Welcome!

See below for the latest blog posts and news about our activites and events. You can also follow the links above for more information about specific aspects of the club. If you’re brand-new at all this, here’s an introduction to what the Hampden County Radio Association is all about.

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Latest Blog Posts


  • 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…


  • 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…


  • Show and Tell Meeting March 7th, 2014

    HCRA’s Show & Tell Meeting is less than TWO weeks away!  What are you bringing to Show and Tell? At HCRA’s annual show and tell meeting, members bring in projects they have either completed or have made progress on over the last year and give a short presentation to the membership. This is a great…


  • Zero Beat Deadline

    Deadline for Zero Beat’s March 2014 edition coming up! Please get articles, pictures to me by Wednesday, Feb. 26th or so! Thanks Frandy n1fj@arrl.net


  • The HCRA will be at the MTARA Hamfest, will you?

    On Saturday, March 1st, 2014, the Mount Tom Amateur Repeater Association will host its 26th annual Hamfest. This year it will be held at the Moose Family Center, 244 Fuller Rd, Chicopee, MA 01020. The annual MTARA Hamfest offers a good variety of commercial sellers, private sellers and amateur radio clubs. You’ll find new gear,…


  • Board Meeting Minutes 01/07/2014

    HCRA Board of Directors Meeting January 7th, 2014  Location: West Springfield, MA. The meeting was called to order at 7:16PM Present: KK1W, KB1NWH, AA1YW, K1YO, N1FJ, N1KXR   OFFICER REPORTS Vice President – KB1NWH Finished helping Dan/KB1VWQ with his tower project. Also helped Bob/K1YO and     Eric/W1MOR with tower/antenna installations Treasurer – AA1YW Current financial report:…


  • Helpful DXlabs Tip #2156.572

    Want to play in the ARRl Centennial QSO Party and work the W1AW/? stations? Every week they are in two different states. It’s easy using SpotCollettor. Simply program one of the eight SQL buttons to do the hard work for you. Never done it before, here’s an example using the “SQL 1” button: 1. Hold…


  • Massachusetts Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Plan

    The Federal Government has a guide to implement Amateur Radio in times of emergency, that guide is called the ‘Auxiliary Communications Field Operations Guide (AUXFOG). Likewise Massachusetts has it’s own guide, that guide is titled the ‘Massachusetts Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Plan’. In it’s introduction, the Massachusetts Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Plan states: “This plan…


  • Show & Tell Meeting – March 7th

    There are less than two months left before Hampden County Radio Association’s Annual Show & Tell meeting. During this meeting members bring in projects they have either completed or have made progress on over the last year and give a short presentation to the membership. This is a great opportunity to show others what you’ve…


  • Antenna Zoning Meeting Tonight

    Through rain, snow and FREEZING COLD tonight’s presentation by Fred/K1VR will go on as planned. Join us this evening for an interesting and informative discussion about the roadblocks you may encounter when installing an antenna or tower and methods to get around those impediments. Our guest speaker, Fred/K1VR, is an established author and a lawyer…