WSJT-X FT8 update

 I ran this WSJT-X on my Linux Mint laptop on 50.313 in FT8 mode for a few days, amazed at what it decoded,  from here in Sydney (VK2)  decoding stations VK1,2,3,4,5,6,7, plus ZL1,2  this is not using a 5 or 6 element 6metre yagi, no, this is  from using my 40m HF dipole, through the Icom 756 Pro2's antenna tuner, with s5 noise level, the FT8 does the trick of pulling signals out of the noise.  Even a SWL can throw a bit of wire out in the backyard and decode these signals.  

It's not hard to think  what you can get with a couple phased arrays up a mast, in a low noise environment. No reason not to get the America's or Europe with proper 6metre setup. Great fun, I can't wait to go out in the country and try it from a low noise floor environment. It's too damned noisy in the city suburbs with all these damned houses with solar panels with noisy inverters running all day. Tired of listening to high noise level on HF  and 50 Mhz, thanks to fxxxing Greenies and their fxxxing solar panels polluting the RF spectrum.

WIA VHF/UHF/SHF Field Day Contests for 2022

 as mentioned earlier this year, the Summer VHF/UHF/SHF Field Day Contest has come and gone already

These are the remaining two WIA VHF/UHF/SHF Field Day Contests for 2022.

  Winter 2022 - 0200 UTC Saturday 25 through 0159 UTC Sunday 26 June (0400 / 0359 in VK6). 

  Spring 2022 - 0100 UTC Saturday 26 through 0059 UTC Sunday 27 November (0400 / 0359 in VK6).

The Wireless Institute of Australia (wia.org.au)

Beware when visiting Canberra - ACT Gov is stooping to low acts of money grabbing.

 This is a pic looking southbound on Northbourne Ave in Canberra,  just before Cooyong st, the speed limit drops from 60km/hr to 40km/hr with only these small signs to warn you that speed limit has dropped. This section was 60km/hr. This is a six lane major thoroughfare, that follows from the Federal Highway and becomes Northbourne Ave and continues across Canberra to Woden and onto Tuggeranong.  This is the "main" thoroughfare of Canberra.  The ACT Gov obviously strapped for cash, came up with this new cash grab. This must be recent, I don't remember seeing this last December (2021) but its now there is January 2022. The joke of these picture is the tiny speed signs  say "High pedestrian activity". High pedestrian activity in Canberra ?  

 If this ploy was for safety, then the  ACT Gov  should have put big 2metre high speed signs and flashing lights, and ripple strips on the roadway to get driver's attention. 

 Lucky, I was dawdling at less than 40km/hr looking for a particular address, if I had been coming down there at 60km/hr, then I would have been severely stung.

Addendum : 9th April 2022 - I just been to Canberra, one of the small signs (on the left side) has been replaced with a 2metre high  sign, plus a warning sign  of road changes placed ahead of the speed sign.   Somebody  in ACT Govt realised their whoopsie. Another of the 40km signs obscured by a tree.  I also took note of all the speed  changes  on this main road from above Watson through to Woden, 100, 80, 70, 60, 40, 60, 70, 80, 60. The speed limit is all over the place. 

The next dodgy speed trap is still southbound when crossing London Circuit, there is a speed camera to catch people accelerating towards the open space of the  huge round about ahead.

John Moyle Field Day Contest 2022

 The next John Moyle Field Day Contest will be held over the weekend of the 19th-20th March 2022 and will run from UTC 0100 on the Saturday to 0059 on the Sunday (24hr period) 

I planning to head out west for the weekend and Manly Warringah Radio Society (VK2MB) is also planning to operate portable too.

Good luck to all participants, hopefully now that we starting to get ahead of Covid, many of us can go portable for the contest.