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.