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Ready to put March Madness behind you? Me too! Let's get rolling with April Insanity!! I know it's technically still the end of March...but I couldn't wait! I have too many cool things to share. As always, please forgive punctuation errors and such. This newsletter is meant for content, not as an English lesson :) Past issues of The Steno Life - Issue
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25 1 - "CourtReportingMentor.com - The Launch!"
One of the most helpful learning tools a court reporting student can utilize is a mentor - someone who can impart real-life experience to them. Up to this point, mentor options have been limited, more of an afterthought than the focus. We're happy to change that. Introducing CourtReportingMentor.com, the only website dedicated to connecting court reporting students to working professionals! We've made it simple to use. 1 - Students sign up using a short form indicating their location, speed, occupational goals and communication preference.
Other things you should know... 1 - Only one "connection" per student/mentor. We want to make this a 1-on-1 experience, not a group discussion. To sign up as a student or mentor, just go to our Home page and click on one of the buttons you'll see below. From the sign-in page, select "Apply as a mentee or mentor" to create a new account. Or....just use one of the buttons below to skip right to it!
Feel free to join our Facebook Page as well. We look forward to seeing CourtReportingMentor.com grow - success stories being made! If you know of a working reporter, captioner or CART provider that may be interested, please share the site with them. As for why I'm raising my eyebrows so much in the video on the home page...I don't know! I got nervous! :) Enjoy! SimplySteno Plus - Join in April - Save $240! (back to top) Thinking of joining the SimplySteno Plus online program? Join our online program before May 1st, 2012, and you'll get your 4th and 5th month FREE! That's $240 of savings. Once you join, you have till August 1st to actually start, so now's the time to sign up and save some money! This special can only be used on the 3-month SimplySteno Savings Plan and may not be used in conjunction with any other offer. SimplySteno has shown that you DON'T need to be at a campus to succeed. Studying court reporting at home is no longer just a second option - it's the first choice for many. I invite you to read my testimonials and ask me about our successful students. SimplySteno offers 100% daily structure - each day is planned out for you down to the minute. No wondering which dictations to do or what to do WITH them! And we incorporate finger drills, faster dictations, slower dictations, name drills and other goodies into each lesson, along with a theme for each day. Steno practice isn't always exciting, but we've done our best to make each lesson one you look forward to doing! How do you know what to work on if you never see your test results? You don't! We grade your tests and send them back in an average of 3 days along with helpful comments. Spotting your error patterns is the key to improvement. We help you do that. For value, SimplySteno can't be beat! Depending on your payment plan, you'll pay less than $1500 a YEAR. Some programs charge close to that each MONTH! And we'll proudly put SimplySteno up against any teaching platform out there. Daily structure - massive audio and video libraries - on-demand turbo testing - constant feedback - it's all there. Check it out today! Feel free to join our Facebook Page as well - we give away freebies every couple weeks! .. First off, I would like to thank StenoWorks for letting me use a good portion of an article they wrote. I tweaked it a little here and there, but kept the basics the same. Make sure to check them out for steno machines and all the goodies that come with them. My thoughts on steno machines for new students are pretty basic - DON'T spend a lot of money on a new machine! You don't need the latest and greatest machine when you start out in school. It's not going to give you some great advantage. Considering that the drop rate in court reporting school for students can be high, I'd rather you save some of your money and see how the first chunk of speeds go. If you don't start with a machine that allows for realtime (some schools require that), I like the thought of buying one between about 100 and 130. Then, at around 170-190, get the latest and greatest! You're close to the finish line - you deserve it! Below are the basic starter machines, along with some insight on them.
Reporter and Secretarial Models If you are just starting out in court reporting, you probably want to keep costs as inexpensive as possible. Unless your school or online program requires you to start with a "real-time machine," you can probably get away with purchasing either a Reporter or Secretarial model. It has a rounded or bowl shape. They write on a spool ribbon to paper and have a manual touch. The brand new ribbons for these writers are readily available. The difference between the Reporter and the Secretarial models? The Reporter model holds a full pack of steno paper - the Secretarial holds a half pack. Other than that, the Secretarial is a little smaller in size. They come in charcoal (more like dark green), sand (tan), and avocado (light green) colors. Along with the machine, you will also need a tripod, ink, a case and paper. What you need to know... The very early Reporters and Secretarials didn't have a final DZ key, but had a final DS instead. All the modern theories use the final DZ. You want to make sure that you ask that question, or you might end up with a useless machine. In some cases the keys can be changed out, but that can be expensive. There are also older "antique" writers being sold that use ribbons that are no longer made and impossible to find. Many of these are called Reporter models and look similar to the newer Reporter models. Beware! Many of the older machines have been sitting in storage and might require servicing. If the ad reads "keys work," that really can mean nothing more than the keys will move the platen. The machine might still need extensive work. Just to put that into perspective, a typical overhauling and cleaning on a manual writer will range from $100 to $200. Getting a machine with a tripod is a good idea, since a new tripod will cost around $75.00. Occasionally you will find Reporter models with an upgraded switch plate allowing it to do realtime. That can be tricky, so it might be best to stay away from those.
Stenograph Steno-Lectric The Steno-Lectric was manufactured around the same time as the Reporter and Secretarial, but was no longer made after the early 1990's. What you have is a modified Reporter model. It is not a computerized writer. It works like the Reporter, except it has an electric motor. What that does is give the writer an electric touch rather than a manual touch. It also has batteries that are Ni-Cad and should come with a charger or power cord. The nice thing about that is if the batteries are dead, or if you don't have a plug, the writer will still work. Steno-Lectrics come in the same colors as the Reporters and Secretarials, with the additional color of black. If you can find a black model, it's preferable, since the black models were newer and generally are in better condition. What you need to know... The advantage to starting with a Steno-Lectric is the touch. Physically and mechanically, it's identical to the Reporter, but the touch is improved. The disadvantage is that generally it will cost more than the basic Reporter model. Another negative, many of the older Steno-Lectrics have very old, worthless batteries. The batteries are not really user replaceable unless you are pretty handy with a screwdriver and a soldering iron. The other issue is the board and the motor. If these are bad, you'll have a large repair bill. You could still use the machine in manual mode, but that would defeat the purpose of getting the electric machine. You might also find these with a computerized switch plate, however these can be incompatible with newer CAT systems. Stentura 200 The Stentura 200 was Stenograph's first modern student machine. It was first manufactured around 1992 and continued in production until the Stentura 200 SRT was released in the mid 90's. This machine is strictly a manual writer. It writes to paper only, but it does have a nice cartridge ribbon. This machine does not have a cable, nor does it write realtime like the 200 SRT. Nice things about the 200 - it's light in weight, it has a more modern look and styling than the Reporter, and it has the Stentura touch. It comes in charcoal gray, burgundy, and slate blue colors. What you need to know... The advantage to starting with the Stentura 200 is you will have a newer writer that hopefully will produce nice print on paper in order for you to learn court reporting theory. The Stentura 200 is a nice starting point if you have a limited budget. What you want is a good-working writer that is quiet and prints correctly. Because the Stentura 200 is as old as it is, and because they are most frequently owned by former students, you will generally find that they are not in as good of shape as the SRT models. Stentura 400 The Stentura 400 was Stenograph's first replacement for the Steno-Lectric machine. It was first manufactured around 1992 and continued in production until the Stentura 400 SRT was released in the mid 90's. This machine is strictly an electric writer. It writes to paper only, but does have a very nice touch. This writer has the same mechanisms as a professional writer, giving the student a consistent feel through school and into their career. This machine does not have a cable or write realtime like the 200 SRT or 400 SRT. The nice thing about the 400 is that it is light in weight, it has a more modern look and styling than the Reporter, and it does have the Stentura touch. It comes in charcoal gray, burgundy, and slate blue colors. The Stentura 400 does have a battery that slides in under the machine. What you need to know... The advantage to starting with the Stentura 400 is you will have a newer writer that hopefully will have a nicer touch. But for not that much more money you can purchase a Stentura 200SRT and have realtime. In many cases the batteries you receive when you purchase these are either defective or have a very limited life. New batteries are close to $70, refurbished for $45, and have the same duty-life as a brand new battery. Make sure you don't get a writer that has one or more broken clips. All Stentura writers use a series of two clips to keep the lid on the writer closed. Many older writers and some newer writers will have one or more clips missing. The issue here is that you can get noise from the lid with a broken clip. Sometimes it's just cosmetic, but you might want to check the photo or ask about the clips. If you need this repaired, you are looking at replacing the entire top shell, and finding a shell is not easy since Stenograph stopped selling them long ago. Like the Stentura 200, you also want to make sure you have the correct accessories. The Stentura 400 also has a charger. Check to make sure that you are getting an original Stenograph charger or one that was made for the writer. Chargers from other sources may not work as well. Stentura 200 SRT The Stentura 200 SRT is technically a manual machine with realtime or computer capabilities. What that means is that the touch is manual. It has the same touch as the Stentura 200. It does add the realtime capability by plugging in the writer. It was first manufactured around 1996. It comes in a gray, two-tone color. The Stentura 200 SRT does not have a battery. So if you are planning on connecting it with a CAT system, then you would have to have it plugged in. It works as a manual writer, writing to paper without being plugged in. The other electronic feature of the 200 SRT is that the writer will store up to 50 pages in its RAM memory. So you could write plugged in and then later dump your raw steno notes into your CAT system. What you need to know... The advantage to starting with the Stentura 200 SRT is that you can have a computerized writer at a low price. The disadvantage is that you still have a manual touch, and you would need to plug the writer in. All the accessories mentioned of the Stentura 200 and 400 would be true with the 200 SRT. You also would need a Stentura realtime cable and a Stentura charger or power adapter. The power adapter or charger is the cord that plugs the writer into an electrical outlet. This is not a huge deal if one of these items is not included, because they usually sell from $19.95 to $40, depending on the vendor and type. You might also want a lube kit and an adjustment tool. The lube kit comes in handy for keeping the writer properly maintained and quiet. The adjustment tool is critical to fine tuning the writer to your touch. Stentura 400 SRT The Stentura 400 SRT is a fully computerized electric student writer. It's a machine with realtime or computer capabilities and a nice, electric touch. It does have internal RAM memory, but the memory is limited to 50 pages. It has an internal battery. With the battery fully charged you can easily connect and write realtime all day long. You can also plug it in and then later dump your raw steno notes into your CAT system. It was first manufactured around 1996 and only comes in black. What you need to know... The advantage to starting with the Stentura 400 SRT is that you can have a computerized writer that will help you learn the profession and build your dictionary. In realtime you get instantaneous translation when you are connected to a CAT system. You can use this writer up to the point you decide to purchase a professional machine. The disadvantage is that the writer is a little pricey if you are just starting out. If purchasing from a private seller, you might want to ask how old the writer is or if the writer was ever overhauled. Since some 400 SRTs were manufactured long ago, and students rarely maintain their student writers, some 400 SRTs might need work. You might also get a 10 year old battery that is worthless. Like all of the Stenturas, make sure you thoroughly scrutinize all the accessories. Don't make the assumption that all accessories are in good shape and included. In conclusion, the 400 SRT is highly recommended to students, particularly if you get one in great shape. Save $ on SpeedBuilders.com Dictation in April! (back to top) Place any 12-week dictation order (1-voice, 2-voice or medical) and you'll get 2 additional weeks FREE! Same goes for the animation 4-voice. Get 2 additional weeks when you place an 8-week Special order! This special offer will run till the end of April 2012, so place your order by then. SpeedBuilders.com is the place to go for all your steno practice needs!
If you're considering entering the world of court reporting, or know someone who is, there's a new source to learn online - www.RealtimeTheory.com. They teach StenEd theory, and classes are starting soon. I suggest you contact Wayne at Wayne@RealtimeTheory.com for more information. Thanks! |
