Nearly four decades after the introduction of the Five Band DXCC Award (5BDXCC), W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Station has achieved this milestone. “As with most stations, we found that 80 meters was our stumbling block,” W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, explained. “One by one, we picked off the needed entities, and W1AW now holds 5BDXCC #7307. W1AW’s 5BDXCC plaque will hang in a place of honor at the station.”

Prior to achieving 5BDXCC, W1AW held DXCC on 40-10 meters for many years, but was always searching for the last few remaining entities on 80 meters. Carcia said that at least 90 percent of the confirmations were made via Logbook of The World, (LoTW), but the last contacts #99 and #100 on 80 meters were confirmed via traditional QSL cards.

W1AW currently holds Five Band Worked All Continents Award (5BWAC), Five Band Worked All States Award (5BWAS), Worked All Continents Award (WAC) on CW, RTTY and Phone, Mixed DXCC (with 250 entities confirmed) and DXCC for Digital, CW and Phone.

“Now that W1AW has 5BDXCC, we are gunning for DXCC Honor Roll,” Carcia said. “Like with 5BDXCC, there are just a few more entities to go before W1AW can claim this award.”