DSROA Board Meeting Teleconferencing Instructions and Information

Thanks for your interest in participating in the Ranch Board Meetings via teleconference link.  We hope that by teleconferencing the meetings, member participation and communication will be increased.

HOW TO DIAL IN:

Here’s how to participate in a teleconferenced meeting:

At the time shown for the meeting on the web site, call –

1-712-775-8972 (current as of 11-03-2017)

(If calling from a cell phone, you don't need to dial the 1 first)

Please note that this number may change from time to time. Check these instructions each time there is a Board meeting that will be teleconferenced to make sure you have the most current number.

When asked for the “Conference Code”, enter –

985192

on your phone keypad.

If the meeting is not yet underway, you will receive a message stating that the conference is not yet started.  Wait a few minutes and try again or just stay on hold.  Meetings often start a few minutes late.

If the meeting is underway, you will hear a “bong” sound which announces to all that you have joined the teleconference.  Someone will likely ask “Who has joined the meeting?” or something similar.  You’re then ready to participate.

HOW TO “MUTE” (temporarily turn off the audio) ON YOUR PHONE ONLY

You can self-mute your line only (does not affect other participants) by hitting (4) then (*) on your phone. You can then rejoin the conference by repeating the (4) then (*) selection.

USING A SPEAKERPHONE:

Because it can be a long call, it’s very convenient to use the speakerphone function on your cell phone or your land-line phone when you call in.  If you do, keep the following in mind:

DURING A CONFERENCE CALL, EVERYBODY CAN HEAR EVERYTHING EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING!

Dogs barking, kids crying, other phones ringing, music or TV going, etc. etc. etc.

Please plan ahead.  Pick a quiet place from which to dial in.  We know that unintended noises will sometimes occur, that can’t be helped.  But you should try to keep them to a minimum.  You can always mute your phone as detailed above, take care of business, and log back in if you need to engage in another phone call or a conversation with another person on your end.

ENDING YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE CONFERENCE:

If you decide to leave the teleconference before it has concluded, the polite thing to do would be to interrupt the meeting when it’s reasonable to do so and say that you’re signing off.  If you don’t, everyone will think you’re still there.

SPECIAL NOTE ON MEETINGS TELECONFERENCED FROM THE RANCH:

Meetings at the Ranch are teleconferenced via the Ranch Network and Skype. While this generally works well, there will be times that it just isn't possible. If you try to call in and can't get through, this is probably one of those times. Look for the meeting audio on the website at a later date.

Because the meeting audio travels 44,600 miles via satellite, there is always a 1 second delay. Keep this in mind when you are speaking. There can also be echoes, etc. that occur from time to time. These usually clear themselves up.

GENERAL FAQ:

Is the phone call free?

No.  You must pay for the phone call to the conference bridge.  But long-distance phone rates are cheap these days, even driving into Kanab from the Ranch to participate in a meeting there will cost you more in fuel than the phone call will.

If you have a Skype account, you can use it to call the above number. Skype rates can be as low as 2.3 cents per minute. That means it'll only cost you $6.90 to attend a five-hour (!!) meeting.

Does my participation cost the Ranch anything?

The participants pay for the phone call themselves. The Ranch MAY have to pay for ONE long-distance phone call if a land line is used (5 to 10 cents per minute usually) when some or all of the Board members are getting together in one place.

QUESTIONS:

If you have further questions on teleconferencing, contact the Webmaster.  Someone will get back to you as soon as possible.