FT8, VHF Pioneers and a New Club Community Column in AR Issue 4

Roger Harrison VK2ZRH has revealed more of what readers can expect in Issue 4 of Amateur Radio magazine, with the theme of Back to Basics extending from modern digital modes to the pioneering days of Australian VHF operation.

Hank VK5XB enters the occasionally heated debate over FT8 with his entertaining article, “FT8 is amateur radio – just a different conversation.” While some claim computer-assisted contacts are not “real radio,” Hank offers another view of the mode that has become one of the most widely used ways of getting signals through difficult conditions. Apparently, amateur radio operators are still arguing about transmission modes. Some traditions are remarkably resistant to technological progress.

WIA Historian Peter Wolfenden VK3RV also looks back at notable Australian amateurs who advanced VHF operation before and after the Second World War. Among them was John Moyle VK2JU, whose experiments, achievements and occasional shenanigans helped shape the development of amateur radio on the higher bands.

Issue 4 also introduces the new Club Community column, created following a suggestion from a WIA member. The first instalment features the Redcliffe and Districts Radio Club and its project to introduce amateur radio into a Brisbane school.

There is much more to discover in Issue 4 of Amateur Radio magazine.

Page Last Updated: Sunday, 26 Jul 2026 at 08:38 hours by Justin Giles-clark

Click Here To Return To Previous Page