C & R 2007
RNARS Founded 1960
                                                 

Patron: Admiral Sir Peter Abbott KCB RN
President: Commodore Paul Sutermeister DL RN

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C O N S T I T U T I O N  a n d  R E G U L A T I O N S
2007 Version
1. Title
The Organisation shall be known as:
 
The Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society.
 
2. Objects of the Society
The objects of the Society shall be:
 
  1. To promote and foster Amateur Radio activities within the Service.
     
  2. To stimulate an interest in Amateur Radio as a hobby for all serving or past members of the Royal and Merchant Navies.
     
  3. To provide assistance, where possible, to enable members to establish and maintain RNARS Amateur Radio Club stations.
     
  4. To provide facilities for exchange of views and pertinent information through the Society “Newsletter” and an Area Representative Organisation.
     
  5. To maintain and operate the Headquarters Station (GB3RN, G3CRS, G1BZU).
     
  6. To liaise with appropriate Authorities on matters of policy pertaining to Amateur Radio as a hobby.
     
  7. The pursuit of any lines of enquiry considered necessary in the interests of The Society and its members.
 
3. President
The President of the Society shall be a Serving or past Senior Naval Officer, appointed or resident within the United Kingdom. The appointment shall be made by the Committee subsequent to acceptance of an invitation to serve in the capacity of President.
 
4. Committee
The activities of the Society shall be governed by a Committee constituted as follows:
 
  1. Chairman
     
  2. Vice Chairman
     
  3. Secretary
     
  4. Membership Secretary
     
  5. Treasurer
     
  6. Ex-Officio
     
  7. Seven Corporate Members
  Of the members, at least one should be a serving member of the RN/RM. and one Ex serving member of the RN/RM.
5. Officers
The following Officers of the Society shall be routinely appointed or re-appointed by the Committee annually at the Committee Meeting immediately prior to the AGM in accordance with Clause 10(f) hereof. Exceptionally an officer may be appointed as circumstances dictate. Any such change will run for 12 months from the date of appointment or until the next AGM whichever is the sooner.
 
  1. Chairman
     
  2. Secretary
     
  3. Membership Secretary
     
  4. Treasurer
An ‘Ex Officio’ Officer will be appointed by the Commanding Officer, HMS Collingwood.
The ‘Ex Officio’ will attend Committee or other Meetings as necessary and represent the Society’s interests to the appropriate Service Authority.
 
6. Admission to Membership of the Society
 
  1. Applications for Membership to the Society are to be forwarded in writing to the Membership Secretary. After consideration under the terms detailed herein the result shall be communicated, in writing, together with all documentation, back to the applicant as soon as possible.
     
  2. The Membership Secretary is authorised to approve Corporate, Associate and Life Membership to the Society.
    Where any doubt exists the application is to be referred to the Committee for approval.
     
  3. The decision of the Committee on these matters is final.
 
7. Membership Categories
 
  1. The Society Membership shall consist of :
  1. Corporate Membership.
     
  2. Associate Membership.
     
  3. Affiliate Membership.
     
  4. Honorary Membership.
     
  5. Life Membership.
     
  6. Family Membership.
 
  1. Membership Qualifications
  1. Corporate Membership:
Candidates for election to Corporate Membership shall be either serving or past members of the RN, RM, WRNS, Reservists or Retired Reservists of those Services, Commonwealth Navies, United Kingdom or Commonwealth Merchant Navies, Ex RNXS, Sea Cadet Corps, CCF (RN), CCF (RM), RN Recognised Sea Scouts. Persons who are or have been seconded to or connected with these Services in a civilian capacity.
Corporate Members will be entitled to vote on all matters pertaining to the Society.
  1. Associate Membership:
Candidates for election to Associate Membership shall be serving or past members of Foreign/non Commonwealth Navies or Mercantile Services or persons who are, or have been seconded to, or connected with these services may qualify. The provisions of Paragraph 6b. above are to be observed. 
Associate Members of the Society will not be entitled to vote on matters pertaining to the Society.
  1. Life Membership:
  1. Life Membership of the Society is available, on application to the Membership Secretary, to members who fulfill either of the categories detailed below:
     
  2. The total of Life Membership shall not exceed 10% of the total paid up membership.
     
  3. In the event that the Society is disbanded, no liability shall be borne by the Society to refund Life Membership Payments.
     
  4. A Life Membership Certificate will be issued and voting rights will remain unchanged from the original membership category for successful applicants.
Life Membership 1 :
Life Membership 1 is open to all Corporate and Associate Members who have completed six years consecutive membership, and, on a single payment of Seventeen times the amount of the annual subscription current at the time of application. This amount will be rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of £5.00.
 
Life Membership 2 :
Life Membership 2 is open to Corporate and Associate Members who have attained the age of 60 years and completed ten years continuous membership of the Society and on payment of four times the annual subscription current at the time of application.
 
All applications for Life Membership must be made in writing to the Membership Secretary who is authorised to approve such applications. Once approved both Membership Categories shall be known as Life Membership as in 7(v) above. Voting privileges will remain unchanged from original membership status.
 
  1. Affiliate Membership:
Affiliate Membership is available to persons who have rendered eminent service to the RNARS. The Candidate must be proposed by a Corporate Member and be seconded by at least 5 Corporate Members. In all cases the application is to be confirmed by the Committee before being put to a vote by Corporate Members via the Newsletter. If approved, the Candidate would be invited to join the Society under Affiliate Membership terms. Normal subscription rates will be levied. Affiliate Members of the Society are not entitled to vote on matters pertaining to the Society. Entry to the Society under these terms is restricted to one per year.
 
  1. Honorary Membership:
Honorary Membership shall be open to persons who have rendered eminent service in the field of Amateur Radio generally or to the Society in particular.
Recommendations for Honorary Membership may be made by any corporate Member and are to be forwarded, in writing, to the Secretary. Recommendations for Honorary Membership to the Society shall be proposed at one Committee meeting and at the subsequent meeting of the Committee a vote will be taken. Not more than one Honorary Membership shall be approved in any one year. They shall not be entitled to vote on matters pertaining to the Society.
 
  1. Family Membership:
Family Membership is available to a family group where:
Each member in the family group satisfy the criteria for Society Membership in their own right and are domiciled at the same Postal Address as the first named applicant. Except in the case of Life or Free Membership the first named applicant will be required to pay the full current annual subscription. Only one set of Society correspondence will be dispatched to each Postal Address.
Applications for Family Membership are to be made in writing to the Membership Secretary. The Membership Secretary is authorised to approve application for Family Membership. Where any doubt exits the application is to be referred to the Committee.
 
8. Exclusion from Membership
The Committee may withdraw privileges or expel any member of the Society for conduct which, in their opinion, is detrimental to the interests of the Society. Any member expelled shall not be entitled to a refund of subscriptions already paid. They shall not be entitled to rejoin the Society at any time in the future.
 
9. Subscriptions
  1. Subscriptions are renewable, annually on April 1st, payable to the Membership Secretary.
     
  2. Dependant on the date of joining, new Members will pay all or part of the first years subscriptions on the following ratios:
     
    i.   1st April through August - Full Annual Subscription.
     
     ii.   1st September through December - Two Thirds Subscription rounded to the nearest £1.
     
    iii.   1st January through March - One Third Subscription rounded to the nearest £1.
     
  3. The Committee have the Authority to waive the subscriptions of blind, disabled or incapacitated members.
     
  4. In addition to the first year’s subscription, new Members will be required to pay a joining Fee to cover the costs of administration. This fee will be determined by the Committee annually prior to the Annual General Meeting.
     
  5. Annual Subscriptions shall be reviewed and determined by the Committee, annually, prior to the AGM and will be set at a level so as to ensure the satisfactory administration of the Society. They will be published in the Society Newsletter.
     
  6. Any member whose subscription falls one quarter in arrears, including failure to amend Bankers or Standing Orders, will have the privileges of Membership withdrawn by the Membership Secretary until such arrears and subscriptions are paid.
 
10. Responsibilities of Officials.
  1. The Chairman:
  1. The Chairman shall, where possible, be a serving Naval Officer of Corporate status, appointed or resident in the United Kingdom. The appointment shall be approved by the retiring Chairman.
     
  2. The Chairman will remain responsible to the President for all administrative and financial management of the Society.
     
  3. The Chairman will remain responsible to the President for the conduct of the affairs of the Society.
     
  4. At all meetings, of the Committee or any sub committee and including the AGM, he will have a casting vote.
     
  5. The Chairman will set time limits and terms of reference for any Sub Committee.
     
  6. The Chairman may authorise expenditure of up to £100 without prior approval of the Committee. He is also authorised to countersign Society Cheques.
  1. The Vice Chairman:
  1. The Vice Chairman shall be selected from the current Committee. His term of Office will be for one year from the date of the first Committee Meeting following an Annual General Meeting.
     
  2. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman at Committee meetings and whilst in this capacity he will hold a casting vote.
     
  3. The Vice Chairman will, at the request of the Chairman, represent the Society at functions when the Chairman is unable to attend.
     
  4. In the absence of the Chairman he is authorised to sign documents in pursuance of his responsibilities.
  1. The Secretary:
  1. The Secretary will remain responsible to the Chairman for actioning all routine correspondence on behalf of the Society.
     
  2. He is authorised to sign correspondence on behalf of the Chairman in pursuance of his responsibilities.
     
  3. The Secretary will attend at all Committee meetings and bring to their attention all noteworthy correspondence, information, and any other matters requiring Committee approval.
     
  4. The Secretary shall record and reproduce the minutes of all AGMs and Committee Meetings. All such minutes shall be passed to the Chairman for ratification prior to their being published.
     
  5. The Secretary is authorised to countersign Society Cheques.
     
  6. The Secretary will maintain and be responsible for the following records:
  1. Correspondence Files.
     
  2. Society Records.
  1. The Membership Secretary:
  1. The Membership Secretary shall receive all applications for membership and also subscriptions when due.
     
  2. S/he will maintain and be responsible for the following:
  1. Membership Database and Back-ups.
     
  2. Cash Transfer book.
  1. The Treasurer:
  1. The Treasurer is directly accountable to the Chairman and Committee for the financial management of the Society.
     
  2. The Treasurer will be responsible for investing the Society’s funds as agreed with the Committee.
     
  3. S/he will present a statement of the Society’s financial situation to the Committee at each meeting. These statements need not be formally audited but must be current at the time of the report.
     
  4. The Treasurer is to present Formal Audited accounts to the Committee at a meeting in time to be publicised in the Summer Newsletter to allow publicity before the Annual General Meeting.
     
  5. The Treasurer is to maintain a close liaison with the Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Ex Officio on financial matters effecting the Society and individual Officers.
     
  6. S/he is to routinely audit Cash Transfer books held by Membership Secretary.
     
  7. The Treasurer may authorise expenditure of up to and including £200 without prior approval of the Committee.
     
  8. The Treasurer is to maintain a Master List of all Society Equipment and Assets. S/he is to report Annual Depreciation values as reported by the various holders.
  1. The Ex Officio Officer:
  1. The Ex Officio will be a Serving Officer, normally of Commissioned Rank holding an appointment at HMS Collingwood and nominated by the Commanding Officer. Ideally the Ex Officio shall be a Corporate member of the Society.
     
  2. The Ex Officio member shall maintain an active liaison on behalf of the Society, with the Royal Navy, HMS Collingwood and, where authorised, with MoD(N) and any other Service Authority considered necessary by the Committee.
     
  3. The Ex Officio will represent the Society on all matters affecting Amateur Radio within the Royal Navy.
     
  4. The Ex Officio will be responsible to the Commanding Officer, HMS Collingwood for the Activities of the Society within HMS Collingwood.
     
  5. Where Society activities take place within other Service Establishments, the Society Member conducting those activities is to liaise fully with the Ex-Officio who in turn is to brief the Committee.
  1. Committee:
Election of Members and Responsibilities.
  1. Members seeking election, or re-election to the Committee are to make their intention known to The Secretary by the 1st July annually.
     
  2. Members elected to the Committee by Ballot shall serve for a period of 3 years after which time they must stand down and seek re-election as at iii) below. In the absence of sufficient volunteers in any year, a currently serving Committee Member may be invited to continue to serve until such time as any volunteers names are put forward. At which time the member must stand down or seek re-election.
     
  3. If the number of volunteers exceeds that required to fill the vacancies on the Committee, The Chairman shall direct the Secretary, not later than six weeks prior to the AGM, to send to all Corporate Members a Ballot Paper, normally in the Society Newsletter which shall show separately adequate details of each member seeking election. The Chairman shall have in place or appoint two independent scrutineers who shall, in isolation, open and count the votes and pass the result to the Chairman. These results will be announced at the AGM by the Chairman. The returned Ballot Papers will be destroyed on completion of this action.
     
  4. Committee Members shall be entitled to be reimbursed their reasonable expenses incurred set at not more than the current MoD(N) rates. Committee Members expenses will be published at the AGM.
     
  5. The Committee shall transact the business of the Society at meetings to be called by the Chairman as and when necessary and routinely at least every two months.
     
  6. At meetings of the Committee, or any Sub-Committee, each elected member present shall be entitled to vote. The Chairman will have the casting vote. The Secretary, Treasurer and Ex-Officio are all Non Voting, except where the Ex-Officio is also a Committee Member. To carry any resolution shall require a majority vote.
     
  7. The Committee may appoint short term sub-Committees to progress major events or happenings or to collate information for the main Committee to consider. (e.g. a Society Rally). Members or representatives with special skills or knowledge may be co-opted on to a Committee or Sub Committee to further the Societies interests.
     
  8. The Committee are authorised to spend up to £2,500.00 without the prior approval of the membership.
     
  9. Matters of Major importance, such as those affecting the Constitution of the Society may not be carried at Committee level.
    Matters under this category shall normally be resolved:
  1. At an Annual General Meeting where a majority vote will decide.
     
  2. Where the Chairman decides that time does not allow for this procedure, a General voting form, together with details of the subject matter shall be circulated to all members entitled to vote. To carry a resolution shall require a majority vote of members present and/or who have returned their voting papers. The Secretary is to arrange that two independent scrutineers are recruited who shall, in isolation, open, scrutinise, count and return the result of the Ballot to the Chairman.
     
  3. A quorum at a Committee meeting shall consist of the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and three voting members being present at the meeting.
11. Society Managers
Society Managers are volunteer Corporate members of the Society, approved by the Committee, who perform a specific function. Broad terms of reference and responsibilities are detailed below. The post holders need not necessarily be Committee Members but remain responsible to the Committee for their particular function, the Treasurer for expenses incurred and the Secretary for rendering Managers Reports or noteworthy correspondence.
Society Managers will be entitled to be reimbursed their reasonable expenses incurred in the pursuance of their function, set at not more than the current MoD(N) rates. Managers expenses will be published at the AGM. Society Managers should render to the Secretary all reports for the Committee and AGM, the Treasurer for expenses and other managers for mutual co-operation.
  1. Headquarters Station Manager:
  1. The HQ Station Manager is to be a current Corporate Member holding a Full Radio License (Class A).
     
  2. The Post holder is to be consulted on all matters relating to The HQ Station.
     
  3. The HQ Station Manager shall be responsible for all matters relating to the HQ Station and the Society’s Equipment, ensuring that all legal, safety and other requirements are met.
     
  4. No Society Equipment or property shall be removed, modified or changed without the express permission of the HQ Station Manager and the Committee.
    The Headquarters Station Manager shall:
     
  5. Maintain an equipment register in which are to be kept details of all Society Equipment held in the HQ station together with identifying information including type, make, Model, Serial Numbers and any alterations/modifications therein. S/he shall keep the Treasurer informed of changes for insurance purposes.
     
  6. Maintain the HQ visitors book, certificates, and library, including an equipment defect information book for visiting members to record any discrepancies found and to be made aware of any current information regarding the HQ Station and its operations.
     
  7. Remain responsible, on behalf of the Society, for all furniture, fixtures and fittings in the HQ Station building. The responsible person shall liaise directly with the Ex Officio regarding maintenance, replacements, inspections and any other matters interrelated between the HQ Station and the Establishment.
     
  8. Routinely download Packet messages and ensure, where necessary, any required action is taken.
     
  9. Ensure that adequate QSL Cards are available for the HQ Station. Special Event QSL Cards will remain the responsibility of the organising members.
  1. The Area Representatives Manager shall :
  1. Establish a Nation-wide network of Members, known as Area Representatives who will in turn provide a localised focal point for Society Members in their defined areas.
     
  2. Receive and Collate information relating to the Society in particular or Amateur Radio in general for distribution to Area Representatives.
     
  3. Collate statistics from Society representatives at Mobile Rallies and forward on to The Secretary and/or Newsletter Editor as appropriate.
     
  4. Provide and distribute Society paraphernalia (Banners, Flags etc.,). Where such is provided by the Society it shall remain the property of the Society and may not be exchanged between Rally representatives without the prior approval of the Area Representatives Manager.
  1. The QSL Bureau Manager shall :
  1. Initiate and maintain a system to receive, sort and routinely dispatch QSL Cards between Radio Amateurs, participating in the scheme and who have lodged SAEs with the Bureau Manager.
     
  2. Maintain an index of members participating in the system.

  1. The Commodities Manager shall :
  1. Maintain adequate stocks of commodities, sanctioned by the Committee, at all times. S/he shall keep the Treasurer notified of stock levels/values by producing a full list at the end of each financial year.
     
  2. Maintain a satisfactory accounting system.
     
  3. Liaise with Society Representatives attending at Rallies for the supply and receiving back of commodities.
  1. The Newsletter Editor shall :
  1. Collect and Collate articles for the Newsletter.
     
  2. Organise and Prepare the Newsletter for printing thrice yearly.
  1. The Awards Manager shall :
  1. Collate and publish the results of all contests and awards issued on an annual basis, and pass to the Newsletter Editor for publication.
     
  2. Ensure that sufficient supplies of appropriate award certificates remain available to meet the Society’s needs.
     
  3. Complete Certificates and arrange for dispatch as necessary.
  1. The Short Wave Listener Manager shall :
  1. Maintain a rapport with the SWL Members to ensure they play a full and integral part in the Society.
 
12. Annual General Meeting
  1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held each year at a venue decided upon by the Committee.
     
  2. The President of the Society shall be invited to address the members present.
     
  3. The Chairman of the Society shall address the members present.
     
  4. The following items shall be included:
  1. The progress of the Society.
     
  2. The achievements of the Society.
     
  3. The way ahead.
     
  4. Managers reports.
     
  5. Financial Statement (to include annual expenses incurred and claimed).
     
  6. Presentation of Awards and Certificates.
     
  7. The forthcoming years major events, including dates and venues for the Mobile Rally and the next AGM and Social Evening.
     
  8. Names of new and retiring Committee members together with arrangements for voting See 10f(iii) above.
     
  9. Proposals and motions to be decided at the meeting.
     
  10. Open Forum.
13. Overseas Representations
The Committee may assist in the formation of overseas branches. Membership of any such branches shall only be open to those Society Members residing within territorial limits of that branch as defined in its own Constitution and Regulations. The members of an overseas branch shall draw up a constitution to govern the branch. Any such constitution shall be within the terms of the Constitution and Regulations of the Main Society. It shall specify the territorial limits of that branch. Before such a Branch Constitution comes into force it shall be submitted to the Hon Secretary who will present the document to the Society’s Committee for approval.
 
14. Affiliated Clubs
The Committee may admit to the privileges of affiliation to the Society, any Club or Organisation with proven connections with the Royal Navy and with an interest in Radio Communications and related Technology.
 
Revised and Ratified by AGM October 2007
 

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Last modified: 9 September, 2010