The latest copy of The Journal (April 2021) is now available online. You can see a list of all available online copies of The Journal here.
News
Back issues of the Journal (1976 onwards)
31st Mar 2021
Thanks to the good offices of Mike Tilby, the online collection of back issues of The Journal now goes back to 1976, and right up to the latest version hot off the press (April 2021). Many thanks to Mike for his work in scanning back copies which are now easily available to all of us via the web site.
The index to the list of available issues of The Journal is available HERE.
Site email problem and password reset
29th Mar 2021
Please note that we currently have a problem with email, which is not being sent out from our web site. In particular, this means that forum posts will not generate alerts to the author/subscribed members, and the password reset process is broken. Unfortunately, I cannot do anything about the first of these but if you have forgotten your password and need it to be reset (I cannot tell you what your old password was – I can only reset it) then please send an email to webmaster@sm-ee.co.uk and I shall do this for you.
The email problem has been reported to the web site hosting company who are trying to resolve it as it is something outside our control.
SMEE activities and the Covid-19 situation
8th Jan 2021
Please note that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, all General Meetings, Rummage Sales and other meetings at Marshall House are currently suspended. Society General Meetings are online. Details are posted in the Calendar as they become available. For security reasons, Zoom links will be sent via e-mail.
Because of Tier 4 restrictions, the workshops are also closed. Online meetings of the Digital Group and Engine Builders’ Groups are continuing as normal.
Further information will be posted on the “Events” page as it becomes available.
SMEE website email issue resolved
1st Dec 2020
We believe that recent issues with the web site and email (for example, for password resets and alerts for new forum entries) have now been fixed. There was a configuration issue with the hosting company infrastructure which took time to track down.
Please contact me directly if you have any issues with the web site as I am not always able to see these myself and rely on members to report them.
Brian Neale
SMEE Webmaster
SMEE website - poor performance resolved
30th Sep 2020
I believe that the problems causing the web site to be very slow have now been resolved. However, if you have any issues with performance, I would be grateful if you could report them to me at webmaster@sm-ee.co.uk.
Thank you,
Brian Neale
SMEE Webmaster
WARNING - fake "SMEE" emails
9th Jun 2020
I have had reports from several members that they have received emails which mention “SMEE” in the Subject: line, usually with mention of a general meeting presentation topic or similar. However, the “Sender” address is unknown to the recipient, and the addresses that I have seen have nothing to do with SMEE members.
I cannot see any obvious connection between these emails and the SMEE website, and the most likely explanation is that a SMEE member, or possibly a non-SMEE member who has a number of SMEE members in their email contact list, has had their email hacked and a copy of their contact list taken. How or when is impossible to tell. Scammers will then use these email addresses to send emails which either have malicious content, or which have pointers to web sites containing malicious code and encourage the reader to click on the link.
The best advice for any email that you receive from an unknown source is to regard it as suspicious unless proved otherwise. In particular, do not click on any attachments in the email or on any links to other web sites unless you are confident that you know the real sender of the email. You can also report suspicious emails to the National Cyber Security Centre; more information on how to spot and deal with suspicious emails is available from their web site here.
Brian Neale
SMEE Webmaster
AnyMeeting and Video-conferencing - a How-to guide
23rd Mar 2020
SMEE uses the AnyMeeting software application to allow members to participate in video-conferences and online meetings.
To find out how to join an online meeting in SMEE, please go to this page for more information.
We look forward to seeing you online!
Coronavirus and Marshall House
17th Mar 2020
As you are no doubt aware, Covid-19 (AKA Coronavirus) is causing some changes in the way we live. Current advice from the UK government is to restrict large gatherings, but it is very likely that the government will take the decision to make ‘self isolation’ of everyone over 70 compulsory. Currently they are saying ‘within weeks’ and for up to 12 weeks.
Even before this announcement, the SMEE Council had debated the effect this virus will have on meetings held in Marshall House. Although the Kemsley Room will only hold about 60 members (and therefore could not be classified as a large gathering), we are nearly all in the vulnerable age range. We also sit quite close together and these are ideal conditions for the virus to spread. Many people come to Marshall House via public transport, which is a potential source of infection. Even one case of the virus in the room would then require all of us to self-isolate for 14 days and a deep clean of Marshall House would be necessary.
With this in mind, the SMEE Council has reluctantly decided to postpone the lecture programme, rummage sales, courses and other meetings until further notice. We will offer money back to students that have pre-paid for SMEE Courses or, if they prefer, a place when we next run it.
For the moment the Workshop Group will continue to operate, but is likely to be restricted to members under 70 and in good health.
Council will still meet, but they will do this on-line via AnyMeeting. Any important decisions will be communicated vie email, the SMEE website and The Journal.
Members are reminded that they can still communicate with each other via the website ‘forum’ facility. Think of this as a temporary replacement for the Marshall House tearoom!
These are extraordinary times and call for extraordinary measures. The overriding priority is to protect our membership and keep them safe.
Stay healthy and vigilant.
[This message has been posted on behalf of the Chairman and Directors of SMEE]
SMEE Competition results
14th Jan 2020
We now have an area of the web site dedicated to reports of SMEE competitions. The results of the 2019 Annual Competition, along with pointers to notes on the models concerned, can be found via this page. Congratulations to all competition entrants and especially prize-winners. Even if you were not awarded a prize, there’s a good chance that your entry on display has put ideas into the heads of other members and maybe will inspire them to enter next year!