NCRA’s Realtime Setup and Troubleshooting Booth drew a healthy crowd of attendees at the association’s 2014 Convention & Expo held July 31 – Aug. 3 in San Francisco. The booth, which debuted at NCRA’s 2014 TechCon event, held April 11-13 in Atlanta, Ga., was developed by the association’s Realtime Systems Administrator team to offer members, especially those who planned to take the RSA test, the chance to get their realtime questions answered by experts.
Attendees who signed up for the $25, private 30-minute sessions received hands-on training, troubleshooting, and setup advice for their CAT computer to realtime browser(s) based on NCRA’s Realtime Troubleshooting Pocket Guide and the Realtime Systems Manual. The private sessions covered topics and challenges such as streaming, hook-ups, and software, as well as a successful feed to one or more realtime browsers onsite, according to volunteers who manned the booth.
“The RSA Booth was a quiet little booth tucked away in the corner of the NCRA Convention Expo Hall. However, once colleagues taking the Realtime Systems Administrator exam caught wind that they could receive extra training hooking up before their exam, this booth became a revolving door for those reporters,” said Merilee S. Johnson, RMR, CRR, CBC, CCP, a Realtime System Administrator, CART provider, and realtime court reporter from Eden Prairie, Minn.
Whether candidates for the RSA passed the exam or not, there is no question that the one-on-one consultation was integral in not only preparing for the exam, but also provided a valuable opportunity to walk away with new tips, newfound knowledge in troubleshooting, and more confidence to set up external realtime connections, added Johnson, who volunteered at the booth.
According to Lisa Knight, RPR, RMR, CRR, a freelance court reporter from Littleton, Colo., and chair of NCRA’s TRAIN Task Force, there was a flurry of activity at the booth just prior to the RSA test being administered.
“I think the benefit is strictly to help those taking the RSA. It provides them with a great opportunity for troubleshooting their equipment and getting answers to questions before the test,” Knight said.
“I am so happy I made the decision to do a quick refresher at the RSA booth at the NCRA Convention & Expo. I was reminded about the pairing of the Stenocast device because once you pair your device, this is not something that you would have to do again,” said Kelly Roemer, RPR, CMRS, and Realtime Systems Administrator, a managing partner with Aiken Welch Court Reporters in Oakland, Calif.
“When I went in for my RSA exam, the Stenocast was not paired properly and showed a green light. I knew this was incorrect and quickly changed out the dongle. Had I not been reminded of that, I don’t think I would have paid attention and went on to troubleshoot other things. For $25 for a 30-minute refresher, I would highly recommend it,” Roemer added.
