DX and Amateur Radio History of NØUIH

1981

October 21-Purchases first shortwave receiver (Realistic DX-60 portable)

November-Receives first shortwave QSL card (WWV Fort Collins, CO)

1982

January-Receives first AM (MW) BCB QSL (WOAI 1200 San Antonio, TX)

March-Receives first FM QSL (WSMI-FM 106.1 Litchfield, IL)

May-Joins first club, ASWLC (member until 1985)

July 30-Issued WDX monitor call sign (KDXØSTL)

September-Joins NRC (member until 1994)

September-Introduced to St. Louis DX community through Terry Klasek

October-Receives first TV QSL (KFVS 12 Cape Girardeau, MO)

October-Receives Realistic DX-200 as gift for birthday, used for shortwave and AM (MW) DX

1983

April-Purchases first FM antenna (Archer Stereo Supreme indoor antenna)

April-Does AM band scan from Lesterville, MO (listing now-silent KPIA 1480 Ironton, MO as a “local pest”)

Summer-Receives first E-skip on analog TV (WFSB 3 Hartford, CT)

Summer-Joins WTFDA (member until 1988, off and on member since 1993)

June-Takes over editorship of NRC’s “Bandscan” column (edited until 1985)

1984

January-Founds the Gateway DX Club International

April-Takes portable radio on road trip, logging DX from Springfield, OH, Silver Spring, MD, Williamsburg, VA, Raleigh, NC and Richmond, KY

October 17-Issued CRB Research monitor call sign (KMOØCN)

1985

April-Takes portable radio to rural Clackamas County, OR (near Gresham and Damascus); logs stations from the West and Midwest

May-Purchases Realistic DX-400 for shortwave DX

June-Receives first FM E-skip (into New England)

July-Folds Gateway DX Club International after failed merger attempts with DECALcoMANIA! and DX MidAMerica

August-Begins as a volunteer helper at KCFV 89.5 Ferguson, MO

December-Takes over editorship of WTFDA’s “Southern FM DX” column

December 4-Does first airshift at KCFV under the name E.B. Stevenson

1986

August-Returns to the air at KCFV after further training

1988

May-Gets Worcester Electronics Space Magnet II in trade for audio production work with then-Webster Groves DXer Bob Flick

August-Departs KCFV after three years to relocate

August 26-Relocates to Woodstock, GA from Hazelwood, MO

1989

March-Begins one-month volunteer work at WRFG 89.3 Atlanta, GA

April-Leaves WRFG for a better volunteer position at WFTD 1080 Marietta, GA

Summer-Introduced to Georgia TV DXer John Broomall (then of Woodstock)

Fall-Introduced to veteran DXer Bill Alisauskas of Douglasville

1990

February-Begins The Oldies Café at WGHR 102.5 Marietta, GA (ends July 1990)

1991

Winter-WFTD puts new Harris transmitter, which I helped select, on the air

June-Relocates from Woodstock, GA to Marietta, GA

Summer-Helps out the Broomalls at W67CI Roswell/Woodstock, GA

July-Sets up home recording studio for recording The Oldies Café for WGHR

October-Celebrates 10 years as a DXer

Fall-Begins studying for no-code Technician license

1992

January-Leaves WGHR in dispute with student management

May-Leaves WFTD to prepare to return to the St. Louis area

June 29-Relocates from Marietta, GA to Hazelwood, MO

July-Passes one section of the Technician Class exam at Washington, MO

July 4-Begins FM log at present location with WEAI 107.1 Lynnville, IL

July 26-Begins analog TV log at present location with KWWL 7 Waterloo, IA

July 28-Begins AM log at present location with WROK 1440 Rockford, IL

August-Passes the second element of the Tech exam at St. Charles, MO

August 24-Returns to KCFV as on-air DJ, news and sports reader

October 22-Logs CJRS 1510 Sherbrooke, PQ for first Canadian AM at present location

November 6-Logs JBC Radio 1 700 Montego Bay, Jamaica for first Caribbean AM at present location

November 7-Logs XEABC 760 Mexico City for first Mexican AM at present location

November 22-Logs Radio Taino 1180 kHz for first Cuban AM at present location

1993

April-Joins first local Amateur Radio club, the Suburban Radio Club (now St. Louis and Suburban Radio Club)

June 16-Logs first FM E-skip and first Mexican FM at present location (XHRH 91.7 Puebla)

June 16-Logs first Mexican analog TV station at present location (XET-TV 6 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon)

June 18-Logs first U.S. analog TV station via E-skip at present location (WEDU 3 Tampa, FL)

June 18-Logs first U.S. FM station via E-skip at present location (WZZR 92.7 Stuart, FL)

September 18-Logs KWEB 1270 Rochester, MN for 100^th AM at present location

November-Attends first regional DX get-together in Rolla, MO

December 16-Logs KGNO 1370 Dodge City, KS for 200^th AM at present location

1994

January 8-Logs KLPW 1220 Union, MO for 250^th AM at present location

March 4-Logs KFDI 1070 Wichita, KS for 300^th AM at present location

Spring-Hosts first regional DX get-together in St. Louis

Spring-Joins IRCA; replaces NRC as main AM BCB club in September 1994

April 30-Logs WKIO 92.5 Urbana, IL for 100^th FM at present location

May 18-Logs first LPTV DX station (W41BL 41 Effingham, IL)

October-Purchases Sangean ATS-803A for a shortwave DX receiver

December 26 and 27-Logs 60 new analog TV stations in huge tropo opening

December 26-Logs first Canadian analog TV station at present location (CKCO3 42 Sarnia, Ontario)

December 26-Logs WKBD 50 Detroit, MI for 100^th analog TV at present location

December 31-Logs KALL-FM 94.1 Salt Lake City, UT for 200^th FM station at present location

1995

January 16 and 17-Logs ten new Southern analog TV stations, including ex-local WATL 36 Atlanta, GA, in a tropo opening

July 10-Logs first FM DX through locals, KCFX 101.1 Harrisonville, MO (through WFXB) and KUDL 98.1 Kansas City, KS (KYKY nulled)

August 19-Leaves KCFV after second tour of duty due to service limits

August 23-Logs farthest tropo analog TV reception at present location (WNED-TV 17 Buffalo, NY)

August 23-Logs WRGT 45 Dayton, OH for 200^th analog TV station at present location

1996

During the year-Longtime St. Louis DXer Rich Eddie dies at age 48

January 5-Logs WJDM 1660 Elizabeth, NJ for first X-Band AM log

May 2-Logs WMYS 1430 Indianapolis, IN for 400^th AM station at present location

July 11-Logs first Canadian TV station via E-skip at present location (CBAT1 6 Bon Accord, New Brunswick)

October-Begins brief stay as a news reader and studio engineer at WGNU 920 Granite City, IL

December 29-Logs first European AM at present location (RNE1 684 kHz Seville, Spain)

December 30-Logs WKAR 870 East Lansing, MI for 500^th AM station at present location

1997

Spring-Installs an MFJ-1778 G5RV antenna for shortwave listening and DX

August-Starts as a studio engineer and announcer at WFUN-FM 95.5 Bethalto, IL

September 17-Logs KGNN 90.3 Cuba, MO for 300^th FM station at present location

1998

June-Upgrades from an Archer VU-110 to a Radio Shack VU-210XR VHF/UHF/FM antenna

June-First radio interview for ARRL Field Day on WFUN-FM 95.5 Bethalto, IL

August 21-Logs WYMT 57 Hazard, KY for 250^th analog TV station at present location

August 22-Logs WRZQ 107.3 Greensburg, IN for 400^th FM station at present location

1999

February 25-Logs WKXQ 92.5 Rushville for 100^th Illinois FM station at present location

June 18-Departs WFUN-FM 95.5 Bethalto, IL, two weeks after station signed off for last time under local ownership

July 29-Logs WGKY 95.9 Wickliffe, KY for 500^th FM station at present location

August 13-Logs KKID 92.9 Salem for 100^th Missouri FM at present location

August 15-Logs WREX 13 Rockford, IL for 300^th analog TV station at present location

October 7-Logs WTIR 1680 Winter Garden, FL for 600^th AM station at present location

2000

May-Begins a summer gig as Friday evening DJ at WSIE 88.7 Edwardsville, IL

July 5-Logs 30 new FM stations via E-skip from Florida, Texas and northern Mexico

August 29, 30 and 31-Logs 41 new FM and 26 new analog TV stations via tropo, mainly from the upper Midwest

August 29-Logs WDDJ 96.9 Paducah, KY for 600^th FM station at present location

September 19-Logs WMWB-LP 69 South Bend, IN for 400^th analog TV station at present location

December 25-Logs WRVC 930 Huntington, WV for 700^th AM station at present location

2001

January 6-Begins NOAA Weather Radio logbook with KXI49 162.475 Salem, IL

April-Becomes Friday evening DJ at WSIE 88.7 Edwardsville, IL

May 29-Illinois is the first state to ten NOAA Weather Radio stations (KXI46 162.500 Shelbyville)

June 21-Logs five new analog TV stations via E-skip, from North Carolina, Quebec, Colorado and South Dakota

June 27 and 28-Logs 24 new FM stations via E-skip, mainly from the Rocky Mountain states

August-Attends first DX convention (IRCA Convention, Woodson Terrace, MO)

September 11-Terrorist attack destroys World Trade Center, damages Pentagon, leaves a mark in a Pennsylvania field

October-Celebrates 20 years as a DXer

2002

February 28-Logs KBJA 1640 Sandy, UT for 750^th AM station at present location

Summer-Adds responsibilities as Public Service director at WSIE 88.7 Edwardsville, IL

October 6-Celebrates 10 years as an Amateur Radio operator

2003

July 19 and 20-Tropo opening yields 11 new analog TV, 13 new FM and 14 new NOAA Weather Radio stations

July 19-Logs farthest analog TV tropo on low-band VHF (KPLO 6 Reliance, SD) and high-band VHF (KTSD 10 Pierre, SD)

July 19-Logs KFH-FM 98.7 Clearwater, KS for 700^th FM station at present location

July 19-Logs WXK93 162.475 Dodge City, KS for 50^th NOAA Weather Radio station

August-Moves into management at WSIE 88.7 as coordinator for station’s St. Louis Blues hockey coverage

December 31-Logs KWRT 1370 Boonville, MO for 800^th AM station at present location

2004

Spring-Begins move to morning drive at WSIE 88.7 Edwardsville, IL

July 6-Opening to the Mid-Atlantic states via E-skip reaches maximum usable frequency of 162.400 MHz

July 6-Logs first E-skip on NOAA Weather Radio (KHB38 162.400 Atlantic City, NJ)

July 11-Logs WSCL 89.5 Salisbury, MD for 750^th FM station at this location

December 27-Logs WCGA 1100 Woodbine, GA for 900^th AM station at present location

2005

Spring-Completes move to morning drive at WSIE 88.7 Edwardsville, IL

April 20-Completes logbook of NOAA Weather Radio stations originating from NWS WFO St. Louis (WNG728 162.450 Bellflower, MO)

May 18-Logs first Cuban TV station (CMEC-TV 3 Santa Clara, on the Cubavision network)

May 31-Logs KZMG 93.1 New Plymouth, ID for 800^th FM station at present location

July-Purchases MFJ-9402 144-148 MHz single sideband transceiver

September 19-Begins digital TV log with WICS 42 (display 20) Springfield, IL

2006

January 6-Logs WCOR 900 Lebanon, TN for 1,000^th AM station at present location

June 10-Logs first double-hop E-skip on FM (KINK 101.9 Portland, OR)

July 29-Illinois is first state from which ten digital TV stations are logged (WSEC 15 [14] Jacksonville, IL)

July 15-Two openings in one evening: E-skip into Saskatchewan, followed by tropo into southwest Wisconsin

July 15-Logs KBTO 101.9 Bottineau, ND for 900^th FM station at present location

September-Begins Morse Code studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, tutored by Andy (WØPH)

October-Purchases Kenwood TS-60 50-54 MHz transceiver and halo antenna for SSB

October-Celebrates 25 years as a DXer

November 12-Logs WJHL 58 (11) Johnson City, TN for farthest digital TV tropo reception

2007

January-Adds a Cushcraft three-element beam for 50-54 MHz single sideband and AM

June-Upgrades license class from Technician to General (Morse Code requirement was removed in February 2007)

June 28-Logs KSRE 6 Minot, ND for 500^th analog TV station at present location

2008

July 31-Logs KNLJ 20 (25) Jefferson City, MO for 50^th digital TV station

August 19 and 20: Logs 18 AM stations and one FM station (CBLA 99.1 Toronto) from the Bayfront Inn at Presque Isle, Erie, PA

October 5-Logs KIG76 162.550 Evansville, IN for 75^th NOAA Weather Radio station

December 30-31: Logs 11 AM stations from the Glass House Inn, Millcreek Township, PA

2009

June 18-Logs first double-hop E-skip on analog TV (Televisora Venezolana, channel 2, Caracas, Venezuela)

July 24-Ends broadcasting career after getting laid off at WSIE 88.7 Edwardsville, IL

July 28-Logs KTSR 92.1 DeQuincy, LA for 1,000^th FM station at present location

July 29-Logs KCWX 5 (2) Fredericksburg, TX for first digital TV station via E-skip; not steady enough for video capture

July 29-Video captures WRGB 6 Schenectady, NY for first E-skip digital TV video capture

August 3 and 4-Logs 15 AM stations from the Bayfront Inn at Presque Isle, Erie, PA

November 4-Logs WINI 1420 Murphysboro, IL for 1,100^th AM station at present location

November 9-Logs WRGT 30 (45) Dayton, OH for 100^th digital TV station

2010

January 3-Logs WKZI 800 Casey for 100^th Illinois AM at present location

January 30-Purchases ICOM IC-745 HF transceiver, adding HF capability

February-Builds homebrew dipole for shortwave DX, after transferring the G5RV to the HF portion of the Amateur Radio station

2011

January 29-Purchases Yaesu FRG-7 for AM (MW) BCB and shortwave DX

February 17-Logs KYSM 1230 Mankato, MN for 1,200^th AM station at present location

April 26-Longtime St. Louis DXer Terry Klasek dies at 64

June 10-Logs CKLY 91.9 Lindsay, ON for 1,100^th FM station at present location

July 24-Logs Televicentro on channel 2 from Managua, Nicaragua for second double-hop E-skip log on analog TV

August 2-Logs WXK81 162.400 Onondaga, MI for 100^th NOAA Weather Radio station

November 6-Logs WBIP 1400 Booneville, MS for 1,250^th AM station at present location

2012

February 20-Logs KFMZ 1470 Brookfield, MO for 1,300^th AM station at present location (WSPO 1390 is actually #1,301)

May 22-Upgrades license class from General to Extra

July 24-Opening to the Mid-Atlantic states via E-skip reaches maximum usable frequency (MUF) of 162.475 MHz.

July 24-Logs shortest E-skip reception (WFHG-FM 92.9 Bluff City, TN, at 470 miles)

July 24-Logs states #19 (PA) and #20 (VA) on NOAA Weather Radio (KIH28 Philadelphia and WXK65 Richmond, both on 162.475 MHz)