"Bob Meader" wrote ...
A local AM radio station in the Puget Sound Area,Washington State,US has
a lot of splatter to shortwave bands expecially around 5 MHZ.

Been there done that. I lived a mile or so downwind of 1090-KAAY's
array in North Little Rock. They came in from 1090 to almost 8 mHz.
I was using Drakes (R-7 and R-8a) with a 240 ft random wire at 50 ft
high.

Added an antenna tuner (MJF-969) .. problem solved.