W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, demonstrates one of the station's digital capabilities with some PSK-31 operating on 15 meters through the IC-765 transceiver in one of the three studios available to visiting hams. [Dave Hassler, K7CCC, photo]
The ARRL's Maxim Memorial station, W1AW, recently expanded its capability to allow visiting hams to use many of the newest digital modes. All three studios now have digital mode capability, said W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q.
W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, demonstrates one of the station's digital capabilities with some PSK-31 operating on 15 meters through the IC-765 transceiver in one of the three studios available to visiting hams. [Dave Hassler, K7CCC, photo] |
"When we first seriously computerized the station, we just had an interface that would let us do RTTY, AMTOR and packet," Carcia said. When PSK-31 came out a couple of years ago, [QST Editor] Steve Ford, WB8IMY, suggested that I try it out. I admit to being bit."
Soon, he had a computer set up that would run PSK-31 software and interfaced it to the station's ICOM IC-765. This winter, Carcia has made it a priority to equip more rigs with digital mode capability. First, sound cards had to be installed in several of the station computers, and then Carcia built custom interfaces for each radio to be equipped for digital. He included the capability to sample the radio's frequency to make logging almost automatic.
In addition to the IC-765, digital stations include a Kenwood TS-950S, an ICOM IC-756 Pro II and a Kenwood TS-2000. All four stations can get on the air in RTTY, AMTOR, PSK-31, PSK-63, MFSK-16, Hellschreiber, packet, Throb, PACTOR I and MT-63. Both the IC-765 and IC-756 Pro II are hooked up for FSK RTTY, to take advantage of the rigs' narrow filters, while the Kenwood radios add SSTV software to the plate.
ARRL Chief Operating Officer Mark Wilson, K1RO, said that the increased digital mode ability of W1AW allows the station to continue its tradition of technical excellence. "W1AW has always showcased Amateur Radio's capabilities, and keeping current with the latest digital modes is a logical extension of that," he said. "We're happy to have the opportunity to show the latest modes to visitors, who may not have been able to see or try them before."
More information about digital modes can be found on the ARRL Technical Information Service
(TIS) Web pages, while information about W1AW can be found at the station's
home page.
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