On the afternoon of June 23, 2021 (extending into the early evening hours), I returned to Babler State Park in Wildwood, MO, the site of DXpeditions #1 and #10, for the 20th DXpedition I've undertaken since November 2018. This is the first time I took my radios to Babler State Park in the warmer months; the first two DXpeditions were during the autumn months, just after Thanksgiving Day. To refresh your memory, the park is 25 miles west of downtown Saint Louis, and is operated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
On this particular day, temperatures were in the mid-80s Fahrenheit (28-30 degrees Celsius) under partly cloudy skies with a cooling breeze, dropping to around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) around sunset. This time, I selected the Cochran Picnic Area, one of the highest points in the park. I took a table under a shady tree, and set up my listening post. For AM (MW) broadcast band DX, I brought my General Electric Superadio III once again. I brought along my Tecsun PL-600 for shortwave DX; this is the first time I used the MFJ-1022 active antenna at Babler. On the first DXpedition, I used the Tecsun wire antenna; the second Babler DXpedition used a homebrew 30-foot longwire I made after the first Marais Temps Clair DXpedition. The MFJ-1022 works best when it's powered by a nine-volt battery. The antenna also works for the FM broadcast band (88-108 MHz); I heard many regional FM stations on the Tecsun PL-600. I also brought my Whistler WS1040 handheld digital scanner to check VHF band conditions using the NOAA Weather Radio band. At my home listening post, I most frequently pull in WNG728 Bellflower, MO on 162.425 MHz and KXI70 Jerseyville, IL on 162.450 MHz (in addition to local KDO89 on 162.550 MHz). At Babler State Park, I have another semi-local: WWF75 Bourbon, MO (162.525 MHz).
Monitoring began around 1630 CDT (2130 UTC), and wrapped up around 2030 CDT (0130 UTC June 24). Before 1800 CDT (2300 UTC), AM (MW) reception conditions favored Missouri and Illinois stations; the 50 kW Chicago non-directional AM stations were heard. After 1800 CDT (2300 UTC), stations from other parts of the Midwest and Mid-South were heard. On the shortwave broadcast bands, stations were heard from every continent. Babler State Park became the first DXpedition site from where I have logged 100 stations (AM and SW combined) on this DXpedition.
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The setup at the DXpedition site.
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| The picnic area sign. |
AM BROADCAST BAND LOGBOOK (All times CDT; for UTC, add six hours, for EDT, add one hour)
580 kHz WILL Urbana, IL - 6/23 1658 noted with underwriting announcement, promo for Fresh Air, "AM 580 WILL and Will Illinois-dot-org" mention, legal ID at 1700. A fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KFNS 590.
610 kHz KCSP Kansas City, MO - 6/23 1936 noted with Kansas City Royals baseball play-by-play. A fair to poor signal was heard, alone on the channel.
670 kHz WSCR Chicago, IL - 6/23 1703 noted with a "670 the Score" slogan ID, mention of the Chicago Radiothon, into a conversation with a caller on philanthropy. A fair signal was heard, alone on the channel.
720 kHz WGN Chicago, IL - 6/23 1705 noted with local news, preview of upcoming topics, mentions of President Biden and Chicago politics, "WGN Radio 720, the Voice of Chicago" slogan ID. A fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KWRE 730.
780 kHz WBBM Chicago, IL - 6/23 1713 noted with local news, "News Radio 105.9" mention, promo mentioning "WBBM News Radio" and local ads. A fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from WEW 770.
790 kHz WRMS Beardstown, IL - 6/23 1715 noted with talk on fundraising for Catholic organizations, "EWTN Global Catholic Radio" mention into light Christian vocal music. A fair signal was heard with second adjacent channel interference from WEW 770.
810 kHz WHB Kansas City, MO - 6/23 1723 noted with local ads, promo, "ESPN 810" ID into sports talk. A fair to poor signal was heard, alone on the channel.
890 kHz WLS Chicago, IL - 6/23 1727 noted with talk on Chicago politics, CDT time check, "890 WLS" ID into weather forecast. A fair to poor signal was heard, alone on the channel.
900 kHz KFAL Fulton, MO - 6/23 1732 noted with "Your Home for Country Favorites, The Big 900 KFAL" jingle ID into Classic Country format. A fair signal was heard, alone on the channel.
940 kHz WMIX Mount Vernon, IL - 6/23 1855 noted with Adult Standards format, "AM 940 WMIX" ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with KPSZ.
970 kHz WMAY Springfield, IL - 6/23 1900 noted with local news, "From the WMAY Newsroom" mention into local ads. A fair signal was heard, mixing with other stations.
1000 kHz WHNY Paris, TN - 6/23 1941 noted with Classic Country format, "Country Legends" mention and local ads. A good to fair signal was heard over WDJL and WXTN with no sign of WMVP.
1230 kHz WHCO Sparta, IL - 6/23 1734 noted with local ads, Saint Louis Cardinals promo, "Real Country 1230 and 97.3 WHCO" ID into NBC News Radio. A fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KLPW 1220.
1240 kHz KFMO Park Hills, MO - 6/23 1737 noted with local ads, promo for The Sean Hannity Show, "The Parkland's News, Talk and Sports Leader, AM 1240 KFMO" slogan ID. A fair signal was heard in a WTAX null.
1270 kHz WDLR Marysville, OH - 6/23 1913 noted with Classic Hits format, "My 96-7" slogan ID. A fair to poor signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from WSDZ 1260.
1310 kHz KZRG Joplin, MO - 6/23 1917 noted with local ads, "News/Talk KZRG" slogan ID in promo. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WIBA; adjacent channel interference from KSIV 1320.
1330 kHz WBGW Evansville, IN - 6/23 1922 noted with Unlocking the Bible, promo for financial support, Scripture reading, brief Christian music, features on Christian living, "God's Word Network" group ID. A good signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KSIV 1320.
1370 kHz KCRV Caruthersville, MO - 6/23 1800 noted with "AM 1370 KCRV" ID. A fair signal was heard, mixing with KWRT; adjacent channel interference from KXFN 1380.
1390 kHz KJPW Waynesville, MO - 6/23 2004 noted with Fox News Radio and a PSA mentioning Missouri. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WGRB and other stations.
1400 kHz KJFF Festus, MO - 6/23 1801 noted with ABC News, national and local ads including one mentioning Sainte Genevieve, "K-Jeff" and "Straight Talk 1400 K-Jeff" slogan IDs in promo. A good signal was heard over KFRU.
1410 kHz WIHM Taylorville, IL - 6/23 1828 noted with The Litany of the Saints into a Covenant Network promo. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WIZM.
1430 kHz WYMC Mayfield, KY - 6/23 1831 noted with local ads, Time and Temperature promo, "WYMC" ID in promo into Oldies format. A fair signal was heard, mixing with WPLN and WXNT.
1440 kHz WGEM Quincy, IL - 6/23 1631 noted with local spots, station promo, "WGEM Sports, ESPN 1440" slogan ID into sports talk. A fair signal was heard, alone on the channel.
1450 kHz KYLS Fredericktown, MO - 6/23 1833 noted with Adult Contemporary format, "K-Hits 94-3" slogan ID in promo. A good to fair signal was heard over WFMB; adjacent channel interference from KHOJ 1460.
1480 kHz WBBP Memphis, TN - 6/23 2009 noted with "WBBP, It's in the Music" slogan ID into Urban Gospel format. A fair signal was heard, mixing with WJBM.
1500 kHz WPMB Vandalia, IL - 6/23 1849 noted with Adult Contemporary format, "1500 AM WPMB" ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WBRI.
1530 kHz WLIQ Quincy, IL - 6/23 1807 noted with "Kick AM 1530" slogan ID into Classic Country format. A good to fair signal was heard over WCKY.
1540 kHz WSMI Litchfield, IL - 6/23 1820 noted with weather forecast, "There's your weather on WSMI" mention into Country format. A fair signal was heard, mixing with KXEL.
1660 kHz KWOD Kansas City, KS - 6/23 1824 noted with talk on the Kansas City Royals. A fair signal was heard over WTOU.
SHORTWAVE LOGBOOK (All times are UTC; for CDT, subtract five hours, for EDT, subtract four hours)
4885 kHz BRAZIL Radio Clube do Pará
ZYG362 Belém, Pará - 6/24 0020 noted with commentary in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.
5010 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 6/24 0024 noted with commentary in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.
5025 kHz CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana - 6/23 2301 noted with news in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard.
5040 kHz CUBA Radio Havana Cuba via La Habana - 6/24 0027 noted with light vocal music, interval signal, "Radio Habana Ciba" ID into interview in Spanish. A good signal was heard.
6070 kHz CANADA CFRX Toronto, ON - 6/23 2347 noted with local ads, "News/Talk 1010" ID into political talk in English. A fair signal was heard.
6160 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WBCQ Monticello, ME - 6/24 0008 noted with Classic Rock music, talk on the music in English. A fair signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from Radio Havana Cuba on 6165 kHz.
7375 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Galbeni - 6/24 0010 noted with talk on public pensions in English. A good signal was heard.
7490 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WBCQ Monticello, ME - 6/23 2218 noted with talk on the Recording industry in English. A good signal was heard.
8764 kHz USB UNITED STATES OF AMERICA United States Coast Guard NMN Portsmouth, VA - 6/23 2201 noted with marine forecast for the Caribbean Sea in English. An excellent signal was heard.
9395 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WRMI Okeechobee, FL - 6/23 2338 noted with AWR Wavescan with mention of the Madison-Milwaukee DX Get-Together in English. An excellent signal was heard.
9590 kHz CHINA China Radio International via Kashgar - 6/23 2345 noted with promo in Spanish into Chinese pop music. A fair signal was heard.
10051 kHz USB NEWFOUNDLAND Gander VOLMET - 6/23 2157 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports in English. A good signal was heard.
11610 kHz MADAGASCAR Madagascar World Voice via Mahajanga - 6/23 2152 noted with Christian teaching in Chinese. A good to fair signal was heard.
11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da
Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, DF - 6/24 0058 noted with commentary in Portuguese. An excellent signal was heard.
11815 kHz BRAZIL Radio Brasil Central ZYE440 Goiânia, Goiás - 6/24 0102 noted with news in Portuguese into light vocal music. A fair to poor signal was heard. This is the 100th station (combined AM/MW and SW) logged at Babler State Park.
13650 kHz JAPAN Radio Japan via Yamato - 6/23 2317 noted with traditional Japanese music with no announcements in Thai or Vietnamese. A very good signal was heard.
13840 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki - 6/23 2144 noted with interview with New Zealand transgender activist Georgina Beyer in English. A good to fair signal was heard.
14670 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 6/23 2220 noted with "CHU Canada" ID in English, UTC time check in English and French into time signals. A fair signal was heard.
15034 kHz USB CANADA CHR Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON - 6/23 2136 noted with weather reports for various Canadian and European airports, "This is Trenton Military, Trenton Military" ID in English. A good signal was heard.
17855 kHz SPAIN Radio Exterior de
España via Noblejas - 6/23 2315 noted with commentary in Spanish. A very good signal was heard.
