MDARC

Groups.io Usage Guidelines


(Approved by the Board of Directors, 06/01/2020)


The MDARC email groups are open for the discussion of all things related to amateur radio, and especially the Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club (MDARC). Anyone interested in these topics is welcome into the main Club group, member or not. The other groups are generally restricted to members of the respective committee. This code of conduct outlines our expectations for all those who participate in our community.


Through your use of any email group hosted by MDARC, you agree to abide by these Guidelines. Group membership is mutually voluntary. That means that our moderators may not make you a member without your permission nor attempt to prevent you from leaving. It also means that you cannot make yourself a member of any of our Groups without moderator approval, nor expect recourse should we remove or ban you.


In short:

Be a good citizen - Treat others with respect and report content that violates our Guidelines.

Stay on topic - Keep your content relevant to the group.

Follow the law - We don't want any trouble here.

We hope we don’t have to, but - We'll take appropriate action if we find you violating these guidelines.


Here's how you can get the most out of our Group:


1. Share what you know. Chances are, someone can benefit from what you have to contribute.


2. Be courteous. Everyone wants to be treated with respect, and showing respect to others makes our group better for all members.


3. Stay on topic. The topic for this group is amateur radio; and especially the Mt. Diablo Amateur Radio Club. If you repeatedly stray from the topic, our moderators may edit, restrict or remove your content — or you — from the group altogether.


4. Moderate your content. We encourage a healthy exchange of opinions. But if you disagree with another member, challenge the opinion or idea - not the person. In return, don’t be easily offended by someone else’s differing thoughts. See Item No. 2 above.


5. Be yourself. Your posting must have your true name and, preferably, your call sign. It must come from an email address that you legitimately use. Also, users must be individuals, not larger groups or businesses, although individuals may represent such organizations.


6. Post your own content. Have the original creator's permission before re-posting any content that comes from outside the Group. This goes for you too, moderators. If you do re-post any content or quote something (including other emails, books, magazines, news reports, web sites, etc.) include an attribution to the source. This helps keep it legal, and besides, everyone needs access to the same information to discuss a subject objectively.


7. Have a good time. When people behave responsibly and respectfully our group thrives and everybody wins.


Here are some things our group shouldn't be used for:


1. Don't violate the law. Don't post anything that violates the laws of the United States or the State of California; nor those of your country, state, province, or city. Don't post, or try to trick others into posting, their personal information, someone else’s personal information, or illegal images or documents (like copyrighted or trademarked material).


2. Don't be unkind. Exploitative or degrading comments are not welcome here. Also not welcome are belligerence, insults, slurs, profanity or ranting. Don't threaten, harass, impersonate, or hurt others, and don't invade other people's privacy. Also, adult-oriented content is not allowed. Don’t encourage or support anyone who does these things. If you wouldn't say it on the air, in public or with a group of friends, don't post it.


3. Don't be a spammer. Keep off-topic messages out of our group. Don’t send numerous or repetitive emails advocating for or against a particular opinion, concept, person, equipment, regulation, etc.


4. We are not a business. MDARC is a community, not a marketplace, so we encourage interactions, not transactions. Postings of equipment for sale must be related to amateur radio, and are only for private individuals or non-profit groups wishing to dispose of excess equipment, estate sales, etc. Persons or organizations regularly engaged in selling equipment are not permitted.


Violation Response

Our group moderators, at their discretion, may edit, moderate, restrict or remove any content. We may also restrict or remove you from the group, including immediately and without notice, if you violate these group guidelines or we believe you have violated or tried to violate the rights of others. Repeated violations, personal attacks or threats, or any other serious matter may result in the member being permanently removed from any or all MDARC groups. If contacted by a moderator concerning your activities on our groups, please respond within 48 hours. If there is no reply in that timeframe, we will act as needed.


Please help us keep our groups an enjoyable and positive experience. If you see content in our groups that violates our rules, please let us know by contacting us via the Group Owner email address, listed on its home page, or sending an email to info@mdarc.org.


If you feel you have been treated unfairly by a moderator of this group, you may appeal to the MDARC Board of Directors, whose decision is final. Contact them via an email to president@mdarc.org.


If you have any questions about these guidelines, send a note to the Group Owner, as shown on this Group’s home web page.