[SFDXA] FT8 Contest this weekend !

[Pete Rimmel N8PR]

New WSJT-X 2.0-rc5 Beta Version Now Available, First "Serious" FT8 Contest this Weekend,
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 known problems in RC4, the most-recent beta version released in mid-November. 

\A new FT8-only practice session and contest are set for this weekend. 

"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 this week. 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 -https://www.rttycontesting.com/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 on January 5 - 6 will, for the first time, permit the use 

of FT8 as well as traditional RTTY.