CQ CQ CQ — amateur radio mentorship
Every new ham deserves an Elmer.
An Elmer is the amateur radio tradition of one operator mentoring another. TavaOne Education pairs newcomers with experienced operators, walks you from curiosity to your first contact, and keeps you on the air long after license day.
The Tradition
What's an Elmer?
The term dates to the 1970s — a nod to the patient, experienced operators who quietly help newcomers get started. The radio is easy. Knowing what to do with it is the part a good Elmer makes effortless.
Get on the air
Your first contact is nerve-wracking. An Elmer is on frequency with you, talking you through your first QSO until calling CQ feels like second nature.
Pass the exam
Technician, General, or Extra — study with someone who has already walked the path and can explain the why behind every question-pool answer.
Build & troubleshoot
Antennas, coax, SWR, grounding, digital modes. Skip the weeks of forum-diving — ask the person who has already made the mistakes.
STEM Education
The Pinellas STEM Radio Lab at Balance Gaming
Amateur radio is hands-on STEM you can actually touch — electronics, physics, geography, and digital communication in one hobby. Hosted at Balance Gaming in Pinellas County, the lab opens that world to students, adult learners, veterans, and first responders — with open access for those who'd otherwise never get the chance, the space to learn the theory, and the gear to put it on the air the same day.
Presentation area
Balance Gaming's tabletop area does double duty — plenty of seating and a big 75″ TV make it a ready-made space for STEM sessions, club talks, demos, and exam prep.
Radio room
The store's streaming room is being fitted with a custom radio desk and dedicated radios — a real station where learners go from lesson to live, on-air contacts.
We prepare students for their license, then refer them to a local club to test — amateur radio license exams are always free.
Programs
Hands-on radio programs
Structured, partner-backed programs that take learners from first spark to real credentials — starting with Scouting, and growing from there.
Radio Merit Badge · Boy Scouts of America
A complete program to help Scouts earn the BSA Radio merit badge — from the science behind radio to real time on the air — with a registered merit badge counselor on hand to review and sign off. Scouts get on the air under a dedicated BSA club call sign, sponsored by the Gulf Coast Contest Club (GCCC).
Bring a program to your group
Troops and packs, schools, libraries, veteran groups, and clubs — we'll build a hands-on radio and STEM session tailored to your members.
Start a program →Structured Paths
Learning tracks
Self-paced curricula, each paired with an Elmer check-in at every milestone.
Zero to Technician
From "what's a repeater?" to a passed exam. The fastest path onto the air.
- RF safety & FCC rules
- VHF/UHF operating practices
- Reading the question pool with confidence
- Help booking your exam session with a local club
HF & the General ticket
Open up the HF bands and reach across the country — and the world.
- Propagation & band planning
- Antenna theory that actually sticks
- Your first HF station on a budget
- SSB, CW, and digital basics
POTA & field operating
Take the radio outdoors. Parks On The Air is the friendliest on-ramp to real operating.
- Portable power & antennas
- Activating your first park
- On-air logging in the field
- Hunting & park-to-park contacts
Digital modes
FT8, FT4, JS8 and beyond — make contacts when the bands sound dead.
- WSJT-X setup, start to finish
- Sound card & CAT interfacing
- Decoding the waterfall
- PSKReporter & spotting
Sponsors & Partners
Help us put Pinellas on the air
The Pinellas STEM Radio Lab turns curiosity into capability — teaching real STEM skills and licensing a new generation of amateur radio operators who serve their neighbors when it matters most. We reach students, adult learners, veterans, and first responders across Pinellas County, keeping access open to those who need it. Your support builds it.
What your support builds
- A custom radio desk and dedicated radios for the station
- Antennas and RF gear for HF, VHF/UHF, and digital modes
- Study materials and hands-on lab kits for every class
- Demo and test equipment so students learn by doing
Support goes entirely to the tools we teach with. Exams are free and license fees are the participant's own — we don't charge for either.
Become a sponsor or partner
We welcome equipment donors, financial sponsors, grant partners, and volunteer Elmers. Sponsors are recognized on-site at the lab and here on our site.
TavaOne Education, Inc. is a Florida nonprofit corporation with a 501(c)(3) application pending. Until our exemption is recognized, contributions are not yet tax-deductible — we'll update this the moment that changes.
Keep Going
Resources
Hand-picked references our Elmers point newcomers to again and again.