In the May Hassle-Free PC ("Four Fixes for Memory Card Misery") I explained how to rescue a memory card that fell into salt water. I've had more than a handful of messages asking me to clarify the instructions I gave.

The reader who sent the hassle didn't go into detail, but I will, because I had a similar experience. And it wasn't pleasant.

I was in a Zodiac, about to step out of the boat into shallow ocean water and trudge to an island. It was on a trip to the Antarctic and I was bundled in an Arctic jacket, had on heavy rubber fishing boots, and was wrapped in a couple of dozen layers of long underwear, gloves, hats, and scarves. Not a pretty sight.

My tiny digital camera dropped into the drink as I was getting off the boat.

What I should have done was fill a baggie with salt water and throw the camera inside, first removing the battery. That's because, as I said in the column, "it's critical you keep the card in salt water until you're ready to work on it; if it's exposed to air, the resulting corrosion will do irrevocable damage to the components." (Of course, if your camera drops into fresh water, you'd just use the water at hand.)

Instead, I slipped the camera into my pocket and did all the other wrong things. For instance, I left the battery inside the camera, guaranteeing that it fried the electrical components.

Dig This: You need some culture, bub. So head over to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and make yourself a gallery (nope, I'm not sending you an e-ticket--they've got a Web site). Just hit "click here to create an account" and follow the instructions. You can browse through other folks' galleries, too.

First Aid for Digital Cameras

A couple of readers filled in some of the gaps in my digital camera vs. water experience.

According to Scott B., of Houston, getting water into the memory card wasn't an issue: "The chips, including the flash chip, are hermetically sealed and should not be damaged by water. The problem with water is it causes electrical currents to flow where they were not intended to flow and this damages the electrical components. Therefore, if you quickly remove the battery, you may save the device. Don't try to apply power till you're sure it is dry inside and out."

I'm sorry Scott wasn't on the boat with me.

An unidentified reader, a "semiconductor chip product engineer for 25 years," said essentially the same thing: "These memory cards," he said, "are all hermetically sealed and most likely than not, had seen alcohol cleaning in an ultrasonic bath some time during the manufacturing process. Drying first before alcohol cleaning may create residues that are insoluble later. Start with totally soaking it in alcohol, do it in an ultrasonic bath if need to (your local jewelry store will be glad to help on this)."

In my column, I suggested not to use a hair dryer as the heat could damage the memory card's contacts. The reader had a better idea. He said to air dry the memory card by taking the head off the hair dryer and turning off the heat. "After that," he continued, "you can clean with a nonabrasive eraser."

From now on, I have my Nikon securely hanging from my neck and keep my new tiny digital camera strapped around my wrist.

Spies on the Internet

You want to hear what spies chatter about? They're probably saying very secret things. Unfortunately, we'll never know--because they talk in code. Listen to some of these radio broadcasts from shortwave numbers stations.

Intrigued? There's more to read at the Conet Project; also read "Counting Spies" on Salon. The Washington Post's "The Shortwave and the Calling" details one man's obsession with numbers stations.

You say you want more? (I did, and printed almost 100 pages to take along on a trip.) Good, because there's an absolute plethora of fascinating material on the topic.

Chris Brand's three-part article is unequivocally the star of the number stations show. It's comprehensive and provides answers to all of the questions you'll have--including things you might not have thought about, such as what one government representative had to say about the stations. Then there's Thomas Wagner's story of his escape from East Germany. It reads like a spy novel and includes details of number stations. This online tome is long (11 chapters) and mostly well written. And for dozens of Web sites on number stations and related topics, swing by the Shortwave Espionage page.

Steve Bass writes PC World's monthly "Hassle-Free PC" column and is the author of PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer, available from O'Reilly. He also writes PC World's daily Tips & Tweaks blog. Sign up to have Steve's newsletter e-mailed to you each week. Comments or questions? Send Steve e-mail.