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RACK: Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville
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Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville (RACK)
P.O. Box 50514
Knoxville, TN 37950-0514
What is "Ham Radio"
The Amateur Radio Service has been around for a century. In that time, it’s grown into a worldwide community of licensed operators using the airwaves with every conceivable means of communications technology. Its people range in age from youngsters to grandparents. Even rocket scientists and a rock star or two are in the ham ranks. Most, however, are just normal folks like you and me who enjoy learning and being able to transmit voice, data and pictures through the air to unusual places, both near and far, without depending on commercial systems.
The Amateur Radio frequencies are the last remaining place in the usable radio spectrum where you as an individual can develop and experiment with wireless communications. Hams not only can make and modify their equipment, but can create whole new ways to do things.
What is "RACK"
The Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville (RACK) was founded in 1954 as a way of promoting the interest of amateur radio operators in the Knoxville Tennessee area.
Our primary means of funding is through the proceeds from our annual hamfest (Knoxville Hamfest and Electronics Exhibition) usually held the second weekend in June. We use our hamfest income for training of new hams, support of repeater systems, public service activities, to fund our emergency communications van, scouting support, and scholarships for hams. Membership dues are used to cover our meeting and operating expenses, member communications, picnics, fox hunts, and field day.
Our club meets at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church on Merchants Road on the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM.
Everyone is invited to attend!
DONATE TO RACK
If you would like to make a donation to RACK, click the link below. With PayPal®, it's safe, secure, and tax deductible!
We are registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Donations of equipment or money are tax deductible when we provide letters of acknowledgement for such donations.
RACK BY-LAWS
About
Last Amended August 18, 2022
The name, purpose(s) and duration of the Corporation are as set out in
the Corporate Charter as issued by the Secretary of State, State of
Tennessee, which document is included by reference as thoroughly as if
herein reproduced in its entirety.
ARTICLE 1: MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE 1: MEMBERSHIP
(A) All persons interested in Amateur Radio shall be eligible for
membership. There shall be three classes of membership: Full Member,
Associate Member, and Honorary Member. In addition, Family
Membership shall be available to all members of the same family residing
in the same household.
(B) A Full Member shall hold a current Amateur Radio license. He shall
have full voting privileges and be eligible to hold office.
(C) An Associate Member shall be any other person having a bona fide
interest in Amateur Radio.
(D) An Honorary Member shall be one who has rendered outstanding
service to the Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville, Inc. or to amateur radio in
general. Honorary membership shall be conferred by a two-thirds vote of
the membership assembled. An Honorary Member shall have all
privileges to which a full member is entitled, except to vote or hold office.
(E) Family Membership is available to members of the same family
residing in the same household. Membership privileges are identical with
those of full memberships: membership category shall be determined on
the same basis as individual membership categories. Only one copy of the
Club Newsletter and other communications will be sent to the household
of Family Members.
(F) Any person interested in amateur radio as described in Article 1 may
submit a membership application in which the applicant shall express a
willingness to abide by the Bylaws and other such rules as shall from time
to time be adopted by the Club. The appropriate dues payment shall
accompany the application.
ARTICLE 2: OFFICERS
ARTICLE 2: OFFICERS
(A) The elected officers of the club shall be: President, First Vice
President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer, Director of Disaster and Emergency Response, Hamfest
Director, Education Director, and Trustee. Candidates for elected officer
positions (with the exception of the Trustee) shall be elected at the first
regular club meeting following the September meeting. Nominations from
the general membership will also be accepted at the time of election.
Those elected shall be installed and take office at the first meeting of the
calendar year and (with the exception of the Trustee) shall hold office until
the first meeting of the following calendar year. The Secretary and/or
treasurer, Hamfest Director, Education Director, Director of Disaster and
Emergency Response, and Trustee may serve consecutive terms. The
other elected officers may serve no more than five (5) consecutive terms.
(B) The Trustee shall be elected for a ten year period by ballot of the
members at the regular monthly meeting prior to the renewal of the Club's
radio amateur station license. The Trustee's ten year term of office shall
correspond to the ten year term of the station license. The Trustee is to be
solely responsible for knowing and deciding who is to be in possession of
any of the Keys or Combinations that R.A.C.K needs to secure or access
its various property.
(C) Officers may be removed from office without cause by three-fourths of
those voting at two successive regular monthly meetings. In addition, an
office shall become vacant automatically should the holder thereof cease
to be a Full Member of the Club in good standing.
(D) Vacancies occurring between elections shall be filled by the Board of
Directors and will provisionally take effect immediately. Such appointment
shall be confirmed by vote of the members present at the first regular
meeting of the club following the meeting at which the vacancy is
announced.
(E) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the
Board of Directors. The President shall enforce observance of these
bylaws, conduct meetings according to procedural rules adopted, decide
all questions of order, sign all official documents adopted by the Club,
appoint (except as otherwise provided in Article 2, section K) and serve as
an ex-officio member of all committees (except the President is not an ex-
officio member of the Nominating Committee) and perform all customary
duties pertaining to the office of President.
RACK BYLAWS
- Page 3
Proposals or Motions to be submitted to the Board must be disclosed to
the Acting President no less 24 hours before the Board Meeting at which
the motion will be made. The purpose is to give the President an
opportunity to prepare a Board Meeting Agenda to allocate the time
necessary for discussion.
(F) (1) The First Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the
President, serve as Program Chairman of the Club, and perform such
other duties as the President or the Board of Directors shall direct.
(2) The Second Vice-President shall be responsible for planning and
preparations for the Club Field Day and will preside in the absence of the
President and the First Vice-President.
(3) The Third Vice-President shall represent the Club to the media
and community at large as delegated by the Board of Directors or the
President. He is also responsible for monthly meeting refreshments and
all social events such as picnics, Christmas dinners, etc. He will collect all
funds for such events and turn over to the treasurer.
(G) The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings
of the Club and of the Board of Directors, keep a roll of members and their
membership status, receive applications for membership, record the
results of elections, carry on all Club correspondence and mail written
notices to each member of every meeting of the Club. It shall be the duty
of the Secretary to keep the bylaws, duly noting amendments adopted by
the Club, and have same at each meeting of the Club.
(H) The Treasurer shall receive and document all money paid to the club,
shall keep an accurate record of all money received and expended, and
shall pay those bills which have been properly authorized. At the end of
each quarter the Treasurer shall submit to the Board of Directors an
itemized statement of receipts and disbursements. An Annual Report will
be prepared by the Treasurer and presented to the Board for approval at
each December Board Meeting which reflects the expenditures and
income incurred during the tenure of each Sitting Board of Directors. The
purpose and intent of the Report is to produce a permanent record of the
monetary gains or losses of the fiscal year that a particular Board served.
The report will be read aloud and made available for the scrutiny of the
Club Membership at the first general membership meeting of the calendar
year. All R.A.C.K. Bank Accounts requiring a Signatory will have only the
President, Treasurer, and Trustee listed as Authorized Signatories. The
Treasurer will be responsible to change and update the Authorized
Signatories annually as the newly qualified Board Members are installed.
RACK BYLAWS –
Page 4
(I) The Director of Disaster and Emergency Response shall coordinate
the
emergency response resources of the club.
(J) The Trustee shall authorize the operation of any Club radio station
working under the policies established by the Board of Directors. No one
shall operate any Club station using the call W4BBB without specific
permission of the Trustee. No one shall operate the Club station without
specific written permission of the Trustee. Since the Trustee is solely
responsible to the FCC for proper operation of the station, the Trustee
shall have the authority to permit or refuse use of the station to any person
or group.
(K) The Director of the Hamfest will be eligible to serve successive terms.
The Director of the Hamfest committee shall plan and manage the annual
Club Hamfest held during his/her term of office and shall appoint all
members of the Hamfest committee except that the Club President shall
be an ex-officio member of this committee.
(L) The Education Director shall plan and coordinate all educational
activities, including, but not limited to, classes in theory, classes in CW,
and activities involving school or scout organizations such as JOTA and
Kid’s Day activities. He/she shall also have the right to appoint assistants
to aid in specific activities.
(M) At the expiration of the term of each officer, that person shall turn over
to the successor all files and property pertaining to the office, and receive
a receipt therefore.
ARTICLE 3: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE 3: Board of Directors
(A) The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice-Presidents,
Secretary and/or Treasurer, Trustee, Director of Disaster and Emergency
Response, Hamfest Director, Education Director, and the Immediate Past
President. The President of the Club shall serve as Chairman of the Board
of Directors, and the Club Secretary shall serve as Secretary of the Board.
The immediate Past President shall serve as an ex-officio member of the
Board of Directors.
(B) All power and authority of the Club shall be vested in the Board of
Directors, which shall assume responsibility for the Club's adherence to
the provisions of the bylaws. The Board shall hold regular meetings to
establish policy and to supervise normal operations. Half the members of
the Board of Directors constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.
Elected Board members have one vote, except for the President, who
shall vote only in the event of a tie.
ARTICLE 4: MEETINGS AND VOTING
ARTICLE 4: MEETINGS AND VOTING
(A) At any meeting of the membership, ten percent (10%) of the members
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board of
Directors is authorized to establish procedures for proxy or mail ballots.
(B) Regular monthly meetings shall be held at such time and place as
shall be designated by the President.
(C) The Nominating Committee for the election process will be comprised
of the immediate past club president (if unable to serve, a past club
president shall be appointed), who will act as the chairperson, and two
RACK club members appointed by the current club President.
Nominations for each office will be announced one month prior to the
election and additional nominations may be made from the floor prior to
the election. Election shall be by simple majority of the members present
and voting.
ARTICLE 5: DUES
ARTICLE 5: DUES
(A) The Board of Directors may levy on the membership such dues or
assessments as shall be deemed necessary for operation of the Club.
(B) Regular annual dues of Full and Associate Members are hereby
assessed and are due and payable at the regular January meeting each
year. Dues in arrears more than one quarter of the year shall cause
automatic loss of membership.
(C) Dues shall be prorated on a monthly basis for all new members
accepted after February. Failure to pay Club dues within 120 days after
the January due date will result in loss of membership. Membership can
be reinstated by payment of all dues in arrears; however, after 24 months,
an application for membership as described in Article 1 (F) will be
necessary to become reinstated as a Club member. If a member has
formally resigned, only a request in writing and payment of the current
year’s dues will be necessary to re-join the Club. Family membership
dues shall be one and one half times the annual dues for an individual Full
Member. Dues are waived for Honorary Members.
ARTICLE 6: RULES OF ORDER
ARTICLE 6: RULES OF ORDER
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order,
newly revised, shall govern the Club in all cases to which they are
applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and
any special rules of order the Club may adopt.
ARTICLE 7: AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE 7: AMENDMENTS
Proposals for the amendment of these Bylaws shall be announced to the
membership then shall be discussed and voted on at the next meeting.
Adoption of an amendment shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds
of the members present at the meeting at which the vote is taken.
(Last amended August 18, 2022)
BY-LAWS
Last Amended August 18, 2022
The name, purpose(s) and duration of the Corporation are as set out in
the Corporate Charter as issued by the Secretary of State, State of
Tennessee, which document is included by reference as thoroughly as if
herein reproduced in its entirety.
ARTICLE 1: MEMBERSHIP
(A) All persons interested in Amateur Radio shall be eligible for
membership. There shall be three classes of membership: Full Member,
Associate Member, and Honorary Member. In addition, Family
Membership shall be available to all members of the same family residing
in the same household.
(B) A Full Member shall hold a current Amateur Radio license. He shall
have full voting privileges and be eligible to hold office.
(C) An Associate Member shall be any other person having a bona fide
interest in Amateur Radio.
(D) An Honorary Member shall be one who has rendered outstanding
service to the Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville, Inc. or to amateur radio in
general. Honorary membership shall be conferred by a two-thirds vote of
the membership assembled. An Honorary Member shall have all
privileges to which a full member is entitled, except to vote or hold office.
(E) Family Membership is available to members of the same family
residing in the same household. Membership privileges are identical with
those of full memberships: membership category shall be determined on
the same basis as individual membership categories. Only one copy of the
Club Newsletter and other communications will be sent to the household
of Family Members.
(F) Any person interested in amateur radio as described in Article 1 may
submit a membership application in which the applicant shall express a
willingness to abide by the Bylaws and other such rules as shall from time
to time be adopted by the Club. The appropriate dues payment shall
accompany the application.
RACK BYLAWS - Page 2
ARTICLE 2: OFFICERS
(A) The elected officers of the club shall be: President, First Vice
President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer, Director of Disaster and Emergency Response, Hamfest
Director, Education Director, and Trustee. Candidates for elected officer
positions (with the exception of the Trustee) shall be elected at the first
regular club meeting following the September meeting. Nominations from
the general membership will also be accepted at the time of election.
Those elected shall be installed and take office at the first meeting of the
calendar year and (with the exception of the Trustee) shall hold office until
the first meeting of the following calendar year. The Secretary and/or
treasurer, Hamfest Director, Education Director, Director of Disaster and
Emergency Response, and Trustee may serve consecutive terms. The
other elected officers may serve no more than five (5) consecutive terms.
(B) The Trustee shall be elected for a ten year period by ballot of the
members at the regular monthly meeting prior to the renewal of the Club's
radio amateur station license. The Trustee's ten year term of office shall
correspond to the ten year term of the station license. The Trustee is to be
solely responsible for knowing and deciding who is to be in possession of
any of the Keys or Combinations that R.A.C.K needs to secure or access
its various property.
(C) Officers may be removed from office without cause by three-fourths of
those voting at two successive regular monthly meetings. In addition, an
office shall become vacant automatically should the holder thereof cease
to be a Full Member of the Club in good standing.
(D) Vacancies occurring between elections shall be filled by the Board of
Directors and will provisionally take effect immediately. Such appointment
shall be confirmed by vote of the members present at the first regular
meeting of the club following the meeting at which the vacancy is
announced.
(E) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the
Board of Directors. The President shall enforce observance of these
bylaws, conduct meetings according to procedural rules adopted, decide
all questions of order, sign all official documents adopted by the Club,
appoint (except as otherwise provided in Article 2, section K) and serve as
an ex-officio member of all committees (except the President is not an ex-
officio member of the Nominating Committee) and perform all customary
duties pertaining to the office of President.
RACK BYLAWS
- Page 3
Proposals or Motions to be submitted to the Board must be disclosed to
the Acting President no less 24 hours before the Board Meeting at which
the motion will be made. The purpose is to give the President an
opportunity to prepare a Board Meeting Agenda to allocate the time
necessary for discussion.
(F) (1) The First Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the
President, serve as Program Chairman of the Club, and perform such
other duties as the President or the Board of Directors shall direct.
(2) The Second Vice-President shall be responsible for planning and
preparations for the Club Field Day and will preside in the absence of the
President and the First Vice-President.
(3) The Third Vice-President shall represent the Club to the media
and community at large as delegated by the Board of Directors or the
President. He is also responsible for monthly meeting refreshments and
all social events such as picnics, Christmas dinners, etc. He will collect all
funds for such events and turn over to the treasurer.
(G) The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings
of the Club and of the Board of Directors, keep a roll of members and their
membership status, receive applications for membership, record the
results of elections, carry on all Club correspondence and mail written
notices to each member of every meeting of the Club. It shall be the duty
of the Secretary to keep the bylaws, duly noting amendments adopted by
the Club, and have same at each meeting of the Club.
(H) The Treasurer shall receive and document all money paid to the club,
shall keep an accurate record of all money received and expended, and
shall pay those bills which have been properly authorized. At the end of
each quarter the Treasurer shall submit to the Board of Directors an
itemized statement of receipts and disbursements. An Annual Report will
be prepared by the Treasurer and presented to the Board for approval at
each December Board Meeting which reflects the expenditures and
income incurred during the tenure of each Sitting Board of Directors. The
purpose and intent of the Report is to produce a permanent record of the
monetary gains or losses of the fiscal year that a particular Board served.
The report will be read aloud and made available for the scrutiny of the
Club Membership at the first general membership meeting of the calendar
year. All R.A.C.K. Bank Accounts requiring a Signatory will have only the
President, Treasurer, and Trustee listed as Authorized Signatories. The
Treasurer will be responsible to change and update the Authorized
Signatories annually as the newly qualified Board Members are installed.
RACK BYLAWS –
Page 4
(I) The Director of Disaster and Emergency Response shall coordinate
the
emergency response resources of the club.
(J) The Trustee shall authorize the operation of any Club radio station
working under the policies established by the Board of Directors. No one
shall operate any Club station using the call W4BBB without specific
permission of the Trustee. No one shall operate the Club station without
specific written permission of the Trustee. Since the Trustee is solely
responsible to the FCC for proper operation of the station, the Trustee
shall have the authority to permit or refuse use of the station to any person
or group.
(K) The Director of the Hamfest will be eligible to serve successive terms.
The Director of the Hamfest committee shall plan and manage the annual
Club Hamfest held during his/her term of office and shall appoint all
members of the Hamfest committee except that the Club President shall
be an ex-officio member of this committee.
(L) The Education Director shall plan and coordinate all educational
activities, including, but not limited to, classes in theory, classes in CW,
and activities involving school or scout organizations such as JOTA and
Kid’s Day activities. He/she shall also have the right to appoint assistants
to aid in specific activities.
(M) At the expiration of the term of each officer, that person shall turn over
to the successor all files and property pertaining to the office, and receive
a receipt therefore.
ARTICLE 3: Board of Directors
(A) The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice-Presidents,
Secretary and/or Treasurer, Trustee, Director of Disaster and Emergency
Response, Hamfest Director, Education Director, and the Immediate Past
President. The President of the Club shall serve as Chairman of the Board
of Directors, and the Club Secretary shall serve as Secretary of the Board.
The immediate Past President shall serve as an ex-officio member of the
Board of Directors.
(B) All power and authority of the Club shall be vested in the Board of
Directors, which shall assume responsibility for the Club's adherence to
the provisions of the bylaws. The Board shall hold regular meetings to
establish policy and to supervise normal operations. Half the members of
the Board of Directors constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.
Elected Board members have one vote, except for the President, who
shall vote only in the event of a tie.
RACK BYLAWS –
Page 5
ARTICLE 4: MEETINGS AND VOTING
(A) At any meeting of the membership, ten percent (10%) of the members
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board of
Directors is authorized to establish procedures for proxy or mail ballots.
(B) Regular monthly meetings shall be held at such time and place as
shall be designated by the President.
(C) The Nominating Committee for the election process will be comprised
of the immediate past club president (if unable to serve, a past club
president shall be appointed), who will act as the chairperson, and two
RACK club members appointed by the current club President.
Nominations for each office will be announced one month prior to the
election and additional nominations may be made from the floor prior to
the election. Election shall be by simple majority of the members present
and voting.
ARTICLE 5: DUES
(A) The Board of Directors may levy on the membership such dues or
assessments as shall be deemed necessary for operation of the Club.
(B) Regular annual dues of Full and Associate Members are hereby
assessed and are due and payable at the regular January meeting each
year. Dues in arrears more than one quarter of the year shall cause
automatic loss of membership.
(C) Dues shall be prorated on a monthly basis for all new members
accepted after February. Failure to pay Club dues within 120 days after
the January due date will result in loss of membership. Membership can
be reinstated by payment of all dues in arrears; however, after 24 months,
an application for membership as described in Article 1 (F) will be
necessary to become reinstated as a Club member. If a member has
formally resigned, only a request in writing and payment of the current
year’s dues will be necessary to re-join the Club. Family membership
dues shall be one and one half times the annual dues for an individual Full
Member. Dues are waived for Honorary Members.
RACK BYLAWS –
Page 6
ARTICLE 6: RULES OF ORDER
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order,
newly revised, shall govern the Club in all cases to which they are
applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and
any special rules of order the Club may adopt.
ARTICLE 7: AMENDMENTS
Proposals for the amendment of these Bylaws shall be announced to the
membership then shall be discussed and voted on at the next meeting.
Adoption of an amendment shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds
of the members present at the meeting at which the vote is taken.
(Last amended August 18, 2022)