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.