Join the OARC

Welcome to the Ottawa Amateur Radio Club! We are a welcoming community of Amateur Radio enthusiasts who share a passion for communication, exploration, and learning.

Whether you are a seasoned Amateur Radio operator (a “ham”) or just getting started, we embrace members from all backgrounds and experiences. Here, everyone is valued for their unique perspective and love for the hobby. Join us as we connect, learn, and grow together, fostering a supportive environment where all voices—both on air and off—are heard and respected. We are excited to have you with us!

Purchase a new OARC membership

Click here to join today!

This button takes you to Zeffy, the secure, Canadian online payment system. Learn more1.

Renew an existing OARC membership 

The best way to renew an existing OARC membership is to wait for our membership-renewal reminder email, which you will receive 30 days before your membership expires. Then, just follow the instructions in that email. Learn more by reading our membership FAQs below. 

Membership fees and discounts

TypeDescriptionFee
RegularRegular membership$25
Family Add-onThe $5 Family Add-on Membership covers a second person at the same address as a valid regular member. Create a second membership account for the family member, select the $5 membership, and enter the name of the regular member in the field for that during the payment process.$5
YouthUnder 19 years old$15
New hamNew hams (having passed the ISED exam within the past 12 months) are entitled to a free one-year membership. Please email membership@oarc.net for a discount code.$0

OARC newsletter: We do not automatically subscribe you to our newsletter so click here to visit the OARC Newsletter page where you can subscribe and see past issues.

At the OARC, we love our name tags!

Name tags make it easier to meet people and start conversations—no awkward “What was your name again?” moments. They help everyone feel more included, especially at bigger events or when there are new faces. Please wear your OARC name tag at all OARC Club activities and Community Events, or if you are taking an OARC course, or participating in a workshop. For more information about getting a name tag, please click the FAQ below: How do I get an OARC name tag?

Membership FAQs

To renew an existing membership, please wait to receive our membership-renewal reminder email. To pay for a new membership, click this link, which goes to our online payment system, Zeffy.

The OARC uses Zeffy to manage membership and other payments. Zeffy is a secure, zero-fee, Canadian online payment system for non-profit organizations. It provides maximum security for you as none of your membership or payment details are kept on the OARC website. You will be asked for a donation to Zeffy, but this is optional. Whether you donate or not, OARC is not charged a fee.

The easiest and best way to renew your OARC membership is to wait for our membership-renewal reminder email, which you will receive 30 days before your membership expires. Then, just follow the instructions in that email.

There are three ways to know the expiry date of your OARC membership:

1. A reminder email will be sent to you

Thirty (30) days before your membership expires, Zeffy (our online payment system) will send you a reminder email that includes your expiry date. This email will go to the email address you used when you paid for your membership previously. You will receive this reminder even if you have enabled an automatic membership-renewal payment (auto renewal).

2. Find the confirmation email you received when you paid previously

You can also see your membership expiry date anytime using the email you received when you paid for your membership previously. The email has the subject line “OARC Membership” and it contains a button labeled “Download Membership Card”. Click the button to see your membership card, which has an “Issued on” date. Your membership is valid for one year after the “Issued on” date.

3. Activate your Zeffy account

If you can’t find that email, you can click this link to activate your Zeffy account, using the same email address you used to pay for your membership previously. Once inside your Zeffy account, you’ll see your OARC membership payment on the transaction list. Under “download e-ticket”, you’ll find your membership card, which has an “Issued on” date. Your membership is valid for one year after the “Issued on” date.

There are three ways to see if you have set up an auto renewal or to make changes to it:

1. Reminder email will be sent to you

If you set up an automatic renewal, then thirty (30) days before your membership expires, Zeffy (our online payment system) will send you a reminder email confirming that your card will be charged in 30 days. The footer of that email has this link to Zeffy. Click that link and log in, using the same email address you used to pay for your membership previously. Once inside your Zeffy account, you’ll see your OARC membership payment on the list of payments. The button with the word “Yearly” on it indicates that you have set up automatic renewal. A button with the word “Succeeded” indicates that you made a one-time payment and did not set up automatic renewal. To make changes to your automatic renewal, such as updating the amount or the payment method (e.g., change credit card number or update expiry date), or to stop the automatic renewal, click the “Yearly” button.

2. Find the confirmation email you received when you paid previously

You can see if you signed up for an auto renewal anytime using the email you received when you paid for your membership previously. The email has the subject line “OARC Membership” and inside it will say “This is an annual recurring payment….”, if you signed up for that. This email contains a link to activate your Zeffy account, using the same email address you used to pay for your membership previously. Once inside your Zeffy account, you’ll see your OARC membership payment on the list of payments. The button with the word “Yearly” on it indicates that you have set up automatic renewal. To make changes to your automatic renewal, such as updating the amount or the payment method (e.g., change credit card number or update expiry date), or to stop the auto renewal, click the “Yearly” button.

3. Activate your Zeffy account

If you can’t find that email, you can click this link to activate your Zeffy account, using the same email address you used to pay for your membership previously.  Once inside your Zeffy account, you’ll see your OARC membership payment on the list of payments. The button with the word “Yearly” on it indicates that you have set up automatic renewal. A button with the word “Succeeded” indicates that you made a one-time payment and did not set up automatic renewal. To make changes to your automatic renewal, such as updating the amount or the payment method (e.g., change credit card number or update expiry date), or to stop the auto renewal, click the “Yearly” button

Yes, if you added a donation to Zeffy to your previous membership purchase, and you also set up an auto renewal, the donation will be included in the recurring payment. 

If you prefer not to make this additional donation to Zeffy, you have two options to change it:

1. A reminder email will be sent to you

If you set up an auto renewal that included a donation to Zeffy, then thirty (30) days before your membership expires, Zeffy (our online payment system) will send you a reminder email. This email will include a link to make changes to your auto renewal. 

2. Activate your Zeffy account

You can click this link to activate your Zeffy account, using the same email address you used to pay for your membership previously.  Once inside your Zeffy account, you’ll see your OARC membership payment on the transaction list. To remove the donation to Zeffy from your auto renewal, you will need to cancel your current auto renewal and create a new one for the membership amount ($25) only.

  • All current OARC members should have their name tag already.
  • If your name tag was lost or damaged, you can order a replacement for $20 by clicking: Order an OARC name tag. This link takes you to Zeffy, our online payment system.

New hams (having passed the ISED exam within the past 12 months) are eligible for a FREE one-year OARC membership (value: $25) and FREE name tag (value: $20). New hams can contact membership@oarc.net for a discount code, then follow these two steps (these are two separate transactions):

  1. Click Join the OARC and use the discount code to get your FREE one-year OARC membership.
    • Next year, 30 days before your OARC membership expires, you will receive a reminder email with a link to pay for your next membership.
    • You will have the option to set up automatic renewal at that time and we hope you will. Automatic renewal lessens the administrative burden on you and on the Club.
  2. Click Order an OARC name tag and use the same discount code to get your free name tag. You will be asked to enter your call sign and your first name, as you would like them to appear on your name tag.

Your annual membership fee goes towards the following types of expenses:

  • Maintenance and upgrades of OARC radio-communications equipment, including repeaters and antennas, radios, tools, kits, and go kits;
  • Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) insurance, which protects you from liability during club events and when you are operating on your own at home or out and about (some conditions apply) Note: Only members in good standing are covered by RAC insurance;
  • Monthly club meeting expenses such as room rental, audio-visual technology, refreshments; and
  • IT and web expenses, such as web hosting and maintenance.
  1. The OARC uses Zeffy to manage membership and other payments. Zeffy is a secure, zero-fee Canadian online payment system for non-profit organizations. It provides maximum security for you as none of your membership or payment details are kept on the OARC website. You will be asked for a donation to Zeffy, but this is optional. Whether you donate or not, OARC is not charged a fee. ↩︎

Last Updated on 2026-01-15 by Joannadanna