Tips and Tricks For Handling Messages with Your Digital Station
All Amateur Radio Digital Mode Programs Send What is Typed in a Text Entry Box. Therefore, after making contact with another station when you are ready to send a message it can simply be copied and pasted into the text box. When a message is received just use the left mouse button to select it, copy, paste into an e-mail or open a text editor to save the file. Yes, there are fancy ways of handling messages with NBEMS or special packet radio programs (if you know how to use them) but any radio operator that is on the air in a digital mode can pass a message if necessary.
Basic Text Editor Windows Notepad or Wordpad…..look in Programs > Accessories. Use this if you need to compose or edit a message.
Keyboard shortcuts The most used ones for me are: ctrl+C (copy) ctrl+V paste occasionally….crtl+X (cut)
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File Extensions If someone gives you a file to transmit that they saved in their favorite program, you need to have some idea what program will open it. Ideally have them save or resave the file in a simple text format, or if a list or table that was made in Excel, have it saved in csv format (comma separated values). More on the Web
Transfer Files Between Computers With a Flash Drive
Very important: make sure you can physically connect or disconnect the USB quickly to prevent data corruption!
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Use the File Manager (Windows Explorer) and Organize Files into Folders and Subfolders.
No! Don't save everything on the Desktop...that is a working directory, don't clutter it up. Save files into My Documents: Create a folder or directory tree that is easy to find files.