Hi
The best thing to do is log onto the forum, enter the chat room, and minimise it. When someone enters a chime sounds (leave you PC sound on). So all the time you are looking at the forum, you are also in the chatroom. You could always use the drop down at the top to see who's on-line, and send them a private message asking them to meet in there. We once had eight people in it, but it became a bit confusing!
People pop in it all the time. If you leave yourself in it - if you see what I mean - someone will usually show up, sooner or later. Quite often me.