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


  • 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…


  • 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…


  • HCRA Ham Radio Film Festival???

    I would like to throw out an idea for a possible meeting topic next year and would like to hear other members’ opinions on it. The meeting would be a ham radio film festival and we would screen ham radio related film shorts produced by our members as well as a few from other sources.  …


  • New England QSO Party – May 4th & 5th

    From Tom/K1KI… The New England QSO Party is coming next weekend – May 4-5 – and we’ are always looking for more activity from Massachusetts. The NEQP is a great way to test your antennas on 80-10 meters and to be the focus of a lot of activity as stations from around the world look…


  • WB1Z wins “County Expedition Plaque” for NEQP 2012

    Arriving in the mail today was this beautiful plaque for our efforts during last year’s NEQP.             We’re going to be back there again this year and hope to bring HCRA home yet another award. Thanks to Frandy/N1FJ, Matt/W1MSW and of course Dave/AA1YW for providing a comfy shack in Windham…

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  • May Zero Beat is now available!

    Click here (saves time going to the Zero Beat archive page! Another good issue this month, please take the time to check out Frandy’s hard work. Thanks also to the authors submitting articles too! Friday’s meeting should be a good one. The weather is predicted to be perfect for takeing a tour of the MCU…


  • W. Brookfield Technician Class a Great Success!

    Today’s Technician class was what you would call an “unbridled success”. HCRA’s instructor group consisting of John/Kx1x, Nick/K1MAZ, Frandy/N1FJ, and myself along with VE help from Al/N1AW and Rich/N1KXR managed a 100% pass rate. At the end of the day seven new Technicians have joined our ranks. Adding to the success was Rob/N1NTE upgrading to…


  • Technician Class this Saturday – April 27th

    As previously reported John and I will be hosting a ‘One Day’ Technician Class this coming Saturday. More details about the class are here. Special thanks to all the folks that have volunteered to help with instruction – we’re really looking forward to your involvement. One thing missing was the time/location of the class as…


  • Get ready for the New England QSO Party May 4th & 5th.

    Tom/K1KI sent the message copied below. Please take a moment to read it and hopefully you will be QRV in NEQP this year. Don’t forget, HCRA sponsors a beautiful plaque for high score, single op, Hampden County. I’ll bet it would look nice on the wall in YOUR shack! Here’s Tom’s message: I hope everyone…


  • Help needed for Technician Class on April 27th

    Hey folks, John/Kx1x and I are looking for help with a one-day Technician class to be held on April 27th, 2013. This was a small class planned as a ‘one-day’ intense session for a handful of students, but it has morphed into a twelve student extravaganza! Yep, the class consists of a dozen ‘highly motivated’…