Nov 27, 2018: From our friends at Southgate Amateur Radio News.
It was on the night of 27th November 1923 that the first Trans-Atlantic short wave radio contact was made. It took place between radio hams: Leon Deloy (8AB) in France and Fred Schnell (U1MO) in the USA.
This first short wave Trans-Atlantic contact represented the culmination of many tests and attempts to hear and then make contacts across the Atlantic.
The contact pushed forwards the technology used, not only by radio amateurs but other users as well.
After the First World War, it took some time before British radio amateurs were allowed back on the air, and as a result of restrictions and for many other reasons, the equipment available was limited. This forced the use of improved technology and techniques. That said, the first contact was made between the USA and France, but Britain also succeeded and went on to make the first contacts with the Antipodes later.
Read the whole story here:
https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/history/amateur-ham-radio/first-transatlantic-contacts.php
11/26/2018
A fifth “candidate release” — or beta version — of WSJT-X 2.0 now is available for download and use by beta testers. WSJT-X Developer Joe Taylor, K1JT, says WSJT-X 2.0-rc5 is stable, works well, and fixes kno+wn problems in RC4, the most-recent beta version released in mid-November.
“It is likely that the General Availability (GA) release of WSJT-X 2.0, scheduled for 2 weeks from today, will be nearly identical to RC5,” Taylor said on November 26. He also announced that a final FT8 “practice contest” would take place on Saturday, December 1, 0200 – 0300 UTC (Friday evening, November 30 in North American time zones).
The first “serious” FT8 contest — the FT8 Roundup — is set for the December 1 – 2 weekend. In the brand-new operating event, radio amateurs worldwide will contact and exchange information with other amateurs using FT8 on 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters. Any station may work any other station. The exchange is signal report and state/province for US and Canadian participants. Non-US/VE stations will transmit a signal report and consecutive serial number starting with 001.
Taylor also noted that the ARRL RTTY Roundup January 5 – 6 will, for the first time, permit the use of FT8 as well as traditional RTTY.
See full ARRL story at:
http://www.arrl.org/news/new-wsjt-x-2-0-rc5-beta-version-now-available-first-serious-ft8-contest-this-weekend
ARRL has announced the results of contested elections for Director and Vice Director. Ballots were opened and counted on November 16 in seven contests within five ARRL Divisions.
Central Division Director:
Kermit Carlson, W9XA 1,898
Valerie Hotzfeld, NV9L 1,755
Mr. Carlson was declared elected.
See other election results at: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2018/november/arrl-director-vice-director-election-results-announced.htm#.W_YYN_9G2M8
