The local radio club is where the newcomer begins the journey of discovery and the seasoned veteran keeps informed of the latest technology. Regardless of where we are on our ham radio journey our local radio club is where we find our friends. The term "Elmer" means someone who provides personal guidance and assistance to would-be hams. The term first appeared in QST in a March 1971 "How's DX" column by Rod Newkirk, W9BRD (now also VA3ZBB). Newkirk called them "the unsung fathers of Amateur Radio."

Stockton-Delta Amateur Radio Club, the Manteca Amateur Radio Club and the Lodi Amateur Radio Club want to help teach new hams how to get started and offer this "personal guidance".

These sessions are an opportunity for the new ham to learn and discover some of the many opportunities there are in Amateur Radio to "find your world" and give the new ham just the chance to ask questions and get on the air.

The class is structured with a 50-minute "classroom" session in the morning, 4 50-minute break-out sessions follow for the morning; lunch for an hour, then 4 50-minute break-out sessions in the afternoon. Students can pick two sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon. Break-out sessions include: Setting up an HF station, Intro to CW, digital modes, NTS, Operating, Picking your Radio Club, Programming and using HTs, Principles of Radio Frequency radiation, Using Anderson Power poles, building simple antennas and antenna theory, contesting, chasing DX, Intro to Morse Code and HF operating.

Attendees may select those sessions which are of most interest to them.