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  • FlexRadio Equips ARRL with FLEX-8000 Series Station for W1AW

    From ARRL de WD1CKS@VERT/WLARB to QST on Fri Jul 18 20:54:18 2025
    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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