Welcome to the Orpington Astronomical Society Forum!

[Rick]

We welcome anyone who has an interest in astronomy to join our forum, whether or not they are also members of the O.A.S. However, we get quite a few "spammers" and other trouble makers trying to register here, so we do have a few small hurdles prospective users will need to negotiate. When you register as a forum user:

• Please choose an appropriate name, one which gives us at least half a chance of figuring out who you are!
• You must use a valid email address at which you can receive email, or you will be unable to validate your user ID here!^*1
• Submit your registration request and wait for an email containing your activation code to arrive.
• When it does, use the code to activate your ID. You will then be able to log in.

^*1 If you get a message indicating you are not permitted to register, then visit our main website, and use the memnership application form to request an account.

Once you have logged in for the first time, please post at least one message to say "Hi!" to the rest of us in this "Introductions" forum. If you are a member of the OAS, please mention the fact in your introduction so that the administrators can move you into the appropriate group. Until they do this you will only be able to participate in this forum.

Please also consider adding a little information to your profile:

• Please give your location more accurately than just by country, state or county. Your nearest town or village is sufficient.
• Please don't add a website to your profile initially. Add one later, if you wish, once we know who you are. (Most spammers seem to be trying to plug websites...)

Once you've posted your introduction and updated your profile you'll have been noticed by the administrators. Assuming you pass muster, one of them will move you into an appropriate group (usually either "Non-OAS" or "O. A. S."), and it'll show up under your name. You will then be able to participate in discussions elsewhere on the forum.

New users, please remember:

Until you have posted a message in this section to introduce yourself you will not be able to post anywhere else, nor (if you're an OAS member) see the members-only sections of the forum.

To start a new discussion topic :
Go to the index of the forum section to which you wish to add your discussion, and click on NEW TOPIC in the row of links at the top or bottom of the list of discussion topics.
Then write your message and make sure you click the "Post" button when you're done. The "Preview" button just shows you what your message might look like if it were posted.

To reply to a current discussion:
Click on REPLY in the row of links at the top or bottom of the discussion, or click on Quote next to the heading of a particular post.

Now please go and click on the NEW TOPIC link in this section's index and introduce yourself.

If you choose not to introduce yourself then your ID will probably vanish sooner or later, when the admins are feeling like doing some tidying up. Chances are they'll just skim through the member list for folks who've never posted anything and not logged in for a while...

[Rick]

Sorry user/guest, you are banned from using this forum!

We have, unfortunately, had to apply some restrictions to forum access, mainly to keep spammers out. If you fall foul of these restrictions and you think you have a good case for being allowed access then please visit the Society's main website and you'll find a way there to contact us.

Password incorrect - user

This is usually a typing problem. Things like caps-locks and num-lock may be getting in the way. Remember, passwords are case-sensitive.

[Rick]

• Submit your registration request and wait for an email containing your activation code to arrive.
• When it does, use the code to activate your ID. You will then be able to log in.

If you tried to register an account and have received a rejection email, or simply have not received an activation email and find your chosen username is not recognised by the forum, then you've probably fallen into one or other of our spammer-blocking traps. Please then:

• Review the top post in this thread to see whether you missed something important.
  
  
• Use the Membership link on our main website to introduce yourself and request a forum username.

Please note: You do not have to join the Society in order to join the forum, but we do like to know who our forum members are.