diff --git a/src/pythonprop/templates/area_userdefined.py b/src/pythonprop/templates/area_userdefined.py
index 1c2e632..b952351 100644
--- a/src/pythonprop/templates/area_userdefined.py
+++ b/src/pythonprop/templates/area_userdefined.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def get_params(self):
 
     def load(self):
         if not self.area_templates_file: return -1
-        re_tag_name = re.compile('\[(.*)\]')
+        re_tag_name = re.compile(r'\[(.*)\]')
         fd = None
         try:
             fd = open(os.path.expandvars(self.area_templates_file))
diff --git a/src/pythonprop/voaAntennaChooser.py b/src/pythonprop/voaAntennaChooser.py
index d36a044..55af888 100644
--- a/src/pythonprop/voaAntennaChooser.py
+++ b/src/pythonprop/voaAntennaChooser.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def run(self):
             testLine = f.readline()
             f.close()
             if (testLine.find("parameters") == 9):
-                antenna_description = re.sub('\s+', ' ', antenna_description)
+                antenna_description = re.sub(r'\s+', ' ', antenna_description)
                 antenna_file = os.path.relpath(antenna_file, self.antenna_path)
                 if len(antenna_file) > 21:
                     err_msg_body = "The file path ('{:s}')\nis too long and should be less than 21 characters.\n\nPlease rename the antenna file.".format(antenna_file)
diff --git a/src/pythonprop/voaSiteChooser.py b/src/pythonprop/voaSiteChooser.py
index d2206e3..af83cd9 100644
--- a/src/pythonprop/voaSiteChooser.py
+++ b/src/pythonprop/voaSiteChooser.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def __init__(self, location=HamLocation(), map_size=(), itshfbc_path = '', paren
         #sm.set_select_function(self.geo_tv_selected, False) # todo pygobject check this (it's just a guess)
         sm.connect("changed", self.geo_tv_selected)
         
-        self.alpha_numeric_re = re.compile('[\W_]+')
+        self.alpha_numeric_re = re.compile(r'[\W_]+')
         self.latitude_column = 0
         self.longitude_column = 0
          
diff --git a/src/pythonprop/voacapgui.py b/src/pythonprop/voacapgui.py
index 83f0ffd..72aa2e1 100644
--- a/src/pythonprop/voacapgui.py
+++ b/src/pythonprop/voacapgui.py
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ class VOACAP_GUI():
     # Determine where the itshfbc and prefs files are, based on OS
     # The windows paths are guesses and need checking....
     if os.name == 'nt':
-        itshfbc_path = 'C:\itshfbc'
-        prefs_dir = 'C:\itshfbc\database\\'
+        itshfbc_path = r'C:\itshfbc'
+        prefs_dir = r'C:\itshfbc\database' + '\\'
     else:
         itshfbc_path = os.path.expanduser("~")+os.sep+'itshfbc'
         prefs_dir = os.path.expanduser("~")+os.sep+'.voacapgui'+os.sep