DXpedition #28 - Creve Coeur County Park, Maryland Heights, MO

On October 20, 2022, I took my radios back to Creve Coeur County Park in Maryland Heights for the second DXpedition of 2022. This time, I took a picnic table close to where I parked my minivan. On this DXpedition, I passed 50 AM stations logged from the park, as well as the 100th overall (AM and SW) log. Creve Coeur Park becomes the third DXpedition site from where I've logged over 100 AM and SW stations; Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area in Hazelwood and Babler State Park in Wildwood are the other sites where I've logged more than 100 AM and SW stations.

Temperatures were in the lower 70s Fahrenheit that day under partly cloudy skies with a breeze around 15 mph (24 km/h). Once again, I brought my General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX, along with my Tecsun PL-600 and MFJ-1022 active antenna for shortwave DX. Monitoring began around 1425 CDT (1925 UTC), going up to 1710 CDT (2210 UTC). Conditions on AM favored the Midwest; all areas of the world except Oceania were heard on shortwave.

The listening post for the third Creve Coeur DXpedition.

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

580 kHz WILL Urbana, IL - 10/20 1631 noted with NPR News, ag report, "You're listening to WILL" slogan ID, weather forecast, underwriting announcement into All Things Considered. A good signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KFNS 590.

600 kHz WMT Cedar Rapids, IA - 10/20 1524 noted with "News Radio 600 WMT" slogan ID into local ads. A fair to poor signal was heard with ACI from KFNS 590.

670 kHz WSCR Chicago, IL - 10/20 1530 noted with local ads, station promo, "670 the Score" slogan ID into talk on the National Football League. A good signal was heard.

720 kHz WGN Chicago, IL - 10/20 1532 noted with local ads, station promo, "Chicago's Very Own 720 WGN" slogan ID into local news. A good signal was heard with minor ACI from KWRE 730.

780 kHz WBBM Chicago, IL - 10/20 1552 noted with local news, CDT time check, local ads, business report, "News Radio 105.9 WBBM" slogan ID. A fair signal was heard with ACI from WEW 770.

790 kHz WRMS Beardstown, IL - 10/20 1556 noted with Covenant Network fundraising promo, mention of a Saint Louis, MO address into light Contemporary Christian music. A good to fair signal was heard.

810 kHz WHB Kansas City, MO - 10/20 1558 noted with local ads, "Sports Radio 810 WHB Kansas City" legal ID at 1602. A fair to poor signal was heard.

890 kHz WLS Chicago, IL - 10/20 1603 noted with local news, "WLS" ID, traffic report, local ads, business report and "890 WLS" ID. A fair signal was heard with minor ACI from WIJR 880.

970 kHz WMAY Springfield, IL - 10/20 1512 noted with Classic Hits format, "102.5 the Lake, Timeless Hits" slogan ID. A good to fair signal was heard.

980 kHz KSGM Chester, IL - 10/20 1436 noted with "Classic Country KSGM" slogan ID into Classic Country format. A good signal was heard.

1040 kHz WHO Des Moines, IA - 10/20 1637 noted with local ads, weather forecast, "WHO" ID into station contest. A good signal was heard.

1140 kHz WVEL Pekin, IL - 10/20 1429 noted with Urban Gospel format, "1140 WVEL" ID into local ads. A fair signal was heard.

1160 kHz WYLL Chicago, IL - 10/20 1616 noted with local ads mentioning Chicago and a phone number in Area Code 773. A fair to poor signal was heard.

1180 kHz WLDS Jacksonville, IL - 10/20 1608 noted with weather almanac and current conditions for Jacksonville, local ads mentioning numbers in Area Code 217, ag report, business report, CDT time check at 1615 into Views from the Crow's Nest. A fair signal was heard.

1190 kHz WOWO Fort Wayne, IN - 10/20 1650 noted with talk on the 1980 Presidential election, mention of Fort Wayne into talk on the 2022 midterm election. A fair signal was heard.

1240 kHz KFMO Park Hills, MO - 10/20 1505 noted with weather forecast and mention of the Parkland. A fair signal was heard, mixing with WTAX.

1340 kHz WSOY Decatur, IL - 10/20 1652 noted with local ads, talk on the 2022 midterm elections, University of Illinois football promo, "1340 AM and 103.3 FM WSOY" ID. A fair to poor signal was heard in KXEO null.

1350 kHz KRAP Washington, MO - 10/20 1446 noted with Hot Adult Contemporary format, "Westplex 107.1, a new station for the Westplex, online at Westplex 107-1-dot-com" slogan ID. A fair signal was heard.

1400 kHz KJFF Festus, MO - 10/20 1619 noted with "K-Jeff" slogan ID into local ads. A good signal was heard over KFRU.

1410 kHz WIZM La Crosse, WI - 10/20 1707 noted with talk on Wisconsin weather, mentions of the Mississippi River and phone numbers in Area Code 608 into local ads. A fair signal was heard.

1420 kHz WINI Murphysboro, IL - 10/20 1646 noted with Oldies format, "Cool 93.5" slogan ID. A fair signal was heard over WOC.

1520 kHz WHOW Clinton, IL - 10/20 1459 noted with local ads, "AM 1520 WHOW Clinton, 92.3 W222BA Clinton and 106.5 W293DJ Normal/Bloomington" legal ID into Town Hall News. A fair signal was heard.

1550 kHz KAPE Cape Girardeau, MO - 10/20 1451 noted with local news, "Cape Radio 95.7" slogan ID into local ads. A fair signal was heard.

1560 kHz KTUI Sullivan, MO - 10/20 1449 noted with local ads, "News/Talk 94.1 and 1560 KTUI" slogan ID into agricultural business news. A fair signal was heard.

1580 kHz KTGR Columbia, MO - 10/20 1701 noted with station promo, "KTGR" ID, "ESPN 100.5 and 105.1 KTGR" ID into The Big Show with talk on University of Missouri football. A fair to poor signal was heard with ACI from WBGZ 1570.

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

3330 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 10/20 2209 noted with time signals, "CHU Canada" ID in English, UTC time check in English and French at 2210. A fair signal was heard.

5000 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWV Fort Collins, CO - 10/20 1959 noted with UTC time check in English and time signals. A fair to poor signal was heard.

9275 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WMLK Bethel, PA - 10/20 1939 noted with sermon mentioning Yahweh in English. An excellent signal was heard.

9460 kHz TURKEY Voice of Turkey via Emirler - 10/20 1941 noted with traditional music in Turkish. A fair signal was heard.

11650 kHz ROMANIA Radio Romania International via Tiganesti - 10/20 2127 noted with commentary in Spanish. A fair signal was heard.

11900 kHz VATICAN CITY Voice of America relay Santa Maria di Galeria - 10/20 2141 noted with news analysis in Bambara. A good signal was heard.

11995 kHz FRANCE Radio France Internationale via Issoudun - 10/20 2012 noted with commentary in French into hi-life music. A fair signal was heard.

12095 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay - 10/20 2145 noted with commentary in English. A fair signal was heard.

14670 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON - 12/20 1931 noted with "CHU Canada" ID in French, UTC time check in French and English into time signals. A very good signal was heard.

15245 kHz NORTH KOREA Voice of Korea via Kujang - 10/20 2125 noted with commentary in English. A poor signal was heard.

15300 kHz FRANCE Radio France Internationale via Issoudun - 10/20 1954 noted with feature program in French. A good signal was heard.

15555 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WJHR Milton, FL - 10/20 1957 noted with sermon in English. A good signal was heard in USB mode.

DXpedition #27 - Sioux Passage County Park, Florissant, MO

The 2022 DXpedition season got a late start due in part to high fuel prices, peaking at U$5.09 per gallon in Saint Louis, MO. For this year's DXpedition season, I decided to stick close to my QTH. On October 5, I took my  radios to Sioux Passage County Park near Florissant, MO. This is the fourth DXpedition to the northern edge of Saint Louis County.

Skies were partly cloudy that day with temperatures around 70 degrees F (21 degrees C). The Missouri River, which flows past the park, was at the lowest level since 2012, allowing access to Pelican Island Nature Area on foot. Once again, I took my General Electric Superadio III for AM (MW) broadcast band DX. For shortwave DX, I took my Tecsun PL-600; instead of the homebrew longwire antenna, I took my MFJ-1022 active antenna. I set up my listening post on the only picnic table close to the river's edge. Monitoring began around 1525 CDT (2025 UTC), going until 1730 CDT (2230 UTC). AM (MW) BCB conditions favored Illinois throughout the DXpedition; stations from other parts of the Midwest, as well as the Great Lakes and Deep South, were being heard after 1700 CDT (2200 UTC). Every continent was heard on the shortwave bands.

The listening post setup at Sioux Passage.

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

580 kHz WILL Urbana, IL - 10/5 1604 noted with underwriting announcements, “WILL” ID into local news. A good signal was heard with ACI from KFNS 590.

670 kHz WSCR Chicago, IL - 10/5 1611 noted with Chicago Cubs baseball play-by-play, “The Score” slogan ID and local ads. A good signal was heard; alone on channel.

720 kHz WGN Chicago, IL - 10/5 1612 noted with talk on “butter boards” mentioning Tik Tok. A good signal was heard with minor ACI from KWRE 730.

780 kHz WBBM Chicago, IL - 10/5 1607 noted with local news, “News Radio 105.9 WBBM” slogan ID into local ads. A good signal was heard with no ACI from WEW 770.

890 kHz WLS Chicago, IL - 10/5 1626 noted with talk on bad driving during the COVID-19 pandemic, mentions of I-80 and Joliet. A good signal was heard with no ACI from WIJR 880.

1050 kHz WDZ Decatur, IL - 10/5 1614 noted with Chicago Cubs baseball play-by-play, local ads, mentions of “The Score” and “The Cubs Radio Network".  A good signal was heard, alone on channel.

1180 kHz WLDS Jacksonville, IL - 10/5 1652 noted with local ads into Chicago Cubs baseball play-by-play. A good signal was heard, alone on channel.

1200 kHz WRTO Chicago, IL - 10/5 1654 noted with Chicago Cubs baseball play-by-play in Spanish. A fair to poor signal was heard, alone on channel.

1210 kHz WILY Centralia, IL - 10/5 1701 noted with Classic Hits format, “Super Hits WILY” slogan ID. A fair signal was heard, alone on channel.

1220 kHz KLPW Union, MO - 10/5 1655 noted with Classic Rock format, “1220 KLPW Union, 92.7 K224EZ Union” legal ID at 1758 into local ads. A good to fair signal was heard, alone on channel.

1290 kHz WIRL Peoria, IL - 10/5 1526 noted with local ads, “WIRL” ID into Saint Louis Cardinals baseball play-by-play, legal ID at 1630. A fair signal was heard, alone on channel.

1350 kHz WSIQ Salem, IL - 10/5 1553 noted with Country format, “Real Country 92.1” slogan ID. A fair signal was heard with no sign of KRAP.

1370 kHz WLLM Lincoln, IL - 10/5 1557 noted with SRN News, Christian instrumental music interlude, “Great News Radio” group ID into Scripture reading. A fair signal was heard with ACI from KXFN 1380.

1420 kHz WINI Murphysboro, IL - 10/5 1720 noted with Saint Louis Cardinals baseball play-by-play. A fair to poor signal was heard, mixing with WOC.

1420 kHz WOC Davenport, IA - 10/5 1721 noted with local ads, “WOC” ID into The Simon Conway Show. A fair signal was heard over WINI.

1430 kHz WCMY Ottawa, IL - 10/5 1727 noted with ads mentioning Ottawa and Streator, “1430 WCMY” ID into Chicago White Sox baseball play-by-play. A fair signal was heard over WXNT.

1500 kHz WPMB Vandalia, IL - 10/5 1631 noted with Adult Contemporary format, “104.7 and 102.7 on FM, 1500 on AM, WPMB” ID. A fair signal was heard, alone on channel.

1610 kHz CHHA Toronto, ON - 10/5 1729 noted with local ad, “CHHA 1610 AM” ID in promo in Spanish. A good signal was heard, alone on channel.

1670 kHz WMGE Dry Branch, GA - 10/5 1830 noted with “BIN” network ID in promo, talk on the damage in Florida due to Hurricane Ian into news headlines. A fair signal was heard, alone on channel.

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

3330 kHz  CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON – 10/5 2108 noted with time signals, “CHU Canada” ID in French at 2109, UTC time checks in French and English. A fair to poor signal was heard.

5000 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  WWV Fort Collins, CO – 10/5 2140 noted with time signals, UTC time check in English at 2141. A fair signal was heard.

5995 kHz  MALI ORTM Radio Mali via Bamako – 10/5 2210 noted with commentary in French. A fair to poor signal was heard.

6070 kHz  CANADA CFRX Toronto, ON – 10/5 2101 noted with local news and ads in English. A fair signal was heard. 

9275 kHz  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WMLK Bethel, PA – 10/5 2052 noted with sermon on Holy Days in English. An excellent signal was heard.

9440 kHz  EGYPT Radio Cairo via Abis – 10/5 2208 noted with commentary in English. A good signal was heard with distorted audio. 

9665 kHz  BRAZIL Radio Voz Missionaria ZYE890 Camboriú, Santa Catarina – 10/5 2202 noted with discussion in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard. 

9765 kHz  MADAGASCAR Madagascar World Voice via Majajanga – 10/5 2152 noted with choral Christian music in English and Spanish. A good to fair signal was heard. 

9790 kHz  FRANCE Radio France Internationale via Issoudun – 10/5 2148 noted with discussion in French. A fair signal was heard.

9820 kHz  CHINA CNR2 Business Radio via Xianyang – 10/5 2145 noted with promos in Chinese. A fair signal was heard.

11700 kHz  FRANCE Radio France Internationale via Issoudun – 10/5 2025 noted with commentary in Hausa into hi-life music. A fair signal was heard.

11810 kHz  ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay – 10/5 2031 noted with news, “BBC World Service” ID into Newsday in English. A fair signal was heard.

11815 kHz  BRAZIL Radio Brasil Central ZYE440 Goiânia, Goiás – 10/5 2215 noted with pop music and commentary in Portuguese. A fair to poor signal was heard.

11965 kHz  MADAGASCAR African Pathways Radio via Mahajanga – 10/5 2033 noted with talk on the family, mention of African Pathways into Bible lesson in English. A good signal was heard.

12095 kHz  ASCENSION ISLAND BBC World Service relay – 10/5 2038 noted with talk on the war in Ukraine in English. A fair signal was heard.

13264 kHz  IRELAND Shannon VOLMET – 10/5 2042 noted with weather reports for various European airports, “This is Shannon VOLMET, Shannon VOLMET” ID in English. A good signal was heard in USB mode. 

13630 kHz  MALI CGTN Radio via Bamako – 10/5 2117 noted with talk on classic Chinese literature in English. A good signal was heard.

13845 kHz  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA University Network via WWCR Nashville, TN – 10/5 2119 noted with sermon from the archives of Dr. Gene Scott in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

15520 kHz SPAIN Radio Exterior de España via Noblejas – 10/5 2051 noted with Real Madrid soccer play-by-play in Spanish. An excellent signal was heard.

15580 kHz BOTSWANA Voice of America relay Mopeng Hill – 10/5 2123 noted with soul music, “The Best Music, VOA One” mention in English. An excellent signal was heard.

15720 kHz NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand Pacific via Rangitaiki – 10/5 2121 noted with discussion in English. A fair signal was heard.

17855 kHz SPAIN Radio Exterior de España via Noblejas – 10/5 2150 noted with Real Madrid soccer play-by-play in Spanish. An excellent signal was heard.

20000 kHz UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WWV Fort Collins, CO – 10/5 2046 noted with UTC time check in English and time signals. An excellent signal was heard.

Attempting to Turn a Hobby into a Career

 

This picture of me was taken at KCFV 89.5 MHz Ferguson, MO in the summer of 1995. At that point, I was in the final months at the station before my eight-semester service limit was met. I was one of the few DXers to hold down an airshift at any radio station in the United States in the pre-Telecom Act era. In the 26 years (as I write this) since the Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law, the number of DXers holding on-air employment in the United States have declined significantly.

On July 24, 2009, I signed off the broadcast airwaves for the final time when my morning show on WSIE 88.7 MHz Edwardsville, IL ended due to budget cuts. I was one of those who attempted to turn my DX hobby into a broadcasting career. From what I've heard, many DXers who enter broadcasting are usually engineers. Very few DXers ever get put on the air, no matter how much they know about radio or the format of a given station. Not all DXers who attempt to make a career as a radio announcer or DJ are successful. I only wanted to be known in the Saint Louis area, where I grew up and worked most of my 22 years in the radio field. Not all DXers are familiar to worldwide radio listeners, like Glenn Hauser or Arnie Coro. Not all DXers have been able to make an honest living in the radio business, like Tom Bryant, Jerry Starr or Adam Rivers. Some DXers have made an honest effort to try their luck on the airwaves, like Phil Wayne, Carey Westbrook or Luke Steele.

I thought by having a DXer on the staff of a radio station, regardless of whether he or she is an announcer, engineer, copywriter, manager or account executive, that station would benefit from his or her knowledge of signal propagation and better explain why, for example, a station's signal was heard far outside a given station's coverage area. When I was at WFTD 1080 kHz in Marietta, GA at the tail end of the 1980s and into the early 1990s (I was a member of the church that owned the station at the time), I typed up the form letter that the station sent to DXers verifying reception of the station. I received my own copy in January 1993. I even signed a couple of verification letters during my nine years at WSIE, acting in my position as Public Service Director. I did work at one station that was NOT DXer-friendly: my last commercial station, WFUN-FM (now KXBS) 95.5 Bethalto, IL. The last AM I worked at, WGNU 920 kHz Granite City, IL (now licensed to Saint Louis, MO), may have been a 500-watt station, but it got out quite well for such a station. The signal was reported by DXers as far away as Pittsburgh, PA and Joplin, MO. While the stations are most interested in how they're heard in the local area, it wouldn't hurt a station to find out how far that signal gets out under extraordinary circumstances or conditions. This is why I feel that having a DXer on a station's staff, regardless of position, is beneficial to that station's overall operation. Sadly, most stations, especially in today's environment, can't see the benefit of having a DXer, let alone an Amateur Radio operator, like myself, on their staff in ANY capacity.

Would I ever consider a return to the broadcast airwaves? The answer to that question would be a resounding NO! For one thing, my being both a DXer and a Ham is not beneficial to a station's overall operation. My on-air presentation does not fit today's music formats, especially youth-oriented formats like Contemporary Hit Radio. I also find most of today's music formats to be intangible; they sound nothing like the way Top 40 radio was in the 1970s, '80s or '90s. I also refuse to voice track a shift, since I believe that local radio (especially music radio) is best done live and spontaneous, not voice tracked. If I did talk radio, I would do my own thing, putting local communities first. I would steer clear of hot-button topics. I would not stoop as low as to be a right wing extremist mouthpiece or a sex-driven "shock jock" (which I consider illegal). I see the ratings system as pure hogwash. For me (and for many), fewer owners mean fewer opportunities to start (let alone continue) a career, and fewer opportunities in proving the industry's naysayers wrong. Today's broadcasters have very conservative employment policies, especially on-air policies. The industry actively discourages anyone with even the slightest hint of a disability, regardless of level of education or experience, from seeking employment (let alone a career). I went into radio to serve the community that gave me a chance to become a productive citizen, to bring down unnecessary barriers to entry, and to prove the industry's naysayers wrong. I did not go into radio to serve the whims of greedy corporate stockholders and owners. The stockholders and owners are NOT the audience; it is We, the People. 

Our colleges need to teach prospective broadcasters that the chances of a career that pays a living wage in the radio industry are extremely slim. When I started in radio out of high school in 1985, I had planned for radio to be my full-time career. As time went on, I saw radio becoming less of a career field and devolving into nothing more than a part-time job. I do not see the logic in broadcasters' refusal to college radio as a source of new talent; I feel that college radio is the only legitimate source of new talent. Broadcasting students should also be given clarification of the words "An Equal Opportunity Employer" on broadcast employment applications before they start looking for work or internships. If you've been involved in the DX hobby, like I have, that could put you at a disadvantage.

And, to wrap up this entry, here's the verification I received from WFTD 1080 in the winter of 1993. 

Radio Monitoring as a Witness to History

With the recent events in Ukraine, radio hobbyists (like myself) are often reminded about the role of radio monitoring in witnessing historic events.

Many of us were monitoring our shortwave radios as Communism fell in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union disintegrated. Shortwave radio played a role in sending news of important events in the 20th Century to a worldwide audience, such as the D-Day Invasion on June 6, 1944 and the events following the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963. One event I recorded (from the Cuban perspective) was the announcement of normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba in 2014.

Another historic event in 2014 took place just a few short miles from my shack: the riots in Ferguson, MO following a fatal shooting involving local police. For several days in August and November of 2014, I was monitoring the radio traffic coming out of the riot area; I recorded quite a bit of this traffic. The raw audio of the police and radio traffic was recorded as events progressed. So many of us were watching the events unfold on our TV screens.

Regardless of whether we listen on a shortwave receiver or a VHF-UHF public service scanner, radio monitoring allows us to hear and witness history as it's happening. 

Explaining The Radio Hobby to the Layman

A few weeks ago, after sharing a meal with the college students at a church in Edwardsville, I was coming out of church with a young student named Taylor. I mentioned one of her hometown stations, WIKK 103.5 (known on the air as 103.5 the Eagle). This inspired me to write this blog entry. The question I have is: "How can I explain my radio hobbies to the layman?" Or, in other words, to someone who isn't aware of the hobby.

First off, there's a term frequently used in the radio hobby: DX. The term DX comes from the telegrapher's abbreviation for "distance". This is commonly used by Morse Code operators. DX also comes from algebra, with D = distance, and X = any number. A person who listens for distant stations in the radio broadcast bands, watches for distant over-the-air television stations and talking to ("working") distant Amateur Radio (Ham) radio operators, is commonly referred to as a DXer. I've been a DXer since I was 15 years old.

Many people listen to FM radio these days. If you were hitting the "scan" feature on the FM and it comes up on a distant station, even if it was from your hometown, there's a good chance you would be amazed, shocked and/or surprised. How does this happen? Maybe this DX Central page, FM DXing, will help you understand how you picked up that distant FM station. This covers the basics, signal propagation methods and equipment you'll need to partake in this portion of the hobby. For example, the propagation method I heard Taylor's hometown station by is called tropospheric ducting, or tropospheric enhancement. Newton, IL is 135 airline miles from my listening post in Hazelwood, MO. The FM broadcast band in North America is between 88 and 108 MHz, which falls in the very high frequency (VHF) band. An excellent listing of North American FM broadcast stations is the WTFDA FM Database. I am a member of WTFDA.

Now, what if you were doing a scan or rescan on your television set, or tuner, and several of the signals you hit in that scan is from outside your area? Today's digital TV stations operate on VHF and UHF channels in the United States. There are three different bands for over-the-air (OTA) television, VHF-Low (Channels 2 through 6, below the FM broadcast band),VHF-High (Channels 7 through 13, above the FM broadcast band) and UHF (Channels 14 through 36). An explanation of OTA TV frequencies in the Americas can be found in this article from Wikipedia. Signal propagation on the bands in which OTA TV operates can be explained through this article in TV Technology. Tropospheric enhancement, or tropospheric ducting, is the most common form of signal propagation on OTA TV, especially on high-band VHF and UHF frequencies. More often than not, the channel the station operates on is not the same as the channel number the station uses. This channel is called a virtual channel. For example, my local CBS affiliate, KMOV, operates on UHF Channel 24, but uses virtual channel 4 (the station's former analog channel). Below are video captures of distant TV stations logged at my Hazelwood, MO monitoring station, using a Hauppaugue Win-TV HVR dongle, to which I connected a digital TV tuner, with the signal fed from an outdoor antenna.

WKYT Lexington, KY, operating on UHF Channel 21.4 (virtual channel 27.4), received at a distance of 330 airline miles in July 2021

WLFI Lafayette, IN, operating on channel 11.1 (virtual channel 18.1), received at a distance of 225 airline miles in July 2021

In your parents' or grandparents' day, they more than likely listened to an AM radio station. This band falls well below the FM broadcast band, between 530 kHz and 1.71 MHz. Today, you'll find many talk radio stations on this band, as well as Christian and ethnic radio stations and various forms of music. During the day, depending on frequency ground conductivity, AM radio signals generally have regional coverage. At night, the signal characteristics of AM stations change dramatically. During hours of darkness, signals come in from other parts of the country. On most nights, I can hear such diverse stations as WSM Nashville, TN at 650 on the AM dial (the home of the Grand Ole Opry), or hear news from other cities from all-news stations like WBBM in Chicago (780) or KYW in Philadelphia (1060). The Federal Communications Commission has an article on their Web site on this topic. The AM DXing Web site provides plenty of information on this part of my hobby. The FCC also puts out a ground conductivity map (more detailed maps can be found on the Internet), which explains how groundwave signals propagate on the AM broadcast band. I started casually listening to distant AM signals in the sixth grade.

Ground conductivity map (Source: FCC)

The impetus I had for buying my first shortwave receiver came from a station I heard when I was in the eighth grade. Even with a local station (WRTH, now KFNS) at 590 on the AM dial, I heard a station at 600 on the AM dial with programming that didn't come from the United States or Canada. As it turned out, a high powered station out of Cuba was relaying Radio Moscow's programming to the southeastern United States. I was able to hear a perspective from the other side of the Iron Curtain. A week after I turned 15 years old, I bought a portable receiver with three shortwave broadcast bands, the Citizens' Band and the AM and FM broadcast bands. I was able to hear perspectives on world events from a wider variety of viewpoints, not just the American, Canadian or Soviet viewpoints. Shortwave broadcasting isn't used as much today as it was in the 20th Century. Wikipedia has a detailed article on the medium. Shortwave signal propagation is different than those of AM or FM broadcast band stations; an excellent reference is this article on the Short Wave Info Web site. Many shortwave radio send in reports detailing what they heard to radio stations; an accurate report is rewarded with a card from the station. Many have scenes from the country of origin. Below are several examples.

This aerial view of Vatican City is from Vatican Radio for a 1998 reception.

This card from the Far East Broadcasting Company in the Philippines is for a 1999 reception. (Both were received at Hazelwood.)

Many are interested in monitoring public service communications on VHF and UHF. These frequencies are where we can find local and regional first responders, transportation and industrial communications. These are also called "the action frequencies". An excellent reference is Radio Reference, which lists these frequencies, as well as giving tips for purchasing equipment to receive public service communications. The weather radio band (162.400 to 162.550 MHz) falls in this segment; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a nationwide network of stations providing the public with weather information all day and all night. You can find information on NOAA Weather Radio can be found at this link.

When I mentioned Amateur Radio in conversation, one of the campus missionaries didn't know what it is. Another club I am a member of is the American Radio Relay League, the national organization supporting the hobby. Amateur Radio Operators are more commonly known as Hams. An excellent starting reference is What is Amateur Radio?, posted on the ARRL's Web site. Another article on the ARRL Web site is Getting Licensed, which details the different classes of Amateur Radio licenses (I hold the highest class license, Amateur Extra). I've been licensed since 1992, before many of my youngest friends were born.

In addition to the Worldwide TV-FM DX Association and the American Radio Relay League, I'm also a member of the North American Shortwave Association and the International Radio Club of America, as well as two local radio clubs, the Lewis and Clark Radio Club and the Saint Louis and Suburban Radio Club. 

If you have any other questions about my hobby, feel free to ask me in the reply box below this entry or on Facebook. 

DXpedition #26 - Harry S. Truman Park, Hazelwood, MO

I decided to celebrate my 40th anniversary in the DX hobby (albeit a day late) with a DXpedition. On October 22, 2021, I returned to the site of the July 2, 2021 DXpedition: Harry S. Truman Park in my home city of Hazelwood, MO. Truman Park was established the same year I entered the DX hobby: 1981. Temperatures were in the upper 50s all afternoon (12-14 degrees Celsius). This would be a late afternoon-early evening DXpedition, as sunset was around 1830 CDT (2330 UTC).

Once again, I brought the General Electric Superadio III for AM broadcast band DX, along with the Tecsun PL-600 and MFJ-1022 active antenna for shortwave DX. Reception conditions favored the Midwest and Mid-South in the late afternoon hours, with a number of East Coast and southern Great Lakes stations in around sunset. On the shortwave bands, every continent was heard. Monitoring began around 1615 CDT (2115 UTC), going up to 1820 CDT (2320 UTC).

The receiver setup for DXpedition #26.

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

570 kHz WKBN Youngstown, OH - 10/22 1730 noted with ABC News update, local ads, weather forecast from Storm Team 27, promo for a financial show, "News Radio 570 WKBN" slogan ID. A fair to poor signal was heard, alone on the channel.

580 kHz WILL Urbana, IL - 10/22 1619 noted with estate planning promo, public service announcement for the University of Illinois, underwriting announcement into All Things Considered. A good signal was heard with adjacent channel interference from KFNS 590.

610 kHz WTVN Columbus, OH - 10/22 1736 noted with local ads mentioning phone numbers in Area Code 614, "News Radio 610 WTVN" slogan ID. A fair to poor signal was heard over KCSP.

640 kHz WCRV Collierville, TN - 10/22 1626 noted with talk on repealing Roe vs. Wade, promos, local spots, "Bott Radio Network" ID. Fair signal over WOI with minor ACI from KYFI 630.

670 kHz WSCR Chicago, IL - 10/22 1645 noted with "670 the Score" slogan ID into talk on the upcoming game between the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A good signal was heard.

720 kHz WGN Chicago, IL - 10/22 1651 noted with talk on the accidental shooting involving Alec Baldwin. A good signal was heard with ACI from KWRE 730.

740 kHz CFZM Toronto, ON - 10/22 1740 noted with an Oldies format, mention of The Sixties at Six. A good signal was heard over KRMG.

760 kHz WJR Detroit, MI - 10/22 1655 noted with talk on movies, "760 WJR" ID, legal ID into Fox News Radio. A good signal was heard with ACI from WEW 770.

790 kHz WRMS Beardstown, IL - 10/22 1701 noted with EWTN News Link into Catholic Answers Live. A fair signal was heard over WKRD and WMC.

890 kHz WLS Chicago, IL - 10/22 1702 noted with weather conditions, local news and "890 WLS" ID. A good to fair signal was heard with analog ACI from WIJR 880 and digital fourth ACI from KFUO 850.

900 kHz KFAL Fulton, MO - 10/22 1706 noted with a Classic Country format, brief talk on the music, "Your Home for Country Legends, The Big 900 KFAL" jingle ID. A fair signal was heard, alone on the channel.

950 kHz WWJ Detroit, MI - 10/22 1711 noted with local news, "WWJ news time 6:12" time check into local ads. A fair signal was heard with KWOS nulled.

960 kHz KZIM Cape Girardeau, MO - 10/22 1740 noted with business news, local ads into The Lars Larson Show. A fair signal was heard over KMA.

980 kHz KSGM Chester, IL - 10/22 1750 noted with a Classic Country format, local ads, "Classic Country 980 and 105.3 KSGM, the River Region's Legend" slogan ID. A fair signal was heard over WYFN.

1010 kHz CFRB Toronto, ON - 10/22 1717 noted with talk on vaccine mandates in the workplace and other COVID-19 related issues; CFRX also in on 6070 kHz. A fair signal was heard through a nulled KXEN.

1030 kHz WBZ Boston, MA - 10/22 1755 noted with weather forecast, "WBZ, Boston's News Radio" slogan ID, Eastern time check, iHeart Radio promo into local news. A good signal was heard over KCWJ.

1030 kHz WUFL Sterling Heights, MI - 10/22 1721 noted with Contemporary Christian music, "Family Life Radio" network ID. A good signal was heard over KCWJ and WGSF.

1040 kHz WHO Des Moines, IA - 10/22 1757 noted with talk on pet adoptions, "WHO Des Moines, KDRB-HD2 Des Moines, an iHeart Radio station" legal ID, traffic report, local ads and weather forecast. A good signal was heard; alone on the channel.

1060 kHz WILB Canton, OH - 10/22 1725 noted with Catholic Answers Live, mention of Saint John Paul II. A fair signal was heard, mixing with KYW.

1060 kHz KYW Philadelphia, PA - 10/22 1723 noted with traffic report mentioning various Philadelphia highways, weather forecast into local news. A fair signal was heard, mixing with WILB.

1430 kHz CHKT Toronto, ON - 10/22 1804 noted with news in Chinese, "1430 CHKT, Fairchild Radio" ID in English. A fair signal was heard, mixing with WPLN, WXNT and WYMC.

1430 kHz WPLN Madison, TN - 10/22 1805 noted with world news, "BBC News" mention into talk on climate change. A fair signal was heard, mixing with CHKT, WXNT and WYMC.

1500 kHz KSTP Saint Paul, MN - 10/22 1809 noted with talk on the American League Championship Series, mention of the Houston Astros, "ESPN Radio" network ID, ESPN promos, local podcast promo, "Skor-North-dot-com" mention into Twin Cities ads. A good signal was heard; alone on the channel.

1610 kHz CHHA Toronto, ON - 10/22 1819 noted with Latin American pop music, brief talk in Spanish mentioning Mexico. A good signal was heard, alone on the channel.

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

4790 kHz UNITED STATES The Overcomer Ministry via WBCQ Monticello, ME – 10/22 2253 noted with rerun of a sermon by Brother Stair in English. A fair signal was heard.

5000 kHz UNITED STATES WWV Fort Collins, CO – 10/22 2117 noted with UTC time check in English and time signals. A good to fair signal was heard.

5025 kHz  CUBA Radio Rebelde CMBA Bauta, Ciudad de la Habana – 10/22 245 noted with Cuban pop music and promo in Spanish. A very good signal was heard.

5995 kHz  MALI ORTM Radio Mali – 10/22 2228 noted with talk and vocal music in French. A fair signal was heard.

6070 kHz CANADA CFRX Toronto, ON – 10/22 2217 noted with talk on vaccine mandates in the workplace and other COVID-19 related issues in English. CFRB 1010 kHz also in. A fair signal was heard. (Bueneman-MO/HSTDX)

7850 kHz CANADA CHU Ottawa, ON – 10/22 2157 noted with time signals, “CHU Canada” ID in English at 2158 and French at 2159, UTC time checks in English and French. A good signal was heard.

9665 kHz BRAZIL Radio Voz Missionaria ZYE890 Camboriú, Santa Catarina – 10/22 2241 noted with Christian talk in Portuguese. A fair signal was heard.

9765 kHz MADAGASCAR Madagascar World Voice via Mahajanga – 10/22 2140 noted with brief sermon and vocal Christian music in Portuguese. A fair signal was heard.

9820 kHz CHINA CNR2 Business Radio via Xianyang – 10/22 2314 noted with commentary in Chinese. A fair signal was heard.

9900 kHz TAIWAN Radio Taiwan International via Paochung – 10/22 2315 noted with traditional Chinese music, national anthem into commentary in Chinese. A fair signal was heard over CRI Dongfang. 

11610 kHz MADAGASCAR Madagascar World Voice via Mahajanga – 10/22 2149 noted with sermon in Chinese. A very good signal was heard.

11780 kHz BRAZIL Radio Nacional da Amazônia ZYE365 Brasilia, DF – 10/22 2311 noted with commentary in Portuguese. A very good signal was heard.

12095 kHz ASCENSION ISLAND BBC relay – 10/22 2134 noted with sports report in English. A good signal was heard.

15034 kHz CANADA CHR Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON – 10/22 2121 noted with weather reports for various Canadian airports, “This is Trenton Military” ID and UTC time check in English. A very good signal was heard in USB mode. 

15580 kHz BOTSWANA Voice Of America relay Mopeng Hill – 10/22 2123 noted with hi-life music and commentary on the music in English. A good to fair signal was heard.

40 Years of Dial Twisting...More to Come!

Think back to October 21, 1981. Ronald Reagan was in the White House. The neighborhood I grew up in had been annexed into the City of Hazelwood six months before. On that night, I used the money I made from the sale of a Stereo turntable to buy my first shortwave receiver. I still have it today. The Realistic DX-60, which receives AM and FM broadcast bands, the Citizens' Band and three shortwave bands, opened up a whole new world for me. Finally, I could tune in the world's leading shortwave broadcasters. Soon, I was sending out for QSL cards and letters; verification cards and letters, or "veries" for short.

My first receiver, a Realistic DX-60

The impetus for me to get my first shortwave receiver came in September 1980. I had a decent AM/FM receiver in the Panasonic RX-1350 with a cassette recorder. Even with a local (then Easy Listening WRTH) on 590 kHz, I could pull in a station relaying Radio Moscow's North American Service on 600 kHz. I would later find out that the relay was a 150 kW relay, CMKV from Urbano Noris on the western end of Cuba. The relay carried Radio Moscow's North American service until 10:00 p.m. Central U.S. time, with Radio Moscow World Service aired from 10:00 to 11:00 p.m., and The Voice of Cuba (produced by Radio Havana Cuba) from 11:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. Central U.S. time. I could even pull in image transmissions above 1600 kHz on this receiver, such as he Voice of America, Radio Canada International, WYFR (now WRMI) and HCJB. These broadcasts allowed me to hear a perspective other than what U.S. and Canadian broadcasters gave to their audiences.

Before I got my DX-60, I would wake up and get ready for school by listening to WOAI (1200 kHz) out of San Antonio, TX. During the summer of 1981, I visited San Antonio, going along the famous Riverwalk and visiting The Alamo. My oldest brother was stationed at Fort Sam Houston for advanced training in substance abuse counseling. The morning after buying the receiver, I tuned it in to Radio Australia. Thanks to that receiver, I could hear more perspectives on what was happening in the world from other countries. I sent out my first reports within a week; my first QSL card came from time and frequency station WWV out of Fort Collins, CO for reception on 10 MHz. Back then, air mail rates were double that of Domestic First Class rates, so a letter that cost 20 cents to send within the United States (the same rate also applied to Canada and Mexico at the time) would cost 40 cents to send to other countries of the world (35 cents to Central America and the Caribbean). My first international QSL card came from Kol Israel for reception on 11640 kHz.

My first QSL card, from WWV Fort Collins, CO (1981)

Within two months, I would get "whole hog" into AM (MW) broadcast band DXing. I started sending out for verifications to the 50 kW AM stations first. My first AM BCB QSL card came from WOAI 1200 kHz San Antonio, TX for reception on New Year's Day 1982. Soon, I would receive cards from stations like WABC and WCBS in New York, WGN in Chicago, WWL New Orleans, KOA Denver and KNX Los Angeles. I also got QSL cards from CBC stations in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina and even Chicoutimi (now part of Saguenay) in northern Quebec, as well as XEG in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and XERF in Cuidad Acuña, Coahuila (across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, TX). By the spring of 1982, I also got into FM broadcast band DXing and into TV DXing that fall.

Verification from WABC 770 (January 1982)

During that first year in the hobby, I also discovered that I could make my own antennas to improve reception. I homebrewed my first shortwave antenna by mating a length of speaker wire with a broken hacksaw blade, and hooking it to the external antenna jack of the DX-60. With that antenna, I pulled in The Voice of Nigeria on 15120 kHz and numerous 60 and 90 Meter broadcasts from Central and South America. I would homebrew more antennas in later years, including one made from stripped telephone wire (my father worked as an Information Systems Auditor for Contel, providing phone service to rural areas) wrapped along the backyards fence.

During the spring of 1982, I joined my first DX club, the American Shortwave Listeners' Club (ASWLC, now defunct). I also got  my first monitor call from the WDX Monitoring Service (KDXØSTL) in July 1982. In 1983, I joined the World Listening Service as WLS-5MO. In October 1984, I got my third monitor call from CRB Research (KMOØCN). When I joined the National Radio Club (NRC) in September 1982, I was introduced to other DXers in the Saint Louis area. The leader of the DXer group at the time was Terry Klasek (1947-2011), who founded the Saint Louis International DXers (SLIDX), whose bulletins combined DX logs with humor. Through SLIDX, I was introduced to legendary Saint Louis DXer Rich Eddie (1948-1996), experimenter Bob Flick (1918-2013), legendary DXer Roger Giannini, and young DXers Rick Overmann and Jeff King. I knew I wasn't alone! Keeping the DX flame lit in Saint Louis today are yours truly and Earl Higgins, along with promo item collector Ken Hawkins and a few others.

In the fall of 1982, I upgraded my receiver to a Realistic DX-200, which Terry Klasek referred to as "a Kenwood R-300 in disguise". The DX-200 also had single sideband capability, so I could DX the Amateur Radio bands. It also had the longwave band, so I could tune in the "LM" beacon on 338 kHz and the "ST" beacon on 404 kHz (both decommissioned in recent years). I would add a Realistic Patrolman CB-60 that winter, using it for monitoring the 2 Meter Amateur Radio band, VHF Public Service, NOAA Weather Radio as well as the AM broadcast band. My first GE Superadio was a Superadio II, which I got in December 1983. The Superadio series was THE must-have portable receiver for AM broadcast band DXing at the time. In the summer of 1985, I would add a Realistic DX-400 to my setup, followed by a Realistic TM-152 AM Stereo tuner in the fall of 1986. I learned another trick in the mid-1980s; hooking my receivers through the speaker jack to stereo equipment to record DX on cassette tapes. This would become my standard practice in later years.

Yours truly in the shack on Lamplight Lane (1983)

In August of 1988, my father's employer transferred him to Atlanta, GA. From that point until June 1991, I had my shack in Woodstock, GA (on the Cherokee-Cobb County line). The Worcester Electronics Space Magnet II, which I had off and on since 1983, became a permanent part of my shack; it was hooked up to a Realistic DX-200. I built a longwire antenna to put inside the baseboards of my bedroom for the DX-400. The first thing I discovered was that the ground conductivity in most of metro Atlanta was very poor; the only area of the United States with worse ground conductivity is in northern New Hampshire. I was used to very good ground conductivity in Saint Louis. The only Atlanta AM frequencies I could hear regularly at night were 590, 640, 750 and 920. 750 (WSB) is the 50 kW blowtorch; the only AM to have a clear signal throughout the area. The transmitter for 590 (then WKHX) was located in Austell; the ground conductivity was slightly better in Cobb County than in Fulton and DeKalb (pronounced "De Cab") Counties. WCNN 680 and WQXI 790 directed their night patterns away from my shack, allowing me to hear WPTF Raleigh, NC on 680 as well as WMC Memphis, TN and WTAR (now WNIS) Norfolk, VA on 790. On the FM side, most of the 100 kW Chattanooga FMs (75 miles NW of Woodstock) were semi-locals. 88.9. 89.7, 90.5, 92.3, 96.5 and 100.7 were at semi-local strength from southeast Tennessee. FM and TV DX were excellent in that area; however, the mountains affected tropospheric enhancement propagation to the northeast; the easternmost tropo I had from that location was Charlotte, NC. To the west and south, it was excellent, going as far south as Tampa Bay, as far north as Saint Louis and as far west as Shreveport, LA, Texarkana, TX, Fayetteville and Fort Smith, AR. I also tried my hand at logging ex-locals at my location. I logged Saint Louis area AM stations on 550, 590 (through a WKHX open carrier), 630, 690 (on a 1990 DX Test), 770, 850, 1120, 1260, 1380 and 1430. Saint Louis area FM stations were logged during a November 1988 opening on 90.7, 92.3 (through semi-local WDEF), 93.7, 99.1, 102.5, 105.7 and 107.7 MHz late at night. While I was in Georgia, I added a 1970s era Realistic STA-90; the sliderule dial made  hearing adjacent channels a bit easier. When my father lost his job at Contel in 1991 due to the merger with GTE, the shack was moved across the county line to Marietta, GA. I built another homebrew antenna for shortwave out of speaker wire and a metal coathanger. 

Verification received from KXOK (now KYFI) Saint Louis, MO (1989)

At the end of June 1992, I returned to Saint Louis; this time, to my present location on Coachway Lane (two blocks northeast of where I grew up). The present QTH is a two-story, split-foyer home. I set up my shack in a basement room that was previously an art room. That provided extra height for better antennas. I then began attempting to log my ex-locals on AM; since returning, I logged 610, 640, 680, 750, 790, 920, 970, 1010, 1080, 1190, 1260, 1380, 1480, 1550, 1570 and 1600 from Metro Atlanta. On the FM side, I've logged 90.1, 94.1, 96.1, 98.5, 99.7, 101.5 and 107.1 from my old stomping grounds, as well as analog TV stations on channels 17, 36, 57, 63 and 69. I added DXing the NOAA Weather Radio bands in January 2001. Since returning to the Saint Louis area, I've met legendary Midwest DXers like John Tudenham (1929-2021), Ernie Wesolowski, Frank Merrill, John Callarman, Walt Breville and Earl Higgins. 

It was also when I returned to Saint Louis that I decided to study for my Technician Class Amateur Radio license. I passed the first part of the test needed to earn the license at the Zero Beaters' Hamfest in Washington, MO in July 1992; the following month, I passed the other part at the Saint Charles Hamfest in Saint Charles, MO. On October 6, 1992, I received the call NØUIH, which I have used ever since, keeping it through upgrades to a General Class license in June 2007 and an Amateur Extra Class license in May 2012. 

My DX arsenal has changed over the years since returning to Hazelwood. The DX-200 was retired in the spring of 1994, when the tuning string to the top tuning cylinder snapped. The DX-400 did double duty for AM and shortwave DX in 1994 and 1995 before I bought the Sangean ATS-803A from a DXer at the 1995 Halloween Hamfest. In the winter of 1994, I added the General Electric Superadio III, which became my main AM BCB DX rig when I retired my DX-400 in 1997. The DX-200 and DX-400 were donated to the High Frequency Lab at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Engineering in 2007. A late 1950s-early 1960s era National NC-60 Special was added in 1998, followed by a Kenwood AR-304 AM/FM receiver (filter modification by Dr. Bruce Elving) and a Grundig S350 portable in 2004. The AR-304 replaced the STA-90. A Radio Shack PRO-79 handheld scanner was added in December 2000, followed by a Radio Shack PRO-2052 in the summer of 2004 and a Uniden Bearcat BCD996P2 digital scanner in the summer of 2016. The Yaesu FRG-7 was purchased at Winterfest in January 2011; I use this for AM BCB and SW DX. I took up Ultraight DXing in the fall of 2016, when I added a CountyComm GP5/SSB Gen3 receiver. In the fall of 2018, I began taking my radios out in the field to various parks and conservation areas in the Saint Louis region, using a Tecsun PL-600 (purchased in 2017) and the GE Superadio III. My most recent addition to the receiver lineup is an SDRplay RSPdx software-defined receiver, added in the summer of 2020.

Software-defined receiver, tuned to 1230 kHz (2021)

Antenna-wise, I built two 30-foot longwires for shortwave radio, one at my home location and one for portable use. I also built a 150-foot dipole in the attic in 2010; first for shortwave radio listening; I now use this with my ICOM IC-718. I also have a G5RV antenna; I bought it for SWL in 1997; I now use this for digital modes on HF. The Radio Shack discone antenna for VHF/UHF Public Service monitoring has been in use since 2004. Today, I use a Channel Master CM3020 for TV and FM DX; I modified one of my 2-Meter beams for NOAA Weather Radio DX in 2020.  The most recent antenna addition is a W6LVP loop, which I put into service in October 2021 and use with my SDR. I also have an Apex 303WA-2 vertical antenna for shortwave and AM hooked to the SDR; I added that in the fall of 2018. For Ham Radio, in addition to the HF antennas, I use a five-eighths wave ground plane for the local 2 Meter repeaters; I bought it in 1993 and have it in the attic. I use a Cushcraft three-element beam for 6 Meter SSB, AM and CW; I bought that in January 2007. For 2 Meter Sideband and CW, I added a Gizmotchy G241 dual-polarized beam in June 2021. I built an inverted "V" for the Citizens' Band in 2010.

My newest antenna, a W6LVP loop (2021)

My Ham equipment now includes a Yaesu FT-2800M, which I bought new in 2005 for 2 Meter FM. For 6 Meters, I use a Kenwood TS-60, which I bought in the fall of 2006. 2 Meter SSB/CW is the domain of the Yaesu FT-221R, which I bought at the Lewis and Clark Hamfest in 2009. For HF, I bought an ICOM IC-745 at Winterfest in January 2010. I bought the ICOM IC-718 new in April 2021. I have a Kenwood TM-731 dual-band (2 Meter/70 Centimeter) mobile in storage, which I bought in 2007. 

In 2017, in honor of the DXers that came before me, I adopted the handle "The Florissant Valley Dial Twister". Hazelwood is part of the Florissant Valley, and a "dial twister" is another name for a DXer. These handles are similar to handles on the Citizens' Band (my CB handle is Alligator Junior), except these were used in print rather than on the air. "Dial Twister" was the handle used by early DXer Warren Carpenter.

The DX hobby also led to a 22-year broadcasting career. Starting at KCFV 89.5 Ferguson, MO in the fall of 1985, I did some freelance work for the station in the fall of 1988, after moving to Georgia. I volunteered for a month in the spring of 1989 at WRFG 89.3 Atlanta, but was lured away to Christian radio station WFTD 1080 Marietta, GA. The worst-run station I ever saw was also in Georgia: WGHR 102.5 (also in Marietta) at Southern Tech (now Kennesaw State-Marietta). I returned to KCFV in the summer of 1992, and stayed there until the summer of 1995. I worked as a fill-in engineer/announcer at WGNU 920 Granite City, IL (now licensed to Saint Louis, MO) in late 1996 and January 1997, before becoming an engineer/announcer at WFUN-FM (now KXBS) Bethalto, IL. I worked at WFUN-FM from August 1997 to  June 1999. I finished my career at WSIE 88.7 Edwardsville, IL, where I served as a DJ (the final five years in morning drive), studio engineer, fill-in sports reporter, hockey coverage coordinator and PSA director in my nine-year stay (May 2000-July 2009). I left the industry due in part to Deregulation; I was NOT "blackballed". It was just too difficult to find employment in the radio industry with fewer owners than 25 years ago. I used the air name of E.B. Stevenson throughout my career. 

Me on the air at KCFV 89.5 (1995)

Forty years later, I'm still spinning the dials in search of DX. And I will continue to search for DX as long as my health allows.