I'll try to describe how the process should be working:
1) You click the "Sign up" link to sign-up for the forum, and enter your name, email address, city, country, password (2x to verify the password) and the security code (to help prevent automated spam software from signing up).
2) The forum sends an email to the address you provided during the sign-up process. This email contains a link to activate the account.
3) You should click the link in the email to activate the account. This will take you to the "Sign in" page where you can enter your username & password to sign in.
4) Once signed in, you should be able to post & reply.
If you do not receive the activation email from the forum, your spam filters may be putting it in the Junk folder of your email account/client. You should check there to see if the email has arrived. You *must* click the link in the email from the forum or you won't be able to sign in (this is to prevent spammers/trolls from signing up with fake email addresses).
I notice that Rebecca & Dennis Swan have signed up for the forum, but haven't activated your accounts. Is this because you haven't received the activation email, or did you just not click the activation link?
Also, according to the user database, Tod has *not* been recorded as a signed-up user. If you could try signing-up again and then activating your account, you *should* be able to access the forum.
Thanks again for being the "guinea pigs" for the new forum...things will get better, I promise