(Approved August 8, 2017)

The following policies and requirements shall govern loans of club equipment to newly FCC-licensed amateur radio members of the Central Missouri Radio Association (CMRA). The purpose is to encourage on-the-air experience for new “hams” in the HF spectrum.

1. The equipment Borrower shall have a current General class or higher FCC amateur license.
2. The Borrower must be a dues paid member of the CMRA, with possible exceptions as decided by the Equipment Loan Committee.
3. The loan must be approved by a simple majority vote of regular members at a regular club meeting, providing a quorum is present.
4. The club’s Executive Board shall appoint 3 club members to an Equipment Loan Committee. The Committee shall appoint an Equipment Loan Trustee from its committee membership. The Equipment Loan Trustee is responsible for the administration of the loan program and for the equipment. The Equipment Loan Trustee should live in the Columbia area.
5. The Borrower will provide the club’s Equipment Loan Committee Trustee with contact information, including a mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address, as well as the physical address of the equipment location. The Borrower shall notify the Equipment Loan Trustee of any change of physical address within 15 days of moving.
6. A club member or members will volunteer to serve as Elmers (experienced amateur radio operators/mentors) and be assigned to every Borrower by the Equipment Loan Committee or Trustee. The Elmer assists the Borrower in setting up the equipment safely and provides help in operating, in antenna design, and other relevant help, as needed.
7. Equipment to be loaned will usually include a simple-to-operate, basic HF transceiver, a manual antenna tuner, a power supply, and a microphone. All information on loaned equipment will be recorded by the Equipment Loan Trustee, including manufacturer and model number, serial number, and condition, both before and at the end of the loan.
8. The period of the loan is for six (6) months. Renewal for another 6-month period is possible, based on the recommendation of the Elmer(s) and on evidence of sufficient use of the equipment, such as a QSO logbook or as pages similar in format to the format of the ARRL Logbook.
9. All loaned equipment needs to be available at any time for short-term club use. Such use could include Winter and June Field Days, emergencies, and other special uses as determined by the CMRA Executive Board.