New Feature: Clubs

[rdunajewski]

Hi everyone!

As many of you know, we updated our forum software recently and one of the new features we're excited about launching is Clubs! Let me introduce what they are and how they benefit everyone.

What are Clubs?

"Clubs" are an exciting new way for GMRS groups and clubs to have their own area to post information, events, and photo galleries. This feature is a great way to keep private information like repeater access tones, rosters, and other information hidden from regular myGMRS users, but make it available to the group's members.

What information can I post?

You can post discussion topics (like a mini-forum) for your group, a photo gallery, and a calendar of events. Use this to share information with your members or allow them to ask questions. You can post your sensitive members-only information such as the repeater access information, Zello information, or anything else that you don't want to make public to all users of myGMRS. Just be sure to set the visibility of the club appropriately so only members can see the posts.

What about groups that charge membership fees?

This is the best part! If your group charges members a fee to access the group or its repeaters, for example, you can create a paid Club listing! You can set the membership fee and renewal terms, and we'll handle the processing of the payments and renewals for you!

Once you approve the member and they have paid, the member will then gain access to the Club and be able to view any private information contained within it. As long as they continue to renew each term, they will remain part of the Club. Once their subscription lapses, they will lose access to the Club and no longer be able to see private information.

Every time we collect payment from the members, we deposit the funds into your account on the Forums, less a small fee for using the service. You can then withdraw these funds for free to your PayPal account or request a paper check by mail.

Can I approve who joins a club?

Great question. Any time a member chooses to join a private club, a request is sent to the club owner. The owner can choose to accept or deny the request. This is great if you have someone who you need to deny access to, such as a banned user. Even if they try to join a paid Club, they will need to be granted access before they can pay. This allows you to fully manage who joins your group, or choose to open it to everyone.

What is the cost to use the new Clubs feature?

Right now, only Premium Members of myGMRS.com will be able to create a club listing. A Premium subscription is an optional upgrade that allows you to use advanced features such as creating a Club. You can create a Free Club for no additional charge, or you can create a Paid Club where myGMRS will take a small percentage of the membership fees for providing the service (and to offset our own payment processing fees on the credit cards or PayPal transactions). Regular myGMRS members can join any clubs they wish for no charge, except for Paid Clubs that have a membership fee. Joining a club does not require a Premium subscription to myGMRS.

How do I create a club listing?

Right now, we're still beta testing this feature out. You can join existing clubs, but you won't be able to create your own just yet. We are also still in the process of creating Premium subscriptions. Until we open up Premium subscriptions to everyone, you won't be able to create a club listing. We're busy working on other Premium features so you get more bang for your buck!

[WROY767]

Please help me understand…

I signed up for Premium based on the ability to create a Club. 
Per the signup I believe it said the 1st month is free. 

Having NO point of reference as to what the club looks like or how it functions, I bit the (free) bullet.  If I/we like it then we’d pay the $50 year fee and have fun. 

I was charged $5 right away and all I have is an invoice. 
No instructions, no control panel, no email about how it works. 
Nothing. 
I don’t see clubs on the site anywhere  One if my group members says he saw Clibs somewhere buried in the site but nothing in there but existing/old ones  Nothing to create New ones  I can’t find what he describes  

I hope I am just missing something. 
Please provide some instructions. I really want to create this. 
 

[rdunajewski]

9 hours ago, WROY767 said:

Please help me understand…

I signed up for Premium based on the ability to create a Club. 
Per the signup I believe it said the 1st month is free. 

Having NO point of reference as to what the club looks like or how it functions, I bit the (free) bullet.  If I/we like it then we’d pay the $50 year fee and have fun. 

I was charged $5 right away and all I have is an invoice. 
No instructions, no control panel, no email about how it works. 
Nothing. 
I don’t see clubs on the site anywhere  One if my group members says he saw Clibs somewhere buried in the site but nothing in there but existing/old ones  Nothing to create New ones  I can’t find what he describes  

I hope I am just missing something. 
Please provide some instructions. I really want to create this. 
 

You can find the Clubs feature here since it's part of the Forum software:  https://forums.mygmrs.com/clubs/

You can join an existing club or, since you're a Premium Member, you can create your own club listing. Just click on the "Start a Club" button on the upper right side of the clubs page. You can create a free or paid club listing depending on the type of club you have or want to create.

As far as the charge, we don't offer a free trial, we only offer 2 free months if you purchase an annual subscription over a monthly subscription. You're charged the $5 or $50 (depending on monthly or yearly term) immediately at signup and your privileges are granted right away.

The website was recently redesigned so there are some improvements that still need to be made, so that's why it's not a completely smooth experience right now.

[WROY767]

Thanks so much Rich!

 It took me a bit, and it's very hard on a small screen so I spent some quality time today on dual screen 24"s at work. Much needed Personal Use on Company Time.  LOL.

I've thrown some rudimentary stuff together.  However, my club still shows "Closed" on the banner.  I sent an invite to a member and he got it but no way to actually sign up.  Is there a moderation period or approval that my club needs before it goes "Live" or "Open" ?  I do have it set as an open/everyone can join type group.

BeepNet - SWFL GMRS

Thanks.  Tom

[rdunajewski]

New clubs have to be approved but I usually approve them within an hour or so of creating them. Maybe the club hadn't been approved just yet. You should be able to invite a member to a closed group with no issue.

[WRPP728]

Hello, I created a club but I see nothing as far as posting anything in it.  I see no discussions, posting of any form of communication with the club members.  May I do not see the tree for the forest, but I thought it would be like a mini group setting for the members to talk with each other?

I see a listing of members and a place to put a website, etc.  Is there a link to a guide for using the club website?

Thanks for any guidance that can be offered.

[SteveShannon]

@rdunajewski- How can I ignore or mark as read an event or invitation to join a club. Currently there’s an event which leads to an invitation to join Southdade GMRS club. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s simply not something that interests me. It’s in the wrong part of the USA for me.
If I click on the event I am asked to agree to the terms and click join or cancel. I click cancel but the event continues to appear whenever I filter for unread content. I don’t see where I can ignore the post either.

How I solved it:

I clicked “Mark site as read”.  That did it.  Now, when I click on show unread content, I have an empty list. But I’m still curious why visiting an event post doesn’t mark it as read.  I could only click “Mark site read” because I had truly read all other posts, otherwise I would lose track of what I truly had read or not.

Edited July 28, 2022 by Sshannon
To share the solution I found, which is only partial.

[aglenn55pa]

Hay if you could call me on a Friday so we could discuss some Repeaters some time. 

[MicaGMRS]

Hello,

 

I am trying to set up a new club.  I have read that there is suppose to be a "Start a Club" button on the upper right of the screen, but I am unable to locate it.

 

Can anyone help?  Have you set up a club and how did you do it?

 

I am a Premium Subscriber.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[SteveShannon]

7 minutes ago, MicaGMRS said:

Hello,

 

I am trying to set up a new club.  I have read that there is suppose to be a "Start a Club" button on the upper right of the screen, but I am unable to locate it.

 

Can anyone help?  Have you set up a club and how did you do it?

 

I am a Premium Subscriber.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

On my phone:

click on the hamburger 

click on browse

click on clubs

That will show you the club directory. 
Scroll to the bottom and click on “start a club “

[MicaGMRS]

Hello and thank you for your reply.

 

I have gone to the exact location you have suggested and it displays the same list of clubs on my Mac, on my P.C. and on my phone and none of them show Start a Club as an option.

 

I am wondering if it shows up on yours because you are the administrator or if something needs to be updated in my account to allow my Premium membership to be authorized.

 

Jim

[SteveShannon]

14 minutes ago, MicaGMRS said:

Hello and thank you for your reply.

 

I have gone to the exact location you have suggested and it displays the same list of clubs on my Mac, on my P.C. and on my phone and none of them show Start a Club as an option.

 

I am wondering if it shows up on yours because you are the administrator or if something needs to be updated in my account to allow my Premium membership to be authorized.

 

Jim

I’m not an admin. Just a premium member. But your account does not show that you’re Premium.  Maybe that’s why. 

[WQZG336]

I don't have the "create club" option  and did pay the 50.00 last march. Rich, could you take a look for me please?

[rdunajewski]

I refreshed your Premium Member status on your forum account and you should have access now!

[WQGU515]

I may need a refresh also as I do not see add a club

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WQGU515 said:

I may need a refresh also as I do not see add a club

First, you have to be a premium member. If you paid your $50 and it doesn’t show you as being premium then you’ll have to let @rdunajewski know.  

Then, you click on “Clubs” in the menu bar and then “Start a Club”

[WQGU515]

Yeah I became a member a month or so ago.  The forums I was having an issue with getting registered, and he just got me setup on that a few days ago as I guess there was some sort of error occurring.  So I guess I'm showing as premium on the regular page but not the forums.

[EMGREY]

I have the same problem I show as premium on the regular page but not the forums.

[SteveShannon]

I’ve reported this issue to Rich.  He’s usually pretty fast about responding.

[rdunajewski]

@WQGU515 and @EMGREY, your forum accounts should be all set now. I think some peoples' accounts fell out of sync due to some maintenance we were doing on the database the last few weeks.

[SteveShannon]

Thanks, Rich!

[EMGREY]

Thanks!

[WQGU515]

12 hours ago, rdunajewski said:

@WQGU515 and @EMGREY, your forum accounts should be all set now. I think some peoples' accounts fell out of sync due to some maintenance we were doing on the database the last few weeks.

Thanks Rich!