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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HCRA Foxhunt – June 1st
Now that things are warming up in Hampden County, I think it’s time to have ourselves a Foxhunt. So dust off your direction finding equipment and make sure it works. With thanks to Larry, W1AST (ex WB1DBY), We had a decent turnout for our last foxhunt that took place in the fall of 2013. Jeff,…
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World Amateur Radio Day 2014
Quoted from the ARRL Website. ““Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless Communication” is the theme for World Amateur Radio Day 2014, Friday, April 18. Radio amateurs celebrate World Amateur Radio Day each year on April 18 to recognize the anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) in Paris in 1925. ARRL…
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Election Slate for 2014/2015 Announced!
All HCRA board members would like to extend a big “Thank You” to everyone that turned out for last night’s meeting and volunteered your skills and time to keep HCRA rolling along both now and in the future. It was refreshing to see long time and new members willing to add their skills to the…
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HCRA Inventory Reduction Sale!
It’s spring cleaning time in the HCRA Field Day trailer. We need to make room for the new equipment coming our way from the WRTC stations later this year. So….. Offered to HCRA members only at an unbelievable price are two (yes two!) 15 meter mono-band HF Yagi antennas. Both antennas are used but in…
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Treasurer’s Report – March 11, 2014
Income: WRTC: $290.25 Dues: $45.00 FT857 Raffle: $860.00 Hamfest Sales: $61.21 Total Income: $1256.46 Expenses None: $00.00 Total Expenses: $00.00 Starting Balance: $8410.49 Ending Balance: $9666.49 Net Income from FT857 Raffle: $910.00 Note: WRTC has a payable of $4000 by June 1st (balance on WRTC station purchases)
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Board Meeting Minutes – March 11, 2014
HCRA Board of Directors Meeting March 11th, 2014 Location: West Springfield, MA. The meeting was called to order at 7:13PM Present: KK1W, KB1NWH, AA1YW, N1FJ, N1KXR, W1MSW OFFICER REPORTS Vice President – KB1NWH More antenna installation with Eric/W1MOR Treasurer – AA1YW Current financial report: $9666.49 Status of WRTC Sales: $5713.00 sold to date Status of…
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Ham radio ops / Volunteers needed for Simulated Emergency.
From Bruce Fuller (KB1TLX): (As mentioned at HCRA’s past meeting (3/7/14)) The simulated emergency is based on the aftermath of a “tornado”. They are looking for patients/victims and well as radio operators. For anyone interested, the volunteers can operate on the “Tag Team” basis, meaning they can volunteer for what ever time they feel comfortable…
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Thanks to everyone that stopped by our table at the MTARA hamfest today!
A fun day at the hamfest. Thanks to everyone that stopped by to say hello, purchase some raffle tickets, join the club, pick up a few bargains and more. It was nice seeing many faces we had not seen since last year too! Congratulations to Frandy/N1FJ – winner of the Yeasu FT-857. I checked, it…
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Donations wanted for the HCRA table at the MTARA Hamfest!
HCRA will have a club table at this Saturday’s MTARA Hamfest in Chicopee, MA If you have an item or two you would like to donate please contact Jim/KK1W to make arrangements. Just like our old auction there are a few simple rules. 1. These are ‘donations’ – if you want to sell stuff you…
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Still looking for help at the MTARA hamfest this Saturday, March 1st
This request went out in the February issue of Zero Beat. To date I’ve only had one person ask, and he hasn’t been able to confirm his schedule. Time is getting short and the offer still holds. First person to commit to helping out this coming Saturday gets in free. It would really be nice…