You appear to already be posting to the forum.
You ask "How do I select a recipient". That implies that you wish to privately ask some specific person a question and do not wish anyone else to see your posting.
As a "Newbie", you can not start a private conversation with anyone. This is done because in private conversations, the poster cuts off all input from the other knowledgeable members who might read the posting. And, often the person being privately contacted does not want to be, nor has the information to make a response. Posting a question in the forum helps to ensure that a poster gets the best answer and others can offer critical input.
Private contacting does not allow other users who encounter the posters problem at a later date to have the benefit of the private questions and answers.