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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FCARC Needs Volunteers for Bridge of Flowers 10K road race
From: Al Woodhall (N1AW) The Bridge of Flowers 10K road race takes place in Shelburne Falls on Saturday August 10. The Franklin County ARC will be providing communications. We welcome additional volunteers. To sign up contact Chris, KB1NEK, (413) 625-0344, e-mail camyers_1@verizon.net. Radio operators should arrive by 7:30, at the alley next to Baker’s Pharmacy…
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short FD follow up
I would like to thank every one that participated in any and all ways in FD. This was a new adventure for us. New location, new set-up, new people. We had a great time. There was some mistake made but, hey, were are only amateurs. The set up crew was awesome, the operating crew was…
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VE3DVY Video: Introduction to N1MM Logger and ARRL Field Day
I found this little gem that VE3DVY put together on Field Day and using N1MM: This video is a great introduction to logging with N1MM. It only goes over using N1MM while logging and leaves out all the N1MM configuration info that you don’t need to know for field day. If it still seems too…
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HCRA Invades Agawam
T minus 4 days and counting. Agawam residents should be on the look out for Amateur Radio operators. They look like normal people, dress like normal people, but have a language all their own. Some speak in code (CW), Some in Digital ( RTTY, PSK), Even the words they use(CQ, 59 WMA, 73). Here is…
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2013/2014 Election Results
Say hello to your new board of directors! At the June 7th meeting our club elected (or re-elected) a new board. This new board holds their first meeting on June 11th and their term will expire in June 2014. With regret we say goodbye to Marty/W1MJB. Marty has served HCRA for many years and in…
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Indoor Tailgate Party Tonight!
Aren’t you glad we decided to hold it INDOORS this year! Table space is free, bring your stuff and have fun. Please, no PC’s, monitors, printers – you get the idea. First come gets the best spots! Suggested donation to HCRA for helping you sell your stuff – 10% Raffle tickets go on sale for the…
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Yaesu FT-857D for only $10?
How would you like to add a Yaesu FT-857, all mode, 160 through 70cm rig to your mobile or home shack? It’s easy; you can either pick up the phone, call HRO and order one (and plunk down almost a kilobuck) OR — buy a $10 raffle ticket at the next HCRA meeting. We are…
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HCRA Field Day makes local paper
[google-map-v3 width=”350″ 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=”42.073651,-72.593356{}cablecar.png{}School Street Park” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”] Well looks like the advertising campaign for FD 2013 has gotten under way. We also have gotten a pencil in visit from the mayor of Agawam. Great bonuses…
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Next HCRA Meeting- Indoor Tailgate Party
In lieu of a tailgate party in the parking lot in Feeding Hills, Hampden County Radio Association is going to have a small-scale flea market on June 7 at the Holyoke Medical Center Auxiliary Conference Center. As space permits, we will allot about 12 square feet of table space to each club member that wants…
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Heathkit – is it coming back?
Steve/N1SR forwarded me a link to an article in the EDN Network magazine that indicates there is a chance Heathkit may be returning to the kit business? For us old-timers just the word “Heathkit” brings back memories of kit building, a chance to build something for the station you couldn’t afford otherwise and of course…