair to poor signal, mixing with WBGX and other stations.

1610 kHz CHHA Toronto, ON - 8/21 2024 noted with promo mentioning Toronto in heavily accented English. Good signal, alone on the channel.

1650 kHz KFSW Fort Smith, AR - 8/21 2020 noted with Southern Gospel format, "98-7 the Cross" ID. Fair to poor signal, mixing with KCNZ.

1690 kHz WVON Berwyn, IL - 8/21 2012 noted with talk on domestic violence, "The Talk of Chicago, 1690 WVON" ID into promo. Good signal over WPTX.

1700 kHz KBGG Des Moines, IA - 8/21 2006 noted with Kansas City Royals baseball play-by-play, "1700 the Champ" ID and local ads. Good signal over KKLF.

1700 kHz KKLF Richardson, TX - 8/21 2005 noted with Mexican music, local ads in Spanish. Fair to poor signal, mixing with KBGG.

SHORTWAVE RADIO LOGBOOK (All times UTC; for CDT, subtract five hours, for EDT, subtract four hours.)

5130 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WBCQ Monticello, ME - 8/22 0046 noted with talk on COVID-19 and China in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

5505 kHz USB IRELAND Shannon VOLMET - 8/21 2348 noted with weather reports for various European airports, "This is Shannon VOLMET, Shannon VOLMET" ID in English. A fair signal was heard.

6070 kHz CANADA CFRX Toronto, ON - 8/22 0027 noted with local ads, "News/Talk 1010" ID, traffic report and local news headlines. A good to fair signal was heard.

6754 kHz USB CANADA CHR Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON - 8/21 2345 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports, "This is Trenton Military" ID and UTC time check in English. A good signal was heard.

7260 kHz TURKEY Voice of Turkey via Emirler - 8/22 0056 noted with Turkish music, "La Voz de la Turquia" ID in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.

9395 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Radio Prague International via WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 8/21 2335 noted with news and a feature on Czech railroads in English. A very good signal was heard.

9605 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA KBS World via WHRI Cypress Creek, SC - 8/22 0105 noted with commentary and contemporary music in Spanish. An excellent signal was heard.

9690 kHz SPAIN Radio Exterior de España via Noblejas - 8/22 0116 noted with commentary in Spanish. A very good signal was heard.

9760 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Galbeni - 8/21 2341 noted with commentary and a feature in Spanish. A good signal was heard.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F.- 8/22 0120 noted with pop music and ID in Portuguese. A good to fair signal was heard.

13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 8/22 0118 noted with ID and contemporsry music in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

15590 kHz THAILAND Radio Thailand International via Udon Thani - 8/22 0001 noted with news headlines, promo into news in detail in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

15730 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via Bejucal - 8/22 0008 noted with commentary and ID in French. A good signal was heard with distorted audio.

DXpedition #14 - Sioux Passage County Park

On the evening of August 5, 2020 (UTC August 5-6), I took my radios to Sioux Passage County Park for my 14th DXpedition; it was the third one to Sioux Passage. Once again, I brought my General Electric Superadio III for AM broadcast band DX, along with my Tecsun PL-600 and homebrew 30-foot longwire antenna. 

Temperatures were in the mid-70s Fahrenheit, dropping to the low 70s with a breeze blowing from the Missouri River. I had to move my listening post three times during this DXpedition. I originally set up in the parking lot, but there were a few individuals in a Dodge Charger driving like maniacs, which forced me to move to an area five yards from the south bank of the Missouri River at the confluence with the Pelican Island Chute. I began monitoring around 2330 UTC (1830 CDT). I was at that location for about an hour, before a park ranger told us to move further away from the river. I had to take down my longwire, move the listening post back into the parking lot, and finish my shortwave DXing with the PL-600's telescoping whip antenna. That made me realize that I'll have to put a vertical shortwave antenna on my shopping list. I concluded my monitoring around 0120 UTC (2020 CDT).

Sunset DX conditions on the AM (MW) broadcast band favored the Midwest and Mid-South, while shortwave conditions favored Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, the Pacific and East Asia. 

AM BROADCAST BAND LOGS (All times CDT; for EDT, add one hour, for UTC, add five hours.)

  980 kHz WYFN Nashville, TN - 8/5 1953 noted with light Christian music and brief talk before fading out. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KSGM.

1050 kHz WDZ Decatur, IL - 8/5 1922 noted with Chicago Cubs baseball play-by-play and local ads. A fair signal was heard over KSIS.

1070 kHz KFTI Wichita, KS - 8/5 2006 noted with a Classic Country format, "Classic Country 1070" ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

1180 kHz WUMY Turrell, AR - 8/5 2011 noted with a Regional Mexican Format, "La Jefa 99.3 FM" ID in Spanish. A good signal was heard over WHAM before power was cut at 2015.

1270 kHz WXGO Madison, IN - 8/5 2017 noted with local ads into Cincinnati Reds baseball play-by-play. A fair signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

1270 kHz WQTT Marysville, OH - 8/5 2017 noted with local spots into Cincinnati Reds baseball play-by-play; the latter echoing behind WXGO. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

1690 kHz WVON Berwyn, IL - 8/5 1913 noted with local ads, station promo, "The Talk of Chicago, 1690 WVON" ID. A good signal was heard, alone on the channel.

Portable longwire antenna setup on the third Sioux Passage DXpedition.

SHORTWAVE LOGS (All times UTC; for CDT, subtract five hours, for EDT, subtract four hours)

  4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Pará ZYG362 Belém, Pará  - 8/6 0101 noted with news in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

  5010 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 8/6 0103 noted with Contemporary Christian music in Spanish, station promo in English. A fair signal was heard.

  5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 8/6 0110 noted with contemporary music and brief commentary in Spanish. A very good signal was heard.

  5085 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WTWW Lebanon, TN - 8/6 0051 noted with ID, "Instant Request" mention into Oldies. An excellent signal was heard.

  6050 kHz ECUADOR Vozandes Media HCJB Quito, Pichincha - 8/5 2350 noted with Christian music and a Scripture reading in the Shuar language. A fair to poor signal was heard.

  6180 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, D.F. - 8/5 2340 noted with pop music and ID in Portuguese. A good signal was heard.

  7250 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Urumqi - 8/5 2355 noted with commentary in Spanish, traditional Chinese music until 2359 sign-off. A fair to poor signal was heard.

  7375 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Tiganesti - 8/6 0000 noted with frequency schedule into news in English. A very good signal was heard.

  9420 kHz GREECE Voice of Greece via Avlida - 8/6 0041 noted with traditional Greek music and talk in Greek. A good signal was heard.

11815 kHz BRAZIL Radio Brasil Central ZYE440 Goiânia, Goiás - 8/6 0011 noted with news analysis in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 8/6 0030 noted with news in English. A fair to poor signal was heard.

14670 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 8/6 0008 noted with time signals, "CHU Canada" ID in French, UTC time check in French followed by a UTC time check in English at 0009, ID in English followed by UTC time check in English, followed by French at 0010. A fair to poor signal was heard.

15230 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via Quivicán - 8/5 2335 noted with commentary and vocal music in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.

15540 kHz KUWAIT Radio Kuwait via Kabd - 8/6 0024 noted on past 0000 sign-off with light vocal music and commentary in Arabic. A fair to poor signal was heard.

The receiver setup for the third Sioux Passage DXpedition.

DXpedition #13 - Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area

The listening post, as set up at Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area.

I decided to make a change for this 13th DXpedition. Every DXpedition I've been on has been in the late afternoon or early evening hours, wrapping up after sunset or shortly thereafter. This time, I decided to do a DXpedition at sunrise. For this DXpedition on the morning of June 24, 2020, I chose Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area, located just two miles west of the home shack within the city limits of Hazelwood. It is also 17 miles northwest of downtown Saint Louis and roughly eight miles from downtown Saint Charles. The area was once a retreat for Saint Stanislaus Seminary; many seminarians and priests once hiked on the trails in today's conservation area. Saint Stanislaus Seminary on Howdershell Road in nearby Florissant closed in 1971; the buildings are now being used by Lindenwood University after being used as a seminary by the United Pentecostal Church International as the Gateway College of Evangelism and Urshan College.

I set up in the gravel parking lot on the southern side of Charbonier Road ("Charbonier" is French for "coal seam"). I arrived around 0510 CDT (1010 UTC) and setup the 30-foot longwire to hook it up to the Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX. Once again, I brought my General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX. This time, I tried my hand with FM by bringing my C. Crane CCPocket AM/FM receiver and the stubby antenna that came with my Hauppaugue Win-TV HVR dongle; I heard stations like KGRC 92.9 MHz and WGEM-FM 105.1 MHz out of the Hannibal/Quincy area, along with W284DN 104.7 MHz Jerseyville, IL (relaying WJBM 1480 kHz)  and K296HA 107.1 MHz Washington, MO (relaying KRAP 1350 kHz). I also brought my Whistler WS1040 handheld analog/digital scanner, with which I heard police, fire and EMS traffic from surrounding areas; I scanned the NOAA Weather Radio bands and heard WNG728 from Bellflower, MO on 162.425 MHz and WWF75 from Bourbon, MO on 162.525 MHz, in addition to local KDO89 Saint Louis, MO on 162.550 MHz and semi-local KXI70 Jerseyville, IL on 162.450 MHz.

AM broadcast band conditions were typical sunrise conditions; the daytime regulars were taking over the frequencies by 0745 CDT (1245 UTC). Stations from the Midwest and Mid-South were heard. On the shortwave broadcast bands, many stations from Asia and the Pacific were heard; the Middle East was starting to come in (beamed to East Asia) by 0745 CDT (1245 UTC). I started monitoring around 0530 CDT (1030 UTC), wrapping up around 0800 CDT (1300 UTC).

AM BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK (All times CDT; for UTC, add five hours, for EDT, add one hour)

1130 kHz KWKH Shreveport, LA - 6/24 0603 noted with local ads, "1130 the Tiger, Your Home for LSU Sports" ID. A good signal was heard over KAAB with adjacent channel interference from KMOX 1120 kHz.

1150 kHz WGGH Marion, IL - 6/24 0530 noted with "Monster Radio 98.5 FM and AM 1150" mention, "WGGH Marion" jingle legal ID into SRN News; local ads followed. A good signal was heard over WHBY.

1240 kHz WTAX Springfield, IL - 6/24 0719 noted with local ads, "WTAX" ID into the morning show. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KFMO.

1260 kHz KSGF Springfield, MO - 6/24 0533 noted with Fox News Radio, promo for The Glenn Beck Show, "Springfield's Talk 104.1" ID. A good signal was heard in a WSDZ null.

1290 kHz WIRL Peoria, IL - 6/24 0610 noted with Oldies format, local ads and "WIRL" ID. A good to fair signal was heard over WCBL. 

1350 kHz KRAP Washington, MO - 6/24 0651 noted with "Westplex 107.1" ID, Hot AC format into B.S. In The Morning. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KRNT and WSIQ. K296HA 107.1 also heard with a good to fair signal.

1360 kHz KBKB Fort Madison, IA - 6/24 0652 noted with talk on college sports, local ads and legal ID at 0700. A fair to poor signal was heard, alone on the channel.

1420 kHz WINI Murphysboro, IL - 6/224 0715 noted with Oldies format, "Cool 93.5" ID into local ads. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WOC.

1430 kHz WYMC Mayfield, KY - 6/24 0537 noted with Oldies format, "WYMC" ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KRGI and WPLN.

1550 kHz KAPE Cape Girardeau, MO - 6/24 0728 noted with local ad, "Cape Radio 100.3 FM News/Talk" ID. A fair signal was heard, mixing with KESJ and WJIL.

1560 kHz KTUI Sullivan, MO - 6/24 0725 noted with weather forecast,  "KTUI" ID, CDT time check, birthday announcement into local ads. A fair signal was heard over KLTI.

1630 kHz KCJJ Iowa City, IA - 6/24 0706 noted with weather forecast, "The Mighty 1630 KCJJ" ID into a news analysis program. A fair signal was heard over KKGM.

1660 kHz KWOD Kansas City, KS - 6/24 0550 noted with talk on the COVID-19 pandemic and the NBA Playoffs, local ads, promo for The Herd with Colin Cowherd, "1660 the Score" ID into a Radio-dot-com promo. A good to fair signal was heard over WQLR.

1690 kHz WVON Berwyn, IL - 6/24 0707 noted with ad for Rocket Mortgage, "WVON Weather and Traffic" mention, traffic report and weather forecast. A good to fair signal was heard, alone on the channel.

1700 kHz KBGG Des Moines, IA -6/24 0709 noted with talk mentioning NASCAR, baseball, football, COVID-19 and racism in sports. A fair to poor signal was heard; alone on the channel.

SHORTWAVE RADIO LOGBOOK (All times UTC)

5875 kHz THAILAND Radio Thailand International via Udon Thani- 6/24 1119 noted with commentary inn Khmer. A fair to poor signal was heard.

5945 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 6/24 1115 noted with news analysis in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

6055 kHz JAPAN Radio Nikkei 1 Chiba - 6/24 1045 noted with pop music, ID and promo in Japanese. A fair signal was heard.

6195 kHz SINGAPORE BBC World Service relay - 6/24 1058 noted with promo, time pips, ID and program previews at 1100. A fair to poor signal was heard.

9410 kHz SINGAPORE BBC World Service relay - 6/24 1126 noted with discussion on China in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

9490 kHz TAIWAN Radio Taiwan Intenational via Tanshui - 6/24 1132 noted with commentary in Russian. A good signal was heard.

9540 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Beijing - 6/24 1134 noted with commentary in Cantonese into operatic music. A fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from Radio Martí on 9535 kHz.

9580 kHz ALASKA KNLS Anchor Point - 6/24 1130 noted with Christian teaching in Russian. A good to fair signal was heard.

9885 kHz TAIWAN Radio Taiwan International via Paochung - 6/24 1145 noted with commentary in Chinese over traditional Chinese music. A good to fair signal was heard.

11570 kHz KUWAIT Radio Free Asia via Umm al-Rimam - 6/24 1240 noted with commentary in Tibetan. A fair signal was heard.

11600 kHz CLANDESTINE Sound of Hope - 6/24 1243 noted with a discussion in Chinese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

11695 kHz SINGAPORE NHK World-Radio Japan relay - 6/24 1101 noted with news in English. A fair to poor signal was heard.

11710 kHz NORTH KOREA Voice of Korea via Kujang - 6/24 1246 noted with commentary in Korean into North Korean national anthem. A good to fair signal was heard.

11735 kHz NORTH KOREA Voice of Korea via Kujang - 6/24 1106 noted with choral music and commentary in French. A fair signal was heard.

11750 kHz AUSTRALIA Reach Beyond Australia via Kununurra, Western Australia - 6/24 1250 noted with Christian teaching program in English. A fair to poor signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from Radio Havana Cuba on 11760 kHz.

11815 kHz JAPAN Radio Japan via Yamato - 6/24 1108 noted with commentary and discussion in Japanese. A fair signal was heard over Radio Brasil Central.

12080 kHz PHILIPPINES Voice of America relay Tinang - 6/24 1252 noted with news analysis in Korean. A good signal was heard.

15590 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Urumqi - 6/2 1236 noted with Chinese language lessons with English translations. A fair signal was heard.

The portable longwire set up at Saint Stan's.

DXpedition #12 - Weldon Spring Conservation Area

The receivers and scanner at the listening post.

On the evening of June 13 (UTC June 13-14), I decided to give a new place a try for my 12th DXpedition. That place is Weldon Spring Conservation Area in east central Saint Charles County, 30 miles west of downtown Saint Louis, MO. The area is named for the nearby city of Weldon Spring, MO; it is operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Located along Missouri Highway 94 southwest of Interstate 64/U.S. Highway 40, there are several places to set up. I chose a gravel parking lot on Highway 94 about a mile south of Francis Howell High School at the trailhead of the Clark Trail and the longer Lewis Trail, west of the Katy Trail, the main trail through the area.On  It is also the second conservation area I've been to with a closing time of 2200 local time (10:00 p.m.); the other one being Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area, the site of three DXpeditions.

The first thing I discovered on this DXpedition was that the lower-powered Saint Louis AM broadcast stations' signals were weaker. I also noted that the digital sidebands from Saint Louis' last remaining full-time digital AM station, KFUO 850 Clayton, MO, were negligible, at best. Being roughly 20 miles south of KHOJ 1460's transmitter site in Boschertown, the signal during the day is very strong, but is much weaker after sunset. Shortwave signals primarily came from the Americas and Europe, although a few made it from Asia and the Pacific.

For AM broadcast band DX, I brought my General Electric Superadio III, as always. For shortwave DX, I brought my Tecsun PL-600 and homebrewed 30-foot portable longwire. I also brought along my Whistler WS1040 handheld digital scanner to monitor local first responders. I did do a scan of the NOAA Weather Radio band; in addition to the local NOAA Weather Radio station, KDO89 162.550 MHz Saint Louis, MO,  I could also hear WNG728 Bellflower, MO (near Montgomery City) on 162.425 MHz, KXI70 Jerseyville, IL on 162.450 MHz and WWF75 Bourbon, MO (near Sullivan) on 162.525 MHz.

This is also the second DXpedition location where I heard an AM broadcast station from outside the United States. Monitoring started around 1810 CDT (2310 UTC), and wrapped up around 2100 CDT (0200 UTC).

DOMESTIC (U.S. and Canada) AM BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK 
All  times CDT; for EDT, add one hour, for UTC, add five hours.

1260 kHz WSDZ Belleville, IL - 6/13 1933 noted with promos for a Catholic organization, "Relevant Radio" ID into a discussion. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KSGF.

1290 kHz WIRL Peoria, IL - 6/13 2030 noted with Oldies format, "WIRL" jingle, another Oldie before switching back to a rebroadcast of a Saint Louis Cardinals baseball game. A good signal was heard before pattern change; fair to poor signal, mixing with WHIO after 2030 pattern change.

1440 kHz WGEM Quincy, IL - 6/13 1817 noted with weather forecast for Quincy into talk on Major League Baseball from ESPN Radio. A fair signal was heard; alone on the channel.

1450 kHz WFMB Springfield, IL - 6/13 1956 noted with local ads, "1450 AM WFMB Springfield" legal ID into ABC News update. A fair signal was heard with minor adjacent channel interference from KHOJ 1460.

1460 kHz KXNO Des Moines, IA - 6/13 2000 noted with "KXNO Des Moines, an iHeart Radio Station" legal ID into a Fox Sports Radio update. A fair signal was heard through KHOJ.

1490 kHz KDRS Paragould, AR - 6/13 2040 noted with "This is iRock Radio" ID into rock music. A fair to poor signal was heard, poking through other stations.

1490 kHz KTTR Rolla, MO - 6/13 1924 noted with local ad, local weather forecast from KYTV in Springfield, "Hot 104.9" ID into a Contemporary Hit Radio format. Afair signalwas heard over other stations.

1510 kHz WCAZ Macomb, IL - 6/13 1920 noted with a Classic Country format, "Real Country" ID. A fair signal was heard over WLAC.

1540 kHz KXEL Waterloo, IA - 6/13 1852 noted with "News Radio 1540 KXEL" ID in promo into a rebroadcast of The Sean Hannity Show. A fair signal was heard over WSMI.

1560 kHz KLTI Macon, MO - 6/13 1904 noted with a Classic Country format and mention of call letters. A fair to poor signal was heard under KTUI.

1560 kHz KTUI Sullivan, MO - 6/13 2006 noted with "KTUI" ID into a discussion program. A fair signal was heard over KLTI.

1570 kHz WFRL Freeport, IL - 6/13 2002 noted with a Country format, "Big Radio" ID". A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WBGZ.

1570 kHz KBCV Hollister, MO - 6/13 1908 noted with In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley from Bott Radio Network; also heard via KSIV-FM 91.5 MHz Saint Louis, MO. A fair to poor signal was heard over WBGZ.

1590 kHz WCGO Evanston, IL - 6/13 2054 noted with Big Band music program, brief open carrier, "WCGO and W240EH Evanston/Chicago" legal ID. A good signal was heard over WNTS.

1590 kHz KMOZ Rolla, MO - 6/13 1910 noted with In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley, also heard on KBCV 1570 kHz and KSIV-FM 91.5 MHz. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WNTS.

1610 kHz CHHA Toronto, ON - 6/13 2007 noted with Latin American-style pop music, local announcements in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard, alone on the channel.

INTERNATIONAL AM BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK 
All times in UTC; for CDT, subtract five hours.

1620 kHz CUBA  Radio Rebelde synchros - 6/14 0149 noted with Cuban-style vocal music; also heard on 5025 kHz. A fair signal was heard over KOZN, WNRP and WTAW.

SHORTWAVE RADIO LOGBOOK 
All times in UTC; for CDT, subtract five hours.

4765 kHz CUBA Radio Progreso via Bejucal, Ciudad de la Habana - 6/14 0032 noted with pop music and ID in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard.

5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 6/14 0151 noted with Ciban-style vocal music; also heard on 1620 kHz. A good to fair signal was heard.

5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 6/14 0030 noted with "Radio Havana Cuba" ID, brief music into commentary in French. A fair signal was heard.

5055 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWRB Manchester, TN - 6/14 0037 noted with church service recorded off a low-quality telephone line in English. An excellent signal was noted. 

5085 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WTWW Lebanon, TN - 6/13 0039 noted with a recorded organ concert, announcements in English. An excellent signal was noted.

5505 kHz IRELAND Shannon VOLMET - 6/14 0044 noted with weather reports for various European airports, "This is Shannon VOLMET, Shannon VOLMET" ID in English. A fair signal was heard in USB mode.

6050 kHz ECUADOR Vozandes Media HCJB Quito, Pichincha - 6/14 0041 noted with church service in Waorani. A fair to poor signal was heard.

6604 kHz NEWFOUNDLAND Gander VOLMET - 6/13 2357 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports, "This is Gander Radio out" ID at the end of transmission at 2359. A good signal was heard in USB mode.

6754 kHz CANADA CHR Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON - 6/13 2356 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports in English. A very good signal was heard in USB mode.

6965 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Pirate) Wolverine Radio - 6/14 0125 noted with Classic Rock music, "Wolverine Radio" ID. An excellent signal was heard in USB mode.

7375 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Tiganesti - 6/14 0003 noted with news in English. A very good signal was heard.

9265 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WINB Red Lion, PA - 6/14 0143 noted with Christian teaching program in English. A good signal was heard.

9420 kHz GREECE Voice of Greece via Avlida - 6/13 2322 noted with traditional Greek music and commentary in Greek. A good signal was heard.

9925 kHz GERMANY The Mighty KBC via Nauen - 6/14 0104 noted with pop Oldies, "The Mighty KBC" ID. An excellent signal was heard.

11745 kHz CLANDESTINE Al-Azm Radio via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - 6/14 0108 noted with chants from the Holy Qu'ran in Arabic; on past scheduled 2330 sign-off. A fair to poor signal was heard.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 BRasilia, D.F. - 6/13 2343 noted with contemporary music and a jingle ID in Portuguese. An excellent signal was heard.

11815 kHz BRAZIL Radio Brasil Central ZYE440 Goiânia,Goiás - 6/13 2345 noted with pop music and ID in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

11860 kHz CLANDESTINE Republic of Yemen Radio/Radio Sana'a via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - 6/14 0112 noted with chanting from the Holy Qu'ran in Arabic; on past listed 2330 sign-off. A fair signal was noted.

11990 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Radio Slovakia International via WRMI Okeechobee, FL (tentative) - 6/13 2355 noted with mention of WRMI in Spanish into interval signal. Not listed on WRMI's schedule or in the WRTH updater. A good signal was noted.

13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 6/13 2340 noted with an interview in English. A fair signal was heard.

15000 kHz HAWAII WWVH Kekaha, Kauai - 6/14 0021 noted with time signals, UTC time check at 0022. A good signal was heard with no sign of WWV.

15590 kHz THAILAND Radio Thailand International via Udon Thani - 6/14 0026 noted with commentary in English. A fair to poor signal was heard.

The portable longwire all set up and ready to go.