BYLAWS
SAN JOAQUIN NET
AS AMENDED FEBRUARY 26, 1991
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SECTION ONE
The San Joaquin Net is an informal Net of Amateur Radio Operators organized in order to better serve our community, state and nation to furnish communications and be prepared in times of emergency or disaster. The San Joaquin Net, its officers or members, assume no responsibility for any business, or communications conducted on the Net frequency, prior to Net, or after the Net is officially closed by the Net Control.
The fiscal year and the terms of all officers of the San Joaquin Net shall commence on the first Sunday in May. Net sessions will be held Monday through Saturday at 1800 hours on or near 3.918KHz. Net sessions will not be held on ANY NATIONAL HOLIDAY, Christmas, and at other times as deemed necessary by the Net Manager.
ARTICLE TWO
OFFICERS, GENERAL
It is compulsory of all officers to avoid favoritism, or prejudice, in the administration of their office and to uphold the By-laws in all decisions they may be required to make.
No officer may undo the act of a previous officer, unless it can be shown by the records, that said act conflicts with the By-laws. In any event, the previous officer must be given the opportunity, to defend his or her actions, before any steps may be taken.
SECTION ONE
ELECTED OFFICERS
The elected officers of the San Joaquin Net shall be: Net Manager, Secretary-Treasurer and Assistant Secretary.
SECTION ONE
MEMBERSHIP
Any responsible amateur radio operator is eligible to become a Member of the Net, provided that he or she checks into the Net at least ten (10) times in the first calendar month. He or she will then be placed on the roll call the following month according to the merit system.
ACTIVE MEMBER REQUIREMENTS
(A) To maintain active membership, members must check-in at least eight (8)
times per month and comply with all By-laws of the Net. No proxy check-ins or check-ins prior to opening, or after closing of Net will be allowed.
(B) The merit system of roll call is the station's place on the roll call list according to the number of times he or she checked in during the previous month. An additional check in point shall be given to a Net Control station each time he or she acts as Net Control.
(C) Failure to comply with the active member requirements will automatically place the Member on an inactive status, and he or she will not be called on the regular roll call.
(D) Failure to comply with all By-laws of this Net or Paragraph (E) of this section shall bring cancellation of membership.
(E) Any Member who does not check in the required eight (8) times each month or does not check in for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days, and who has not made a request for in-active status to the Net Secretary-Treasurer, shall automatically be canceled from membership, and be dropped from the roll.
(F) Except where otherwise provided, reinstatement of canceled membership may only be made by compliance with new membership requirements.
(G) Former members who have served the Net for three (3) years as an active Member, may be returned to the membership upon requests to the Secretary-Treasurer.
SECTION THREE
IN-ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
(A) Members desiring to place themselves on an in-active status, must notify the Net Secretary-Treasurer.
(B) No Member of the San Joaquin Net may remain on an in-active lists for a period exceeding ninety (90) days.
(C) Members absent due to sickness, or death in the family, will be returned to the roll call upon notifying the Net Secretary-Treasurer. He or she will be placed on the Net roll according to the check-ins he or she would have on the current roll call sheet. The ten (10) check-in requirement will be waived.
ARTICLE FIVE
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
(A) Nominations of officers shall be made on the air and a list kept by the
Net Secretary-Treasurer at the time of nominations. Net Controls must check with the nominee for acceptance or refusal of nomination.
Only members, and nominees, who have been on the active list for ninety (90) days prior to the opening of nominations shall be entitled to nominate, or vote in an election, or on an amendment to the By-laws of the San Joaquin Net.
No Member shall accept nomination for more than one office, and only the three (3) highest polling nominees shall be placed on the ballot.
ELECTION BALLOTS
The Net Manager shall designate the date the election will be held after the nominations have been made for new officers in accordance with Article Six (6), Section One (1), Paragraph (C). Election will be held on the air, and according to Article Five (5), Section One (1), Paragraph (B).
The results of the election and the vote tally shall, after completion of
the count, be presented to the Net Secretary-Treasurer.
(C) When a Net officer is unable or unwilling to continue in office, the Net Manager shall appoint a qualified Member replacement, or shall within fourteen (14) days call for an election for replacement purposes.
SECTION THREE
(A) A proposed amendment to the By-laws may be presented to the Net on the air and to the Net Manager in writing by any eligible voter. Thirty (30) days after presentation, the Net Manager will call for the vote. One (1) week prior to the vote and also at the time of voting the Net Manager will read to the Net, on the air, the proposed amendment. Voter eligibility being in accordance with Article Five (5), Section One (1), Paragraph (B).
(B) A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the eligible membership present shall be required to approve such amendment.
(C) Changes in By-laws shall not be made more than once in any given year.
ARTICLE SIX
NET MANAGER
Shall enforce the operating rules of the Net, as well as those By-laws having to do with the proper conduct of the Net, or the administration of his or her office.
Shall appoint daily Net Controls and alternates.
(C) Shall on the first (1st) Monday in April, open nominations for officers for the ensuing year, and shall have the election for the officers on the third (3rd) Monday in April.
(D) Shall remove from the list any station who flagrantly and arbitrarily
violates the operating rules of the Net.
(E) Net manager must fully "back-up" all Net Controls in their actions or
procedures, but only to the extent allowed by the By-laws.
(F) Shall not cause, or allowed to be placed on roll call, a non-member
of the San Joaquin Net.
SECTION TWO
SECRETARY-TREASURER
(A) Shall receive and administer all monies pertaining to, and received in the
name of the Net, and furnish the Net an annual report of the Net funds.
(B) Shall disburse Net funds for operational purposes as to stamps, envelopes,
stationary etc. Net funds being donated by the membership.
Receipts for monies disbursed shall be kept on file.
Shall prepare and present to the Net, the nominees for office and the
results of the election, as prescribed under Article Five (5) Nominations and Elections.
Shall maintain the official membership of the Net, and include only those who have been certified by the Net Manager, as either active or in-active.
SECTION TWO, CONTINUED
Shall promptly strike from membership, on request of Net Manager, those who have not fulfilled the membership requirements, and confirm said act to the Net Manager.
Shall prepare and issue monthly roll call lists to the Net Controls,
including only those who request a copy for personal use.
(H) Shall keep continuous and complete traffic and check-ins, messages handled, contacts, QST's and non-member check-ins of the Net.
SECTION ONE
GENERAL RULES
(A) All suggestions for the improvement of the Net, shall be made in person on the air, or in writing, to the Net Manager for future consideration by the Net.
(B) Rule making and Net policies may be discussed over the air.
(C) It shall be the duty and responsibility of each Net Member to foster goodwill and understanding within the Net, and to promote Net efficiency.
SECTION TWO
CONDUCT OF NET MEMBERS
(A) It is essential that in the interest of efficient Net operation, a reasonably tight rein be held by the Net Control. In a purely voluntary Net, such as ours, adequate control can only be achieved by the complete and willing cooperation of the members with the designated Net Control. The attention of all members is directed to the preamble of the roll call. The conditions set forth therein are neither severe nor unreasonable and are for the specific purpose of promoting Net efficiency, enabling the Net Control to do the best possible job. All Net members are urged to cooperate, bearing in mind that if the Net is to function properly, Net discipline must be maintained.
(B) The airing of a personal grievance, either fancied or actual, with Net
members, or others, has no place during Net operations, and should be discouraged. No possible good can accrue to the Net, Net members, or Amateur Radio, from such practice. If a member's grievance be relative to the conduct of the Net as such or with a Net officer, write to the Net Manager, stating your complaint. One of the duties of Net officers is the adjudicating of disputes or complaints.
(C) Members are urged to check-in on time and to list their traffic during open channel for traffic listings in their area. Granted this is not always possible, but the effort should be made. Listing traffic on the Net late is a calculated risk, and it may not be moved.
(D) If a Member leaves the Net at a time other than specified when checking in, it is very important for him or her to so notify Net Control. Too little consideration is given this by Net members. Obviously, Net Control assumes a station to be on frequency, and avai1able, unless it has been indicated otherwise. It is particularly inexcusable to list traffic or contacts, and then leave without notifying Net Control.
(E) Remember the job of Net Control is never an easy one. We can not all be
first on the list to get rid of our traffic, or to accept traffic. Observe the Net rules. Be thoughtful and considerate of the other fellow, and all of us, including the Net will benefit thereby.
GENERAL RULES FOR NET OPERATION
SECTION ONE
TRAFFIC CLASSIFICATION
Emergency: As the term implies. Traffic that must be handled immediately to save life or property.
Priority: Traffic of an urgent nature, which must be expedited. May even include that in which the time element is important. In which case it should be so stated.
Routine Holdover: Routine traffic held over from the previous evening, or evenings.
Routine: Normal traffic not falling in the category of "A" or "B" above.
Class X: From fairs, hobby shows, expositions, etc.
SECTION TWO
ORDER OF BUSINESS:
Emergency or priority traffic, HANDLE IMMEDIATELY WHEN LISTED
QST's and Bulletin listing, HANDLE IMMEDIATELY
Mobile check-ins (any traffic, handle immediately)
Traffic listing
Early check-ins
ROLL CALL
Traffic
(1st)- Messages, in message form
(2nd)- Contacts
(3rd)- Phone Calls
(4th)- Phone patches, on frequency, but after Net. Can move off
frequency
Contacts listed on frequency must be held to a maximum of three minutes. If circumstances indicate, station should arrange for a contact on frequency after Net or off frequency at time and frequency agreed upon. No rag chewing during Net.
NET CONTROLS
The Net Manager may take over the Net if Net Control requests him of her to do so, or when Net Control is unable to continue.
Net Control will call only relay stations when relay is required. Other stations may assist with relays only if requested to do so by the Net Control station.
Visitor check-ins will be extended every courtesy by Net Controls.
If conditions so warrant, Net Controls may deviate from the published roll call list by declaring a blanket check-in and so notifying the Net Secretary-Treasurer at the earliest convenience.
Net Controls, when calling roll, will make every effort toward speed, consistent with clarity and accuracy. To expedite roll call they will refrain from repeating their own call but will make frequent use of the phrase: San Joaquin Net.
ARTICLE EIGHT
SECTION THREE
Net Controls will make every effort within reason to dispose of all listed traffic. That which cannot be moved should be referred to the listing station for his or her pleasure by Net Control.
Hard and fast rules for the order which traffic is moved are impractical under certain conditions, therefore, Net Control must exercise considerable judgment, adhering to, if possible, the published list of normal precedence.
As amended and approved for adoption by the San Joaquin Net and its officers this 26th day of February 1991
(signed) Harry L. Odgers WA6OVE (signed) Edith "Salley" Nikkel WB6FOA
Net Manager Net Secretary