WSJT-X 2.0 Release Candidate 5 available for macOS

A fifth candidate release (“RC5”) of WSJT-X 2.0 is now available for
download and use by beta testers. RC5 is stable, works well, and fixes
the known problems in RC4. It is likely that the General Availability
(GA) release of WSJT-X 2.0, scheduled for two weeks from today, will be
nearly identical to RC5.

Changes in RC5 relative to RC4 include the following:

– Make the “Auto Seq” checkbox sticky, again
– Remove the 5-minute mouse timer
– Correct the “worked before” logic for color highlighting
– Add “No own call decodes” checkbox in WSPR mode
– Display and log UTC (not local time) in contest operations
– Validate contest QSO details before allowing logging
– Force Aqua theme on macOS to avoid issues with Mojave dark theme
– Move Fox log Reset action to Fox log window context menu
– Improve layout of Working Frequencies and Station Information tables
– Allow deletes and editing in Fox and Contest log windows
– Add Tool Tips for Fox and Contest log windows
– Fix a bug causing false AP decodes in JT65 VHF+ operation
– Fix a bug that could switch unexpectedly from JT65 to JT9 mode

You may need to invoke “Settings | General | Colors | Reset
Highlighting” on your first program start with this version.

The “Quick-Start Guide to WSJT-X 2.0” has been updated. Be sure to read
this entire guide before using RC5:
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/Quick_Start_WSJT-X_2.0.pdf

We recommend using RC5 (and therefore the v2.0 FT8 protocol) in the
conventional FT8 sub-bands at audio Tx frequencies 2000 Hz and higher.
Inevitably the necessary transition from v1.x to v2.0 protocols for FT8
and MSK144 will cause some confusion and cross-protocol interference.
Users of v1.9.1 and earlier are unable to decode transmissions from
users of RC4 and later, and vice-versa.

As more users upgrade their software to WSJT-X 2.0 — and particularly
after the General Availability (GA) release on December 10 — the new
protocol should start to dominate the conventional FT8 sub-bands. As
soon as possible after December 10, everyone should upgrade to WSJT-X 2.0.

Download links for RC5 on Windows, Linux, and macOS can be found on the
WSJT-X web page http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html

A final FT8 “practice contest” will be held on Saturday, December 1,
0200-0300 UTC (that’s Friday evening, Nov 30, NA time). Watch for a
separate announcement with more details.

If you find any unexpected behavior with WSJT-X 2.0-rc5, please send a
detailed report to the wsjt-devel email list,
[email protected]. You must subscribe to the list in
order to post there.

The first serious FT8 contest is scheduled for the weekend of December
1-2. See https://www.rttycontesting.com/ft8-roundup/ for full details
and contest rules. The ARRL RTTY Roundup (January 5-6, 2019) permits
and encourages FT8 as well as traditional RTTY operation.

ONCE MORE: As soon as possible after December 10, and certainly by
January 1, 2019, everyone should be using WSJT-X 2.0 or a compatible
v2.0 version of derivative programs such as JTDX or MSHV. As of today,
PSKreporter statistics show roughly 3000 users of WSJT-X versions older
than v1.9.1, 9500 users of v1.9.1, and 3000 users of v2.0-rc#. Please,
everyone, help us to spread the word that upgrading to v2.0 after
December 10 is very important. There will be no looking back!

— 73, Joe, K1JT (for the WSJT Development Group)