‰ NOW 13 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM MAY 2015 QST PAGE 70 ‰ CABLES, AND CONNECTORS. I TESTED THE RADIO, EXTERNAL SOUND CARD, AND SOFTWARE NEEDED FOR DIGITAL MODES, ESPECIALLY FOR JT65. USING 5 W AND THE SMALL HF LOOP ANTENNA INSIDE MY LIVING ROOM, I COMPLETED DOZENS OF JT65 CONTACTS FROM ALL OVER EUROPE AND THE US. MANY CONTACTS SPANNED MORE THAN 5000 MILES. THAT WAS QUITE A CONFIDENCE BUILDER. HOWEVER, THE PATH BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND FLORIDA IS LONGER THAN 8100 MILES, WITH LOTS OF PACIFIC OCEAN IN BETWEEN. I WOULD DIG DEEPER AND INVESTIGATE THE RADIO ƒ QST DE W1AW ‰ PROPAGATION PATH. FURTHER TESTS IN A LOCAL PARK REVEALED THAT THE GLOSSY SCREEN OF MY LAPTOP COMPUTER WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ IN FULL SUNLIGHT. I REMEDIED THAT WITH A NON REFLECTIVE SCREEN PROTECTOR FILM. I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE 19 V DC SWITCHING REGULATOR INTERNAL TO MY PORTABLE BATTERY PACK PRODUCED UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF RF INTERFERENCE, SO THERE WOULD BE NO REAL TIME CHARGING OF THE LAPTOP COMPUTER. THERE WOULD ‰ END OF 13 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ