Getting Started With Virtual Club Meetings

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Google Meet Icon

Because of the world-wide Coronavirus pandemic the DARC will be utilizing Google Meet for our online/virtual meetings related to club activities.  The first official club activity due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic will be the virtual BOD meeting on Apr 7, 2020 at 6pm central time. There will be additional virtual events later in Apr 2020 and in May 2020……..

The DARC virtual club meetings are open to anybody licensed or not and all are welcome to attend.  Anybody can find the virtual meeting info in/on the DARC event Calendar by looking at the W5FC calendar online at w5fc.org (technically we will be using google meet and not hangouts but they are much the same) You can even subscribe to the DARC calendar – so you never miss an event, see the notes at the bottom of the online calendar.

You will want to make sure you have an updated/patched PC/Mac and a working  mic and speaker on your PC/Mac – optimally a headset/mic will give the BEST results – and if you have a camera, well that is even a better experience.  You are strongly encourage to use Google Chrome to join the meeting – yes other browsers may work but the most robust experience will be with Google Chrome.   If you don’t want to use your PC/Mac and/or if you have a smart device (ie. iPhone/iPad, Android)  – Go grab the Google Meet App for your device and use that to attend the meeting:

Apple iOS App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/meet/id1013231476

Google App Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.meetings&hl=en_US

You can get the details on the DARC virtual events and meeting ID link from the DARC events calendar:

https://w5fc.org/club-activities/event-calendar/

Click on the meeting of interest and then click more details:

DARC Online Event Calendar
Meeting Details Screen – and the link to join virtual meeting

If you look closely at the details of the online meeting invite you will notice you can still use POTS (Plain Old Telephone Set) to dial into the meeting – but you will only hear the meeting audio and not see any of the visual materials shared.  There is a good chance that upon entry you will be auto-muted – in order for the rest of the meeting participants to hear you, you will need to un-mute yourself by clicking on the un-mute button in the meeting window:

Google Meet Meeting Window

Questions comments and suggestions are most welcome – drop by the contact the DARC and leave us a note – also let us know of any virtual topics that you might find interesting. Stay healthy and safe!!

12 thoughts on “Getting Started With Virtual Club Meetings”

  6. […] Our June 2nd, 2020, club meeting will feature a program written by Jerry Buxton, N0JY, and delivered by Tom Schuessler, N5HYP. Titled “AMSAT’s Future in the Microwave Bands” It will go into a little history on previous uses of microwaves on Amateur Satellites, look at what is being designed for the GOLF satellites and the design efforts to fulfill the ARISS International goal of putting Amateur Radio on the Lunar Gateway. […]

  7. […] Our June 2nd, 2020, club meeting will feature a program written by Jerry Buxton, N0JY, and delivered by Tom Schuessler, N5HYP. Titled “AMSAT’s Future in the Microwave Bands” It will go into a little history on previous uses of microwaves on Amateur Satellites, look at what is being designed for the GOLF satellites and the design efforts to fulfill the ARISS International goal of putting Amateur Radio on the Lunar Gateway. […]

  8. […] need to access the virtual meeting with a supported device of your choice – Please review our getting started guide to virtual events prior to attending for a positive virtual meeting experience. Optionally – a working radio […]