Welcome!
Welcome to the website of the Hampden County Radio Association, or HCRA, a group of amateur radio operators (“hams”) in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts. The club has existed since the mid-1940s; the first newsletter we have on file is from September 1948. You can browse through it and the rest of the newsletter archive for a complete history of the club’s activities, but it’ll take you awhile.
HCRA has a long tradition of maintaining a diverse membership spanning a wide range of interests. Many of us are deeply involved in all kinds of HF communication, from CW and SSB to the latest digital modes. There are also members active in low power communications, in the microwaves, Parks on the Air (POTA), Emergency Communications, Summits on the Air (SOTA), project building and nearly every other aspect of this amazing hobby. There’s a place here for everyone.
The HCRA is an Affiliated Club and a Special Service Club with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association for amateur radio. Find out more about that on the ARRL New England Division web site.
Many of our club members are technical and build projects or help others with their questions and projects.
- A feature of membership is assistance for any question you may have, the club offers a specialist who can work with you at your level.
- If you chase DX, the QSL bureau costs $7 per group of cards plus a fee for the weight of the cards. The club offers a pooled QSL service for members, saving you a minimum of $7 every time you send cards through the ARRL DX QSL Bureau System.
- The club also lets members join the HCRA group on ClubLog. It’s a fun way to compete with your friends and their DX chasing accomplishments.
Whether you are a new ham who just earned a license or an old timer who’s been on the air for decades, there is something for you in the HCRA. Join the HCRA Facebook page and keep up with the daily goings on of the club and its members. Come join us at our monthly meeting and introduce yourself. We meet the first Friday of every month at the Holyoke Medical Center Auxiliary Conference Room.
I know I speak for the whole club in welcoming you to the HCRA. We look forward to meeting you. If you are not yet a ham, we can help you with that too.
73 and I hope to see you at the next meeting!
Alan Dove, AB1XW
HCRA President
Latest Blog Posts
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Next Ham Licensing Class Starts October 29
Do you want to get your amateur radio license, or know someone else who does? Great! The Western Mass Train and Test Group starts its next class October 29th, and they’re holding it entirely on Zoom. While the class is aimed mostly at local hams in western Massachusetts, you can join in from anywhere. The…
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September Meeting and Newsletter
Wow, where did the summer go? It’s almost September, which means it’s time for our newsletter, general meetings, and other club activities to start up again. A lot has been going on, and a lot more is coming up, so start by getting an update from the September issue of Zero Beat. On Friday, September…
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The #1 Newsletter in New England
At the Northeast Ham Xposition last weekend, our hardworking Zero Beat editor Ken, KD1KU, got some of the recognition he richly deserves: Zero Beat has been named the best ham radio club newsletter in New England in 2024! Congratulations, Ken! If you haven’t seen Zero Beat, be sure to check out our recent issues here.
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Field Day 2024: Fun Despite the Weather
The HCRA and the Franklin County Amateur Radio Club held our joint Field Day in School Street Park, Agawam, MA this past weekend. It was two days of fun, camaraderie, and displays of classic ham ingenuity and perseverance. Check out the gallery to relive the good times, or see what you missed if you weren’t…
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Field Day with HCRA
In just a few days, we’ll be setting up for our annual Field Day operation in School Street Park, Agawam. The HCRA station will be right behind the bandshell, north of the baseball diamond visible in the aerial image below. Setup starts at 13:00 EDT on Friday, June 21st. Field Day operation officially commences at…
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Next Ham Radio Licensing Class Starts June 18th
Do you want to get your amateur radio license, or know someone who does? The Western Massachusetts Train and Test Group is starting up another free Technician licensing session via Zoom next week. The first class is Tuesday, June 18 at 7pm EDT. For more information, see this post on the ARRL Western Massachusetts Section…