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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Board Meeting Minutes 11/13/2012
HCRA Board of Directors Meeting November 13th, 2012 Location: West Springfield, MA Time: 7:00 PM Present: KK1W, KB1NWH, N1MFL, AA1YW, N1FJ, N1KXR, W1MJB, Kx1x OFFICER REPORTS Vice President – KB1NWH KX3 Raffle Progress – Trailer is registered for 2013, registration and sticker given to Kx1x to put on trailer. KX3 raffle sales: Sep 35, Oct…
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Board Meeting Minutes January 8, 2013
January 8, 2013 HCRA Board Meeting Minutes [In the future, HCRA Board Meeting Minutes will be posted on HCRA.org and will not be published in Zero Beat] The meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM by the President (Jim, KK1W). Absent: Kx1x. VP Report (Ed, KB1NWH) Raffle update: 120 tickets left. Drawing will be…
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Board Meeting Minutes 08/26/2012
HCRA Meeting Minutes 8-26-2012 Officer Reports Vice President – KB1NWH not present due to illness Report – KY1T Camper has been cleaned.Field Day worked out well in it. It also doubled as a shelter during times of inclement weather. Treasurer’s Report – AA1YW Current Financial report – (To include Dufresne Park refund and all incomes/expenditures…
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Holiday Party Tickets
Greetings, I hope that all is well with you and yours and that you have enjoyed the rather pleasant transition from the Indian summer into the colder fall weather, a chilling prelude to yet another New England winter; but, at least there is the bonus of increased sunspot activity and the phenomenal HF activity experienced…
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November Zero Beat has “hit the streets“
This month’s meeting is only a few days away. Take a look at the latest Zero Beat so you can be up to date on what our members our doing. Be sure to come early to the meeting for Tech Corner with Bob/K1YO. This month’s subject is magnetic loop antennas. Don’t know what they are?…
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Fox Hunt Coming Soon – Sun, Nov 3rd – BE THERE!
That’s right folks, time to break out your RDF equipment because there will be a fox loose on Sunday, November 3rd, 2013. When: Sunday, Nov 3rd Where: Forest Park, Rt.5 Picknelly Field (RT. 5 Enterence To Forest Park @ Indian Sculpture) Columbus Ave, Springfield, MA 01106 Starts at 2pm and should last a couple hours.…
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2013 H.C.R.A./M.T.A.R.A Holiday Party
Directions/Map to the Steaming Tender [google-map-v3 width=”600″ height=”350″ zoom=”12″ maptype=”roadmap” mapalign=”center” directionhint=”false” language=”default” poweredby=”false” maptypecontrol=”true” pancontrol=”true” zoomcontrol=”true” scalecontrol=”true” streetviewcontrol=”true” scrollwheelcontrol=”false” draggable=”true” tiltfourtyfive=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkerlist=”28 Depot Street Palmer, MA 01069{}barbecue.png{}Steaming Tender” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”]
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A message about our “Annual Auction“
The former HCRA auction, usually held the first Friday of November at the Feeding Hills Congregational Church is NO LONGER BRING HELD. A combination of change of meeting location and the shrinking of vendors/buyers has led us to this decision Many thanks to all the vendors and buyers who had fun over the years. Jim/KK1W
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WRTC Equipment Sale – UPDATED!
WRTC EQUIPMENT SALE – October Update NEWS FLASH – The Honda Generators are *** SOLD OUT *** We are only one month into the sale and already half the Honda generators and almost half of the coax have been purchased! How cool is that? Unfortunately this also means if you’re contemplating purchasing a generator or…
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Next HCRA Meeting–Indoor Tailgate Party
In lieu of a tailgate party in the parking lot, we are going to have a small-scale flea market at our October 4th meeting at the Auxiliary Conference Center at the Holyoke Medical Center. As long as space permits, we will allot up to 12 square feet of table space to each club member that…