W1AW
Encyclopedia
W1AW is both the amateur radio
call sign and the primary operating station of the American Radio Relay League
(ARRL). This station, which is commonly called the Hiram Percy Maxim
Memorial Station, is located on the grounds of ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut
. It was inspired by Maxim's 1AW callsign which predated the use of the AA-AL, K, N and W prefixes. The station routinely transmits bulletins and Morse code practice using common amateur radio frequencies. During a communications emergency bulletins are transmitted hourly in order to keep amateur radio operator
s informed.
. After eight years of operation this flood plain location was destroyed by the waters of the Connecticut River
in a 1936 flood. During this same year Hiram Percy Maxim
, president and co-founder of the ARRL, died after serving 22 years as the organization's president. It was decided by the ARRL board of directors that a new station would be built as a memorial to their recently lost president and that the new station would assume his callsign of W1AW. On September 2, 1938 the new station was dedicated with the ceremonies being broadcast nationally over the radio. The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station building appears much as it did when first built in 1938 and is now located next to the ARRL headquarters which was built much later, in 1963.
frequencies and Maxim's distinctive call sign (W1AW), this station transmits one-way voice and digital bulletins in addition to morse code
training practice. The transmissions are broadcast Monday through Friday with the first broadcast at 9AM NAET
daily and the last at 11PM NAET. During communication emergencies bulletins are broadcast utilizing SSB
and FM
voice every hour, RTTY at 15 minutes past the hour, and CW
at 30 minutes past the hour.
, the ARRL's monthly magazine. At the beginning of each practice session the QST year and month of publication as well as the page numbers are given followed by the article being transmitted at 5, 7-1/2, 10, 13 and 15 words per minute for "slow code" and 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 for "fast code". Because these training sessions are scheduled for specific published days, times, and code speeds they are useful for anyone interested in learning Morse Code or improving their copying speed.
(morse code
), RTTY
, MFSK16, and PSK31
. These bulletins include notification of significant amateur radio events, including frequencies used to assist in rescue efforts during state or national disasters.
CW or morse code bulletins are sent at a speed of 18 words per minute while digital bulletins are transmit first in 45.45 baud
RTTY followed by the PSK31 and MFSK16 modes "as time allows".
Copies of bulletins transmitted by W1AW can be downloaded from http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.
s who visit the Hiram Percy Maxim
Memorial Station may operate the equipment and temporarily use the W1AW callsign. The current schedule allows for "guest operators" from 10 AM NAET
to 12 PM NAET and 1 PM NAET to 3:45 PM NAET Monday through Friday excluding holidays. An original or photocopy of a valid Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) issued amateur license is required to operate the station.
W1AW offers a much-sought QSL
card for those who have contacted the station over the air. The "retro"-looking card can be obtained by any licensed amateur—not just ARRL members—who send W1AW their own QSL card with an envelope along with sufficient return postage. QSL requests should be addressed to: 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111.
(morse code
) transmissions. At the beginning of each code practice session, the schedule for the next qualifying run is presented. By successfully deciphering one minute of the message and submitting to W1AW a certification that the copy was made by the requester without aid a Certificate of Code Proficiency will be issued to the individual. Submissions, which must include the $10 fee, should be mailed to W1AW Qualifying Run, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT USA 06111. An amateur radio license is not required in order to receive this certificate.
Note that due to changes in ionospheric propagation caused by changing maximum usable frequency
and frequency of optimum transmission
it may not be possible to receive W1AW clearly on all frequencies. Note that the voice broadcasts are sent in the common mode for each frequency.
UTC time offset is −5 hrs (UTC-05) during standard time
and -4 hrs (UTC-04) during daylight saving time
.
Special Notes:
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
call sign and the primary operating station of the American Radio Relay League
American Radio Relay League
The American Radio Relay League is the largest membership association of amateur radio enthusiasts in the USA. ARRL is a non-profit organization, and was founded in May 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim of Hartford, Connecticut...
(ARRL). This station, which is commonly called the Hiram Percy Maxim
Hiram Percy Maxim
Hiram Percy Maxim was an American radio pioneer and inventor, and co-founder of the American Radio Relay League . He originally had the amateur call signs SNY, 1WH, 1ZM, 1AW, and later W1AW, which is now the ARRL Headquarters club station call sign...
Memorial Station, is located on the grounds of ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut
Newington, Connecticut
Newington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, it had a total population of 29,306. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has its headquarters in Newington....
. It was inspired by Maxim's 1AW callsign which predated the use of the AA-AL, K, N and W prefixes. The station routinely transmits bulletins and Morse code practice using common amateur radio frequencies. During a communications emergency bulletins are transmitted hourly in order to keep amateur radio operator
Amateur radio operator
An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio...
s informed.
History
The original ARRL station was licensed with the callsign of W1MK and located in a National Guard building at Brainard Field in Hartford, ConnecticutHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. After eight years of operation this flood plain location was destroyed by the waters of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
in a 1936 flood. During this same year Hiram Percy Maxim
Hiram Percy Maxim
Hiram Percy Maxim was an American radio pioneer and inventor, and co-founder of the American Radio Relay League . He originally had the amateur call signs SNY, 1WH, 1ZM, 1AW, and later W1AW, which is now the ARRL Headquarters club station call sign...
, president and co-founder of the ARRL, died after serving 22 years as the organization's president. It was decided by the ARRL board of directors that a new station would be built as a memorial to their recently lost president and that the new station would assume his callsign of W1AW. On September 2, 1938 the new station was dedicated with the ceremonies being broadcast nationally over the radio. The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station building appears much as it did when first built in 1938 and is now located next to the ARRL headquarters which was built much later, in 1963.
Role in modern amateur radio
W1AW is the flagship station for amateur radio operation within the United States. Using pre-established shortwaveShortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
frequencies and Maxim's distinctive call sign (W1AW), this station transmits one-way voice and digital bulletins in addition to morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
training practice. The transmissions are broadcast Monday through Friday with the first broadcast at 9AM NAET
NAET
Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique is a non-invasive, drug free, alternative therapy intended as a treatment for allergies and chemical sensitivities. Founded in 1983 by Devi Nambudripad, a California based acupuncturist, NAET draws on ideas from acupuncture, applied kinesiology, and...
daily and the last at 11PM NAET. During communication emergencies bulletins are broadcast utilizing SSB
Single-sideband modulation
Single-sideband modulation or Single-sideband suppressed-carrier is a refinement of amplitude modulation that more efficiently uses electrical power and bandwidth....
and FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
voice every hour, RTTY at 15 minutes past the hour, and CW
Continuous wave
A continuous wave or continuous waveform is an electromagnetic wave of constant amplitude and frequency; and in mathematical analysis, of infinite duration. Continuous wave is also the name given to an early method of radio transmission, in which a carrier wave is switched on and off...
at 30 minutes past the hour.
Morse Code Practice
The text of the daily W1AW code practice sessions is taken directly from the pages of recent issues of QSTQST
QST is a magazine for amateur radio enthusiasts, published by the American Radio Relay League . It is a membership journal that is included in membership with the ARRL. The publisher claims that circulation of QST in the United States is higher than all amateur radio-related publications in the...
, the ARRL's monthly magazine. At the beginning of each practice session the QST year and month of publication as well as the page numbers are given followed by the article being transmitted at 5, 7-1/2, 10, 13 and 15 words per minute for "slow code" and 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 for "fast code". Because these training sessions are scheduled for specific published days, times, and code speeds they are useful for anyone interested in learning Morse Code or improving their copying speed.
Bulletins
W1AW transmits bulletins of interest to the amateur radio community in a variety of formats, including single sideband and FM voice, CWContinuous wave
A continuous wave or continuous waveform is an electromagnetic wave of constant amplitude and frequency; and in mathematical analysis, of infinite duration. Continuous wave is also the name given to an early method of radio transmission, in which a carrier wave is switched on and off...
(morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
), RTTY
Radioteletype
Radioteletype is a telecommunications system consisting originally of two or more electromechanical teleprinters in different locations, later superseded by personal computers running software to emulate teleprinters, connected by radio rather than a wired link.The term radioteletype is used to...
, MFSK16, and PSK31
PSK31
PSK31 or "Phase Shift Keying, 31 Baud" is a digital radio modulation mode, used primarily in the amateur radio field to conduct real-time keyboard-to-keyboard informal text chat between amateur radio operators.- History :...
. These bulletins include notification of significant amateur radio events, including frequencies used to assist in rescue efforts during state or national disasters.
CW or morse code bulletins are sent at a speed of 18 words per minute while digital bulletins are transmit first in 45.45 baud
Baud
In telecommunications and electronics, baud is synonymous to symbols per second or pulses per second. It is the unit of symbol rate, also known as baud rate or modulation rate; the number of distinct symbol changes made to the transmission medium per second in a digitally modulated signal or a...
RTTY followed by the PSK31 and MFSK16 modes "as time allows".
Copies of bulletins transmitted by W1AW can be downloaded from http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.
Non-bulletin digital data
- Keplerian elements for many amateur radio satellitesOSCAROSCAR is an acronym for Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio. OSCAR series satellites use amateur radio frequencies to facilitate communication between amateur radio stations. These satellites can be used for free by licensed amateur radio operators for voice and data communications...
are transmitted utilizing the common digital bulletin frequencies on Tuesdays and Fridays at 6:30 PM NAETNAETNambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique is a non-invasive, drug free, alternative therapy intended as a treatment for allergies and chemical sensitivities. Founded in 1983 by Devi Nambudripad, a California based acupuncturist, NAET draws on ideas from acupuncture, applied kinesiology, and...
. - A DXDXingDXing is the hobby of tuning in and identifying distant radio or television signals, or making two way radio contact with distant stations in amateur radio, citizens' band radio or other two way radio communications. Many DXers also attempt to receive written verifications of reception from the...
bulletin "replaces or is added to the regular bulletins" every week between 8 PM NAET Thursday and 8 PM NAET Friday.
Guest operators
Amateur radio operatorAmateur radio operator
An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio...
s who visit the Hiram Percy Maxim
Hiram Percy Maxim
Hiram Percy Maxim was an American radio pioneer and inventor, and co-founder of the American Radio Relay League . He originally had the amateur call signs SNY, 1WH, 1ZM, 1AW, and later W1AW, which is now the ARRL Headquarters club station call sign...
Memorial Station may operate the equipment and temporarily use the W1AW callsign. The current schedule allows for "guest operators" from 10 AM NAET
NAET
Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique is a non-invasive, drug free, alternative therapy intended as a treatment for allergies and chemical sensitivities. Founded in 1983 by Devi Nambudripad, a California based acupuncturist, NAET draws on ideas from acupuncture, applied kinesiology, and...
to 12 PM NAET and 1 PM NAET to 3:45 PM NAET Monday through Friday excluding holidays. An original or photocopy of a valid Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) issued amateur license is required to operate the station.
W1AW offers a much-sought QSL
QSL
QSL is one of the Q codes used in radiocommunication and radio broadcasting. A Q code message can stand for a statement or a question . In this case, QSL? means "do you confirm receipt of my transmission?" while QSL means "I confirm receipt of your transmission". Some also take it to mean "Query...
card for those who have contacted the station over the air. The "retro"-looking card can be obtained by any licensed amateur—not just ARRL members—who send W1AW their own QSL card with an envelope along with sufficient return postage. QSL requests should be addressed to: 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111.
Qualifying runs
Qualifying Runs are transmitted on the same frequencies as the CWContinuous wave
A continuous wave or continuous waveform is an electromagnetic wave of constant amplitude and frequency; and in mathematical analysis, of infinite duration. Continuous wave is also the name given to an early method of radio transmission, in which a carrier wave is switched on and off...
(morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
) transmissions. At the beginning of each code practice session, the schedule for the next qualifying run is presented. By successfully deciphering one minute of the message and submitting to W1AW a certification that the copy was made by the requester without aid a Certificate of Code Proficiency will be issued to the individual. Submissions, which must include the $10 fee, should be mailed to W1AW Qualifying Run, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT USA 06111. An amateur radio license is not required in order to receive this certificate.
Broadcast frequencies
|
|
|
Note that due to changes in ionospheric propagation caused by changing maximum usable frequency
Maximum usable frequency
Maximum usable frequency describes, in radio transmission, using reflection from the regular ionized layers of the ionosphere, the upper frequency limit that can be used for transmission between two points at a specified time, independent of transmitter power...
and frequency of optimum transmission
Frequency of optimum transmission
Frequency of optimum transmission, in the transmission of radio waves via ionospheric reflection, is the highest effective frequency that is predicted to be usable for a specified path and time for 90% of the days of the month. It is often abbreviated as FOT. The FOT is normally just below the...
it may not be possible to receive W1AW clearly on all frequencies. Note that the voice broadcasts are sent in the common mode for each frequency.
Broadcast schedule
| Mode | Type | Broadcast Times (Note: All times are in NAET NAET Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique is a non-invasive, drug free, alternative therapy intended as a treatment for allergies and chemical sensitivities. Founded in 1983 by Devi Nambudripad, a California based acupuncturist, NAET draws on ideas from acupuncture, applied kinesiology, and... ) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CW Continuous wave A continuous wave or continuous waveform is an electromagnetic wave of constant amplitude and frequency; and in mathematical analysis, of infinite duration. Continuous wave is also the name given to an early method of radio transmission, in which a carrier wave is switched on and off... (Morse code Morse code Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment... ) |
Practice | 9 AM | 4 PM | 7 PM | 10 PM |
| CW (Morse code) | Bulletin | 5 PM | 8 PM | 11 PM | - |
| RTTY45 / PSK31 PSK31 PSK31 or "Phase Shift Keying, 31 Baud" is a digital radio modulation mode, used primarily in the amateur radio field to conduct real-time keyboard-to-keyboard informal text chat between amateur radio operators.- History :... / MFSK16 |
Bulletin | 6 PM | 9 PM | ||
| RTTY45 / PSK31 / MFSK16 | Keplerian elements | Tuesdays 6:30 PM | Fridays 6:30 PM | ||
| RTTY45 / PSK31 / MFSK16 | DX DXing DXing is the hobby of tuning in and identifying distant radio or television signals, or making two way radio contact with distant stations in amateur radio, citizens' band radio or other two way radio communications. Many DXers also attempt to receive written verifications of reception from the... Bulletin |
From 8 PM Thursday until 8 PM Friday (see notes). | |||
| Miscellaneous Modes | "Visiting Operator" Time | 10 AM to 12 PM | 1 PM to 3:45 PM | ||
| SSB and FM Frequency modulation In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant... Voice |
Voice Bulletin | 9:45 PM | |||
UTC time offset is −5 hrs (UTC-05) during standard time
Standard time
Standard time is the result of synchronizing clocks in different geographical locations within a time zone to the same time rather than using the local meridian as in local mean time or solar time. Historically, this helped in the process of weather forecasting and train travel. The concept...
and -4 hrs (UTC-04) during daylight saving time
Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
.
Special Notes:
- A DX bulletin either replaces or is appended to the regular bulletins between 8 PM NAEST Thursday and 8 PM NAEST Friday.
- W1AW uses local North American Eastern Time and observes daylight saving time in the summer. Listeners outside of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
may therefore see the times change due to daylight saving timeDaylight saving timeDaylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
. - Every Monday the 9 AM NAET CW transmission is omitted.
- The digital bulletins, which include RTTY45, PSK31, and MFSK16, are sent initially utilizing 45.45 baudBaudIn telecommunications and electronics, baud is synonymous to symbols per second or pulses per second. It is the unit of symbol rate, also known as baud rate or modulation rate; the number of distinct symbol changes made to the transmission medium per second in a digitally modulated signal or a...
RTTY followed by PSK31 then MFSK16 "as time allows". - W1AW is closed on the following holidays: New Year's DayNew Year's DayNew Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
, Presidents' DayPresidents' DayPresidents Day may refer to:* Presidents' Day , a holiday in Botswana on July 19* Presidents Day , a federal holiday in the United States on the third Monday of February...
, Good FridayGood FridayGood Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, Memorial DayMemorial DayMemorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
, Independence DayIndependence Day (United States)Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
, Labor DayLabor DayLabor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
, Thanksgiving Day (and the following Friday), and Christmas Day.
Equipment at W1AW
| Band | Transceiver Transceiver A transceiver is a device comprising both a transmitter and a receiver which are combined and share common circuitry or a single housing. When no circuitry is common between transmit and receive functions, the device is a transmitter-receiver. The term originated in the early 1920s... |
Amplifier Linear amplifier A linear amplifier is an electronic circuit whose output is proportional to its input, but capable of delivering more power into a load. The term usually refers to a type of radio-frequency power amplifier, some of which have output power measured in kilowatts, and are used in amateur radio... |
|---|---|---|
| 160 meters 160 meters Just above the mediumwave broadcast band, 160 meters is the lowest radio frequency band allocation available to amateur radio operators in most countries. Seasoned operators often refer to 160 meters as the Top Band... |
ICOM IC-756ProIII | ICOM IC-PW1 |
| 80 meters 80 meters The 80 meter or 3.5 MHz band is a core amateur radio frequency band, allocated frequencies from 3.5 to 4.0 MHz in IARU Region 2, and generally 3.5 to 3.8 or 3.9 MHz in Regions 1 and 3 respectively. The portion of the band used for phone communications is sometimes referred to as 75 meters... |
Ten Tec Orion I | Harris Harris Corporation Harris Corporation is a Florida-based international communications equipment company that produces wireless equipment, electronic systems, and both terrestrial and spaceborne antennas for use in the government, defense, and commercial sectors. It is also the largest private-sector employer in... RF-3230 |
| 40 meters 40 meters The 40-meter or 7-MHz band is an amateur radio frequency band, spanning 7000 to 7300 kilohertz , allocated to radio amateurs in all countries worldwide.40 meters is considered one of the most reliable all-season DX bands.... |
ICOM IC-756ProII | Command Technologies (unknown) |
| 20 meters 20 meters The 20-meter or 14-MHz amateur radio band is a portion of the shortwave radio spectrum, comprising frequencies stretching from 14.000 MHz to 14.350 MHz. The 20-meter band was first made available to amateurs in the United States by the Third National Radio Conference on October 10, 1924... |
ICOM IC-756ProIII | ICOM IC-PW1 |
| 17 meters | ICOM IC-756ProII | Harris RF-3230 |
| 15 meters 15 meters The 15-meter band is an amateur radio frequency band spanning the shortwave spectrum from 21 to 21.45 MHz. Almost all countries permit amateur communications on the entire band.... |
ICOM IC-756ProII | Harris RF-3230 |
| 10 meters 10 meters The 10-metre band is a portion of the shortwave radio spectrum internationally allocated to amateur radio and amateur satellite use on a primary basis. The band consists of frequencies stretching from 28000 to 29700 kHz.-History:... |
ICOM IC-756Pro | Harris RF-3230 |