[Harc] how do I/we join the workshops?

[Howard, KB6NN]

Rod,

Thanks for replying.  When there is a Zoom workshop or other event, there will be an email sent out with a link to the Zoom meeting.  I could stop with that simple answer, but in case you or others need more detailed information, read on...

What happens next after you receive the email and go to the link depends on whether or not you have the Zoom program installed on your computer or the Zoom app installed on your phone or tablet.

When you arrive at the destination from the link in the email announcing the meeting, you will have a number of options, including downloading and installing Zoom software if you don't have it on your computer/phone/device already, or joining by voice only, or a phone number to call to join by phone.  I have never used the other options (voice only or by phone), since I already had Zoom installed for other Zoom activities during Covid, so when I click on the link, there is an option to join the meeting and I click that, and that click takes me to the "waiting room" and tells me the host will start the meeting soon, or, if the meeting is already in progress, clicking that join link, will pop me into the room or put me on the pre-approval list in case the host has the meeting set up that way.

It takes way more words (as above) to describe what is very easy to do.  It's like trying to explain how to do ham radio in words.  For me, the first time (a "telehealth" doctor visit), it was easy as clicking and seeing what happens, then going back and trying another option until something worked.  Since I had Zoom already installed because I knew the telehealth visit was coming up, it was pretty simple.

If you have Zoom installed, the link in the email will take you to a place where you can "join" the meeting, depending on how you have your Zoom software configured and how the host has the meeting set up, there may be other zoom options.  When you join, you might pop right into the meeting ("join with video") or you may be placed on a waiting list to be approved by the host.  I think this pre-approval procedure was put in because people were joining meetings they had no business joining and creating havoc before the host ousted them with a click.  Some meetings have passwords, but none of our ham meetings via Zoom have had the need to do that.  It's not as if we will be discussing HIPAA protected health stuff.  My apologies to anyone who likes to get on 80 meters and talk about their health problems.

I strongly suggest installing the Zoom program on your computer, or App on your phone.  I'm not modern enough to have a phone new enough to run the Zoom app, so I had to install Zoom on my computer.  I also did not have a webcam (standard on most newer laptops) because my computer is an older desktop, so I needed to purchase and install a webcam.  It cost less than $10.00, buy it now  on eBay, so it wasn't particularly expensive.  It was easy to install: I plugged the USB cord into my computer and the computer did the rest.  I opened the Zoom program, went to "Settings" then to "Video", then to "Audio", and tested everything and it worked (my webcam has a built-in microphone - how handy).

If you have any problems doing any of the above, send me an email off-list to kb6nn at yahoo.com and I will do what I can.  I'll even give you my phone number so we can talk each other through it.  Apologies to anyone who thinks hams should only do ham radio.

Howard
KB6NN

On 9/11/2020 10:16 AM, KG6JAZ via Harc wrote:
> It might be obvious that I haven't been paying attention, but how do I join
> in the workshops?
> Rod (KG6JAZ)
>

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