New Look at W1AW
January 1967 QST Article

New Look at W1AW

The Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, faces the new Headquarters Building at 225 Main St. in Newington, Conn. Recently, the station was given an overhaul with new equipment, furnishings, and antennas. You've seen a picture of the exterior on this month's cover. Here are a few shots taken inside the building, to show you some of the "new look."

"Old Betsy," W1AW's 1920 spark transmitter, is on display in the foyer. The master control console contains several receivers, signal monitors, transmitter exciters, punched-tape keyer (for code practice and bulletins) and operating accessories. Against the wall at the left is the RTTY position. The rack at the right is a back-up transmitter and RTTY transmitter. Another view of the transmitter racks taken from behind the visitor's operating position. In case of a power failure, this 20-kw. 220-volt emergency generator located in W1AW's basement can handle the entire load at W1AW including light, heat and communications. The unit is electrically started and the engine is fueled by propane gas. Notice the emergency lighting on the wall at the upper left. This light (and others located throughout the building) come on automatically with loss of power.

Visitors are always welcome at the station and upon entering are requested to sign the guest log. Another view of the console which faces the transmitter racks (right) and the visitor's operating position. Close-up view of the transmitter racks. In the top two rows are some of the 1-kw. finals for 80 through 10 meters (two more to be added.) Other equipment includes a 50-watt 160-meter transmitter, 200-watt 2-meter transmitter, 200-watt 6-meter transmitter, antenna patch panel, and converter to change the 3 Mc. signal from the console exciter to the various amateur bands, 80 through 10 meters. The W1AW workshop is well equipped for emergency repairs or general maintenance.

Now that you have had a chance to browse around the interior of W1AW, here are a few additional details about the station. The operating center of the station is the master console. Located here, along with the usual operating position accessories, are auxiliary receivers and signal monitors. The station v.f.o./exciter is positioned here and generates a basic 3-Mc. s.s.b., c.w., a.m., or RTTY signal, which is then fed to the transmitter racks. A series of converters heterodynes the 3-Mc. signal to the desired amateur band (80 through 10 meters) where it is amplified in the appropriate 1-kw. linear amplifier. The racks also contain s.w.r. bridges and indicators for each antenna system, along with controls for remotely tuning antenna couplers where applicable. There is an antenna patch panel for switching the various transmitters and receivers in the station to the desired antenna.

For code practice or bulletins, an RTTY tape, which has been previously cut at the station, is fed into an RTTY-to-Morse converter, which transforms the RTTY characters on the tape to dots and dashes and then keys the transmitters. Of course, this same tape is used to key the RTTY equipment, too.

Page 92 shows the station schedule, and visitors are always welcome. Meanwhile, make use of the varied services provided by the Maxim Memorial Station - daily sessions of code practice, news bulletins, frequency-measuring tests, and general operation.

There's a lot more to see here at W1AW. Why don't you drop in and see it for yourself?

Now, here are a few photos of today's W1AW:

                         Operator's Station                                                     Lab Equipment

Posted  December 12, 2013