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Here's how I work while traveling...sm

Posted By: Southern Belle on 2007-05-02
In Reply to: Laptop question - Angela

If we're staying at a hotel, I stay only at one where there is a secured high speed internet available. They'll be happy to tell you if the connections are secured or not if you ask. How you know is this... if it's secured you'll have to enter passwords to enter their system. If they're not secured, you'd just plug in your cord and go for it.

If we're staying with relatives then I stay only with those that have the high speed internet connectivity available through a secured connection.

If neither of the above are available then I use my PeoplePC dial up account to work from. While it's not as fast as DSL/cable it connects well enough to let me work.

I take my keyboard and mouse and plug them into the laptop so that I do not have to depend on the laptop keyboard... which drives me nuts to type much on! Of course the foot pedal goes along as well.

Happy traveling!


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Need Help. Traveling and cant get express scribe to work......

I flew to my parents house.  i didnt want to have to take my laptop on the plane as I already had a bunch of luggage and two little girls.  I work out of EMDAT and use express scribe.  Well I cant get sound and I keep getting a message that says there might not be a sound card installed or the sound card might be in use by another program. 


Is there anywhere online where I can download a sound card, preferrably for free?  I work for two companies and didnt take off work, and I am afraid they are going to be very upset if I cant get up and running soon.


Thanks so much :-)


Traveling MT

If I was a single person, I would most definitely take the position.  This would be an opportunity to save lots of money since most of your expenses are paid and you really would not need to maintain an apartment at your home town.


traveling
I work for K-Force now. I also hear Precyse travels but not sure, am looking for another company that does.
traveling MTs
My hubby retired recently, and we travel in our RV. I have a laptop, foot pedal, headphones, and an external keyboard. When in our truck, I just set up a TV tray in the back seat and use the keyboard on the laptop. For Internet access, I have an air card from Verizon. With few exceptions, this has worked quite well for the past 9 months of cross-country travel.
Traveling
I have searched and have not found the answer to my question, so I apologize if this has been discussed before.  I live in Florida and as hurricane season approaches, I am trying to figure out what to do if I need to leave town.  I work for a company that requires an internet connection, unlimited long distance and a C-phone to dial in to the hospitals.  I know that hotels usually offer wireless internet connections, but what about the phone line/connection?  It would have to be something that offered unlimited long distance (as the hospitals are in different states) that could be used anywhere (not just my home).  Would something like Vonage work?  Or does Verizon have something?  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!
Traveling MT- I need you!
nm
For those of you doing MT while traveling...
what about internet security? How do you make sure your work is secure? If you are using some other wifi connection when out and about, do you feel it's private? I am trying to figure out the basics. I'm clueless about this laptop thing but it sounds very versatile.
traveling
I went to San Antonio a couple of months ago for 2 weeks. I rented a laptop from Rent-A-Center, had the company install their software, and took it with me. I worked at the local library the first weekend because they had wireless, but then my father-in-law just went to the cable company and got me a modem for the 2 weeks I was there so I could work at his house. I would do it again though, even with going to the library. It was great to be able to go visit family and friends and not have to lose work either.
The traveling MT...
I have seen some posts about MTs who travel while they work.  I would like to try working in the car but my husband is afraid I will get motion sickness.  I am prone to motion sickness on curved roads and cannot read in the car.  Does anyone else have a problem with this or find that they don't have a problem with typing?  It seems like it would be different then reading a book or newspaper especially if I know we have a straight highway drive.
Traveling MT
If you have been a CMT for 20 years, how come you spell a lot as alot? ALOT is not a word!!!!
Traveling Hubby
I, too, have a traveling husband with so much responsibility in his job for the past 20+ years.  Often I have had to be put on the back burner with a small child so that he could progress to the successful executive he is today.  Things have never been about me, and I have had to accept this.  I must say it was much more difficult when my child was young.  When he is free, we have to remember to schedule nice things together and get those in his DayTimer before life marches on by us both. 
traveling with a laptop
I put a pillow on my lap and the keyboard on top of that. It only took a few minutes to get used to and works great for me.
Traveling Transcriptionist
How can they expect you to be a traveling Transcriptionist and go cold turkey into a facility and maintain a line count of 1500 lines?
Traveling transcriptionist job
I would love a job like this. Where do you apply for it. Also, do you have to do ops to get the job?
Re: traveling transcription
It sounds pretty good and it's a way to see some of the US that you might not otherwise be able to, but I couldn't leave my kids. You also have no way of knowing how much work you'll be given, so make sure you are able to meet your goals and have an out if it gets to be overwhelming. Would you be traveling alone or with another MT, for example? There are several things to consider. I personally am a hometown girl, but if you like to travel, why not?
Are there any traveling transcriptionists out there and do you like it.nm
x
laptop while traveling
What about to send and receive your work via internet services.  I would think a wireless/high speed internet would be needed, first of all; but then will that work at all motels that advertise high speed internet services?  Any other tips regarding this will be appreciated.  I am in the thinking stages of this right now, so want to get the details worked out before spending a lot more money.  TIA
Traveling teacher
Where in MT, you can E-mail me
q for those traveling with laptop --
if you use a rolling case, have you had any problems with the laptop that could have resulted from being a bumpy ride? my brother said never to put a laptop in a rolling case, but if i travel by air, i'd practially have to to bring all my essentials along...(and not stoe it)
Laptops and traveling
I have two accounts that I work on. My account during the week we don't have strict times, just a time you have to have files done by, so that does allow for a little more ease. On the weekend I cover for a small 50 bed hospital, so sometimes I may have 20 files, sometimes I may have 2. The one on the weekend has a special footpedal that you can only use with their program, but it really isn't that awkward in the car. The one during the week I can use a foot pedal or use F2 to start/stop, F3 to rewind, F4 to FF. At first I was a little slow with this but now I don't find my speed any different with using F2 or with the foot pedal.

It takes some getting used to, but where i live it takes forever to get somewhere, and it's really nice to be able to get some work done. I actually got to make some extra money the other day. My mom drives for a trucking company and they needed someone to take her to get her truck. So she drove my truck to go get it (about an hour away) and I worked the whole time. Got paid a $100 bucks to ride in my truck and work! Of course that was like a one time deal.

The best for me though is getting to go to Florida and visit my dad who is 6 hours away. I can still take my work and work on the road with a pc card (about $60 a month) and not have to take time off. Just have to make sure you discipline yourself to work and not chat with hubby! :)

Like I said, it takes some getting used to, but it comes in handy!
Traveling with laptop

Does anybody do transcription on their laptop, other than those working for that company that has its own board on here?


Been traveling for 3+ years and have worked the
whole time.  Almost every truck stop has internet access, even WiFi, so you can get internet in the truck.  Lots of hot spots across the country, can get an air card, use cell phone, etc.  
Regarding traveling transcription post below,
was offered $19-$22 per hour for hourly positions and 9-13 cents per line for line positions, paid travel including air, hotel, and rental car, full benefits, and ability to come home every 2-3 weeks for 4 or 5 days.  Would you take it?  Assignments could be anywhere in US and anywhere from 1 month to 3 years or so.  Thanks in advance for your time.
Question about working while traveling..sm..

Since I have my own account and no one to cover for me, I bought a laptop so I can take my work with me and get out of the house, go on vacation, etc.  I'm used to typing at a desk with the keyboard on a keyboard tray and a little lower than the computer.  I have an external keyboard hooked up to the laptop on a spare desk for now.  I just can't picture myself typing at a table or something when on vacation but what other choices do I have? 


Anyone have any advice for staying efficient and keeping up typing speed but not being at a desk?


Going with a small group but I am traveling alone.
Yes, it does sound great! I've already downloaded the schedule of speakers -- going to be at the CSI-Decapitation exhibit, see Richard Simmons, lol. I'm also curious to see all the vendors and what they have to display and tell. LOL

Using a laptop computer while traveling

Hi,


In answer to your question, I have a USB aircard through Sprint, which I use here at home since I am in the "boonies" and only a mile and a half from a cell tower however, so my connection speed is great.  When I "travel of the weekend" it is usually up to my significant others, and he has DSL available there so I use either or,


Hope this helps.


 


Never had a problem traveling with equip. NM
X
Question for traveling laptop workers

When staying in a hotel with a desk and internet connection to work, where do you put your keyboard?  Anyone have any suggestion for a portable table to use that is the right level.  The desks are too high.


Thanks!


those are ads for recruiting - not traveling transcription positions
Kforce put the ads out to attract travelers. I worked for Kforce for 2 years. It was up and down with the work. My health insurance would get cancelled 10 days after an assignment ended, unless Kforce had another assigment to go to immediately. There were times I did not have for up to 3 months. There is always good and bad with a job. Unfortunately, I needed something steady and with insurance, so this wasn't for me.
Okay..I'm a.k.a. WanderingMT. Either way, I'm a traveling, working woman LOL

My experience - first time traveling and working

Just got back from Lake Tahoe.  I told some of you I would report back and let you know how it went.  This was my first experience MTing on the road, and it went so smoothly.  I worked about 20 hours from the hotel.  They had nice comfy chairs and table big enough to hold all my stuff comfortably.  It was amazing being able to look out over the lake and the mountains while working.  My only complaint was this particular hotel did not offer a weekly rate for WI Fi.  They charged by the day, and it was kind of pricey at $12 a day.  I was worried about not having my books, but it was not an issue at all. 


Taking a vacation by myself was the most amazing experience.  I would highly recommend it to any of you who need to get away from the daily stresses of life.  I feel so refreshed!


When traveling I get by with a laptop with Window98, 400 mHz process, Pentium 2 ,- sm
Not sure of my RAM but it is not anything excessing, 256 or 512. So depending on the job, this will work. I used it for a national too. Now work for 2 small MTSO's, 1 is DOS based, the other MSWord, have 97 on the laptop which easily opens/is compatible with Word2000. So that is not an issue at all. So you can probably get by with what you already have, might not be the fastest computer in the world, but it will get the work done. Maybe you should use it for work, keep the bare minimum of programs on it, and save up $$ and in 6 months get yourself something better/faster.
Spending a couple weeks traveling in 4-corners area
We have about 3 weeks to wander around this area -- starting in Albuquerque and ending up in Phoenix.  Looking forward to seeing the National Parks, Monument Valley, etc., but would love to hear about out of the way or particularly neat stuff!!!
Must be wrong traveling MT. I dont use another monitor if I'm using my laptop. I use another keyb
When I dont use my laptop and I take my "portable computer" then I just bubble wrap it and my monitor and put it in my suitcase. I'm not sure how many people actually hook up anothe monitor to their laptop. That would confuse me too.. LOL
Oh one more thing..if your traveling and staying at hotels, plan ahead. I learned the hard way.

A hotel that states they have "internet access" does not necessarily have it in your room. A lot of them have what they call a "business" center where they have like a community computer to share with other guests or to have access on your laptop you need to sit in that room. I dont know about you but I dont feel like dragging out all of my equipment and sitting in a lobby somewhere to work. Double check that they have internet access available in your room.. and be forewarned that most chart for wireless internet access like maybe $10-12 for a 24-hour period. We just got back from Vegas, and to me, it was worth that fee for a whole 24 hours. I got the most work I could out of it.


I get my work from an FTP site that they load the work to, however I don't have pool work so to
speak, but I tell them how many minutes a day I want.  The work is generally put in my box by 5 pm every day, then I have until 10 am the following day for some priority work, or 3:30 pm for the rest, so TAT is not too bad. I would like to work less at night though, but I working on that. My downside is I do not get the same dictators day to day, there are a few I do on a semi-regular basis though, some generate great lines but take longer to do that other doc's and are not "money-makers", I also do not get paid for spaces so that hurts a bit too.  This is WP5.1 too.....so very antiquated but that is what the hospital uses, so not much choice there. But I understand what you mean about the C-phone. I was just doing another job with C-phone recently...they incidentally did not tell me how to get off of the system, which was very simple.  I'd finish a job, then hit stop and hangup if I wanted to get off or quit working.  That is what you need to do if you want to sleep, eat, etc.  Don't feel guilty, do what you signed up for, believe me they watch the pools and will get others to do the work you don't finish.  If they get on your case remind them that you are only PT and only want 500 lines a day, etc.  It's not worth killing yourself over.  Good Luck.
You go by your schedule and have no work. Everytime I get on to work, there is always work.
x
Then you would have no life at all except work, work, work if you did that. I wouldn't do it. nm
.
Same thing with nationals. You work all the time to keep the account caught up when others dont work
and then when they decide to put a whole lot of extra people on your accounts and run you out they could care less about how much you worked.
Have a hospital I work for and they consistently change work types and do line counts. (sm)
Management just doesn't understand in order to crank out the work you need to be proficient by typing the same accounts. Go figure, they just don't get it ??
Usually work "live" on a Cphone, while connected. There are ways to record & work off line, bu
s
steady work...gearing up to start new account....but there was no work on Tues as it was a holiday
Be patient with your eyes open....
I work for Warminster at MQ and I am sick to death of being jerked around with no work all the time.
I would like a job where I can depend on the work and it does not seem to be in this office of MQ.
Speaking of offshoring MT work, who does not directly send work offshore?
Just curious.  Has anyone got a list of companies who do not send work offshore?  Precyse?  MQ?  Spheris? 
Becky you work in a great place. With no one hovering, I bet you get a lot more work done w/o agoniz
wants what. The only people qualified to do QA on my reports are the dictating doctors and the rest is just pure waste of money and time. If I have a question fine. But this random QA bites and hurts everyone. BTW, I don't have random QA for those who seem to think I may have an ax to grind. No dog in this fight. Just common sense.
Good. Why dont you send some our way. What office do you work for so I can call and get your work.
:
Before needing to work, I did volunteer work through the Junior League where I am from in Texas. lm

Junior League was like a full-time job sometimes, but I loved it. Now that I have to work, even though it is from home, I still volunteer through my son's school.  I am a school teacher in my previous (pre-MT) life, so I volunteer my tutoring services for children who need the help beyond what the schools are able to provide but whose parents cannot afford to pay for private tutoring. I also know how you felt about being afraid.  I was strangely afraid before I joined the Junior League.  It was just the unknown. But I was SO blessed by being able to help.  Honestly, I am sure that it helped me just as much, if not more, than I helped others.  Go for it.  You won't be sorry.  (Just remember that you have to say NO when you have to say no, okay?  Remember that and you will be richly blessed by the experience!)


nm would you mind if I asked where you work and what type of work hosp, clinic ?
x
All I know is it caused the company I work for to be unable to do all work due today and the rest
:+
Just return the work, submit your bill, the scurry and find more work elsewhere. sm
They will never meet with you before next week. It is Thursday, already. Be prepared to sue for payment, because you will probably need to. But, most of all, find other work elsewhere, because I have a feeling this final payment will be a long time coming.
I work on Escription platform and the adapter didnt work for me. I tried it on my laptop though
and the foot pedal would just not play correctly with the adapter. I think others have tried it and done it but it just didnt work for me.