DXpedition #19 - James S. McDonnell Park near Saint Ann, MO

For the first DXpedition of 2021 (and the 19th overall), I decided to make my second trip to James S. McDonnell Park near Saint Ann, MO. This is the site of the seventh DXpedition, which took place on October 19, 2019. This is also the park that the Saint Louis and Suburban Radio Club has held several Field Day operations at, including the 2021 edition. This is a Saint Louis County park named in memory of Saint Louis aviation pioneer James S. McDonnell.

It was sunny on the evening of May 29 (UTC May 29-30) with temperatures around 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius); unusually cool for late May. Once again, I brought my General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX and my Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX. This time, I brought my MFJ-1022 active antenna for shortwave DX. I set up on the roundabout about 100 yards east of the McDonnell Shelter, the site of SLSRC's 2019 operation. Monitoring began around 1800 CDT (2300 UTC), going until 2000 CDT (0100 UTC). AM (MW) BCB conditions at sunset favored the Midwest and Mid-South, while every continent except Africa was heard on shortwave.

The radios and shortwave antenna used on DXpedition #19.

AM (MW) BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK (All times Central Daylight Time; for Eastern Daylight Time, add one hour, six hours for UTC.)

930 kHz WTAD Quincy, IL - 5/29 1918 noted with local ads, promo for Memorial Day programming on the station, "WTAD" ID, promo for MLS soccer coverage on the Fox Sports 1 cable channel into a sports talk show from Fox Sports Radio. A good signal was heard with slight adjacent channel interference from WGNU 920.

940 kHz WMIX Mount Vernon, IL - 5/29 1922 noted with a "WMIX" ID into an Adult Standards format. A good to poor signal was heard over KPSZ.

980 kHz KSGM Chester, IL - 5/29 1930 noted with a Classic Country format, "980 and 105.3 KSGM" ID. A good to fair signal was heard over KMBZ and WYFN.

1030 kHz WGSF Memphis, TN - 5/29 1936 noted with Memphis area ads in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard over KCWJ.

1070 kHz WDIA Memphis, TN - 5/29 1943 noted with local ads, iHeart Radio app promo, "WDIA" jingle ID into an R&B Oldies format. A good signal was heard, mixing with KHMO.

1180 kHz WLDS Jacksonville, IL - 5/29 1825 noted with the Eye on Travel show from Selma, AL and local ads. A good to fair signal was heard over WUMY.

1350 kHz WWWL New Orleans, LA - 5/29 1952 noted with an R&B Oldies format, "Hot 92-9" slogan ID. A fair to poor signal, mixing with KRNT and other stations.

1420 kHz WINI Murphysboro, IL - 5/29 1845 noted with oldies format, jingle ID, "Southern Illinois' Cool 93-5" slogan ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WOC and other stations.

1420 kHz WOC Davenport, IA - 5/29 1847 noted with promo for The Kim Komando Show, "WOC Newsradio 1420" slogan ID, morning show promo, local ads into The Kim Komando Show. A good to poor signal was heard, mixing with WINI and other stations.

1490 kHz KTTR Rolla, MO - 5/29 1858 noted with a Contemporary Hit Radio format, "Hot 104.9" slogan ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with other stations.

1550 kHz KAPE Cape Girardeau, MO - 5/29 1905 noted with a local ad, "Cape Radio 95-7 FM News/Talk" slogan ID, weather forecast from KFVS-TV, brief Web Site promo into The Dave Ramsey Show. A good signal was heard over other stations.

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

4875 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA United States Air Force MARS stations - 5/30 0009 noted with a net control station taking traffic from various USAF MARS stations in English. A fair signal was heard in USB mode.

4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Pará ZYG362 Belém, Pará - 5/30 0008 noted with commentary in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

5010 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 5/30 0012 noted with talk in Spanish into light vocal music. A good to fair signal was heard.

5050 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWRB Morrison, TN - 5/29 2334 noted with a church service via telephone line in English. An excellent signal was heard.

5085 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WTWW Lebanon, TN - 5/30 0015 noted with Amateur Radio Newsline, with a story on Boats On The Air in English. An excellent signal was heard.

5505 kHz IRELAND Shannon VOLMET - 5/29 2358 noted with weather reports for various European airports, "This is Shannon VOLMET, Shannon VOLMET" ID in English. A fair to poor signal was heard in USB mode.

5990 kHz CUBA China Radio International via Quivicán - 5/29 2325 noted with promo into talk on opiate manufacturing in English. A good signal was heard.

6754 kHz CANADA CHR Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON - 5/30 0047 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.

6950 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Pirate) Wolverine Radio - 5/30 0041 noted with rock Oldies, "Wolverine Radio" ID in English. A good signal was heard in USB mode.

9265 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WINB Red Lion, PA - 5/30 0024 noted with Christian teaching in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

9420 kHz GREECE Voice of Greece via Avlida - 5/30 0027 noted with Classical operatic music and commentary in Greek. A good signal was heard.

9925 kHz GERMANY The Mighty KBC via Nauen - 5/30 0033 noted with pop/rock Oldies, "The Mighty KBC" ID in English. An excellent signal was heard.

9975 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA KVOH Rancho Simi, CA - 5/30 0038 noted with Christian teaching in Spanish. An excellent signal was heard.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, DF - 5/29 2318 noted with pop music, "Radio Nacional" ID in Portuguese. A very good signal was heard.

13650 kHz JAPAN Radio Japan via Yamato - 5/29 2338 noted with brief commentary in Burmese into traditional Japanese music. A good to fair signal was heard.

15000 kHz HAWAII WWVH Kekaha, Kauai - 5/29 2326 noted with time signals and UTC time check in English. A fair  signal was heard over WWV.

15610 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WEWN Vandiver, AL - 5/29 2329 noted with a discussion on a book about Saint Michael the Archangel in English. A very good signal was heard.