07/18/2025
There is a new addition to Studio 1 at W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial
Station at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut: a complete station of
the latest gear from FlexRadio[1], including a FLEX-8600¿ Signature Series SDR
transceiver, a Maestro C Control Console, Power Genius XL (PGXL) amplifier, and
Radiosport RS60CF headset. The equipment is the latest addition to W1AW, which
hosts a complement of equipment in each of three operating studios under
rotating agreements with major amateur radio manufacturers.
During his visit to present the station to ARRL on Wednesday, July 16, 2025,
FlexRadio Chief Technology Officer Stephen Hicks, N5AC, described the station
as an addition for the benefit of ARRL members and all visitors to W1AW. ARRL
President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and CEO David Minster, NA2AA, were on hand to
receive the equipment on behalf of ARRL.
"The FLEX-8600 provides all of the latest features that we have," said Hicks.
"And with all the Flex radios, they are continuously upgradable, so we have
software releases on an ongoing basis and add features and functionality to it.
... ARRL members can come in here and try this equipment out and get used to
it."
ARRL Director of Marketing and Innovation Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, expressed
gratitude for the collaboration with FlexRadio, saying "We're grateful to have
W1AW equipped with a full FlexRadio station, allowing members and visitors to
operate and enjoy this current-generation technology when they come to
experience the latest in amateur radio innovation." Inderbitzen explained that
ARRL's partnership with FlexRadio and its ongoing arrangement with
manufacturers highlights a shared commitment with the industry to advance
amateur radio by offering a hands-on experience to W1AW visitors.
Hicks and his FlexRadio colleague, Tony Brock-Fisher, K1KP, also provided a
highly informative presentation to ARRL staff on the forthcoming FlexRadio
Aurora[2]¿ series of 500-watt SDR transceivers. Their talk highlighted the
radio's innovative use of polar modulation to address intermodulation
distortion - a common challenge in linear amplification methods - while also
reducing power consumption and heat generation.
[1] https://www.flexradio.com/
[2] https://www.flexradio.com/aurora
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