Monthly Archives: December 2018

FT8 Users MUST Upgrade to WSJT-X Version 2.0.0 Quickly

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Observant users of WSJT-X versions 1.9.1 and older may have observed decreased decodes in the past couple of days.  This is because the International Standard for FT8 was changed on December 10th.  The new standard is NO LONGER COMPATIBLE with the old program versions.

Go to the WSJT-X website and upgrade to 2.0.0 quickly.  You must stop using the older versions by the end of this year.

Once that change is made, your decode rate will shoot up as the majority of the users are using the latest version 2.0.0.

New easy FM Sat in orbit, Fox1-Cliff (AO-95)

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AMSAT launched another Fox FM Cubesat, Fox-1Cliff, on December 3.  It’s downlink is 145.920 MHz (Uplink 435.300 with a 67.0 Hz tone).  The satellite is still being tested and is not available for use yet, but you can easily hear the voice beacon every 2 minutes when it is overhead saying “Fox1-Cliff Safe Mode”.

I understand the best-guess object # is 43774, and it is showing up in various tracking programs as Fox1Cliff, AO-95, or object 43774.  (So many satellites were launched at the same time, 60+, that is too early to tell them apart.)

Check out the tracking program above and you should be able to hear the voice beacon (only on for about 14 seconds every 120 seconds).

Reminder: 1st Thursday Breakfast at Rome Point Cafe in NK

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Just a reminder for the Thursday breakfast crowd that usually gets together at Chelsea’s.  On the FIRST THURSDAY of the month some of us will be having breakfast at Rome Point Cafe in North Kingstown to give the West Bay folks a chance to not drive so far once a month.  We get there around 7:45-8 AM and usually are eating by 8:15 AM.

Folks are welcomed to join us!