Note:

Zoom video-conference meeting access IDs and passwords will be distributed only through our MDARC Groups.io email forum. They will not be posted on this web site or other publicly available forum, to maintain needed security precautions. See our Zoom Security Note below for more details.

General Information:

All meeting hosts and attendees are expected to review these guidelines prior to any Club meeting and abide by them throughout the meeting.

Zoom has two kinds of events: Meetings and Webinars.

Meetings:

In Meetings, everyone can see and hear everyone else (unless an individual has been muted or stopped their video). Everyone can also share their screen (unless blocked by the host), for demonstrating something or showing a PowerPoint, as examples.

Webinars:

In Webinars, only the presenter(s) can be seen and heard. Questions and comments are normally handled by either submitting the question by typing it into the Question pop-up box or the Chat area; or using the “Raised Hand” icon, then asking your question when the host unmutes and acknowledges you.

Webinars are an extra-cost feature in Zoom, so all Club events will be Meetings. This means every participant must be diligent about abiding by these guidelines, to minimize disruptions.

Please Note:

Per our Bylaws, Article III, Section 5; Electronic Meetings; Item 6:

(http://www.mdarc.org/about-us/official-documents/bylaws)

“Electronic Meetings may be conducted at the discretion of the meeting’s chair. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as to require that any meeting of the Membership, Board of Directors or any committee be provided with the facilities for an Electronic Meeting, or that any attendee has the right to attend any meeting by electronic means.”

If you have any questions about using Zoom, please let us know at info@mdarc.org or by calling (925) 288-1730.

Guidelines:

Everyone:

* We recommend that all participants download and install the small Zoom app a day or more before the event. It’s possible to attend the meeting with just a browser, but it has its limitations.

Go to https://zoom.us/download#client_4meeting

For computers (Windows or Apple), download the “Zoom Client for Meetings”.

For phones and tablets, scroll down and download the appropriate “Zoom Mobile App”

* We recommend using a computer, rather than a phone or tablet, when possible. The screen is larger, the audio is usually better and the controls are easier to use.

* Once the app is installed, you can join a test meeting to test your system and your audio. See our Zoom How-To page for the link.

* Be sure to review the “Attendee Controls in a Meeting” on Zoom’s web site. See our Zoom How-To page for the link.

* Please attend via a video connection whenever possible.

Although calling into a meeting by audio-only is allowed, it’s strongly discouraged. Attendees are at a substantial disadvantage when they can’t see the material being displayed on-screen. If you don’t have or don’t want to use a camera yourself, it’s possible to attend a video meeting while keeping your video image turned off. That way, you can at least see the material. This may somewhat restrict your ability to participate, however.

* If you aren’t fully familiar with using Zoom, please see our Zoom How-To page.

* Once in a meeting, check your name as it appears at the bottom of your image, or in the Participants List. Change it to one appropriate for the meeting, if needed. We suggest adding your call sign, for example. You can also make your name change permanent in your online profile. See our Zoom How-To page for instructions.

Video:

* Test your camera before the meeting.

Make sure you have the correct camera selected in your PC’s settings and that it’s working.

* Use appropriate lighting (no bright windows or lights behind you; light your face well, etc.)

* Do not use a camera angle that’s too low (e.g., many laptops on a table or desk).

No one wants to stare up your nostrils the entire time.

* Check your own image. Is this how you want to be seen? Is your face clear and well lighted?

* Wear appropriate clothes (please no pajamas, bath towels, etc.).

* Check the background of your image for anything you may not want others to see

(junk in the corner, unmade beds, very personal items, etc.).

* Do not use a Zoom virtual background unless your PC can handle it.

Get a green screen if you really want a virtual background.

Turning on Zoom’s virtual background feature without a green screen often messes

with your image and distracts from the meeting.

* Remember that, in Meetings, everyone can see you at all times.

Temporarily stop your video if you must do anything you don’t want everyone to see.

Audio:

* Test your audio before the meeting.

Make sure you have the correct microphone & speakers selected in your PC settings and that they’re working.

Does your microphone sound good? Are you easily understood? If not, consider an external microphone.

* Keep your mic muted unless you’re speaking.

* Understand that if your audio is very poor, or if there are background noises, side conversations, etc.;

the host may mute you.

* Remember, you must click “Join with internet audio” to get into the meeting. You will be placed in the “Waiting Room” until the host admits you. Your audio, both your speakers and your mic, will be muted until the host admits you. Once in the meeting, your mic will remain muted until unmuted by you or the host. Unfortunately, this is a necessary security measure.

Hosts:

* Send an email invitation to all meetings as far in advance as possible.

* Send a reminder email the day before the meeting.

* Include the expected duration of the meeting in all invitations, not just the start time.

(Duration is not included in the auto-generated text from Zoom.)

* Automatically mute all attendees upon entry, especially for larger meetings.

* Quickly mute anyone with background noise or other disruptions to the meeting.

* For larger meetings, appoint a co-host to act as “traffic cop”, stopping disruptions,

muting background noise, etc.; so you can focus on running the meeting.

* Use the Zoom Waiting Room. Do not allow attendees into the meeting before the host arrives.

* Do not use the same meeting ID for all meetings. Each meeting should have its own unique ID.

* Promptly remove an attendee from the meeting if they become too disruptive. Repeat offenders should be permanently locked out. Please send a note to the Digital Media Coordinator if you find it necessary to lock out someone, so we can track offenders across meeting groups.

Zoom Security Note:

A few people wishing to attend our meetings have expressed a concern about the security of their privacy; caused by past news stories about "Zoom bombing". Rest assured, your private information is not a risk as a result of attending our meetings.

First, Zoom bombing was never about individuals having private information stolen. It was about uninvited people gaining entry to the meeting and disrupting it. Second, Zoom has taken several steps to enhance their service's security. Third, many of those highly publicized incidents could have been prevented by the hosts, had they taken some easy security steps.

From the beginning, MDARC has implemented the following steps to minimize the risk of such disruptions:

* All meetings must have a Meeting ID and a passcode. For membership meetings, Board meetings and license classes, these access codes must be different for each individual meeting. Small committee meetings, in which only a few known individuals are expected, may use the same access codes for multiple meetings, at the chair’s discretion.

* Our meeting access codes are published only on our Club Groups.io email forum. They will not be posted on this web site or other publicly available forums. Of course, we encourage visitors; and Club members are welcome to forward that information to specifically invited guests.

* All membership meetings, Board meetings and license classes have multiple hosts assigned to each meeting. This allows the meeting chair to focus on the meeting while the co-hosts monitor the attendees for questions and for potentially disruptive behavior. Anyone disrupting the meeting may be immediately muted and/or ejected.

* All persons wishing to join the meeting are first put into a "Waiting Room" and must be admitted by a host. Should there be a question about them, the host(s) reserves the right to not admit them.

* All persons joining a meeting are automatically muted upon entry. They must unmute themselves to speak.

* All persons joining the meeting are asked to display their real name, and their call sign if they have one. Refusal to do so could result in them being denied entry or ejected from the meeting.

If you have any questions about our video-conference meetings, please send a note to info@mdarc.org.