Close-up of hands tuning a vintage aluminum dial on a glowing amateur transceiver, warm amber desk light, shallow depth of field, 35mm
Close-up of hands tuning a vintage aluminum dial on a glowing amateur transceiver, warm amber desk light, shallow depth of field, 35mm
Connect with an Elmer
W8UMD Licensing

Your path to the amateur bands.

You do not need a basement full of vintage gear to begin. The Treaty City Amateur Radio Association provides the personal mentorship and local testing to get you on-the-air.

How it works

Three steps to your license

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03

Connect with an Elmer

Take the local exam

Get on the air

We pair you with an experienced operator who guides you through the basic electronics and radio regulations at your own pace.

Our volunteer examiners host regular, friendly testing sessions right here in Greenville to secure your official FCC callsign.

Program your first handheld transceiver, join our weekly Monday night nets, and become an active part of the Darke County community.

Clear answers

Common questions answered

No expensive gear

What is elmering?

Why join W8UMD?

Many new operators start with a simple twenty-dollar handheld radio. We provide access to club repeaters and shared station equipment.

An Elmer is simply a mentor. Our members have decades of combined experience and love helping newcomers navigate amateur frequencies.

Your membership keeps our local repeater infrastructure operational and connects you to vital emergency communication networks.

Get started

Start your radio journey

Whether you want to study for your technician license, find a mentor, or officially join the association, send us a message. Our local Greenville team will get back to you shortly.