Hampden County Radio Association

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

ARRL Special Service Club Logo.
ARRL Affiliated Club Logo

Latest Blog Posts

  • Jamboree on the Air – 2012

    The Hampden County Radio Association sponsors BSA Venture Crew 510 and this Venture Crew specializes in Amateur Radio. Put Boy Scouts and Amateur Radio together and you get not only learning and fun. You get Jamboree on the Air! Held on the third full weekend of October each year, Jamboree on the Air, or JOTA…

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  • Ham Radio License Plates

    Looking out over the pool of cars at the local Ham Club’s meeting, or across the ocean of cars at a regional Ham-fest, one can’t help but notice one thing. “Antennas!” you call out. Well yeah, you’re right there. So, let me back up and say there are two things one can’t help but notice…

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  • Links From Last Nights Meeting

    These are the links from last nights meeting about RTTY and RTTY Contesting By: Tom Homewood, W1TO www.rttycontesting.com www.aa5au.com/rtty.html www.n1mm.com http://hamsoft.ca www.yccc.org

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  • October Silent Auction Items

    As promised, the Silent Auction is returning and will be at the October 5th meeting. We’ve got a few items all set to go and a few ‘possibles’ in the wings. Here’s what we have for sure: 1. Bencher BY-2 Chrome Iambic Paddles – like new condition – starting bid = $20.00 2. Box of…

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  • Next HCRA Meeting Friday, October 5, 2012

    Tom Homewood, W1TO, will be the featured speaker at Hampden County Radio Association’s monthly meeting this Friday, October 5, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. Learn about RTTY station setup and contesting and have your questions ready!  This will be a joint meeting of the Western Massachusetts Area of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club and HCRA where new members will be eligible to…

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  • October Zero Beat is live, on the web and in your email box

    This Friday, October 5th! Club meeting featuring Tom Homewood/W1TO, silent auction, KX3 raffle and more. Read all about the meeting, upcoming raffles and more in the October issue of Zero Beat. Once again Frandy has put together an interesting issue of HCRA and local interest. Enjoy!

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  • From the Shack – October 2012

    What’s that ‘funny noise’ on 14.085 MHz? If you’re tuning around the bands and come across some signals that sound like “beedley, beedley, beedley” you may have stumbled across a radio teletype transmission. Not exactly sure what that “beedley” sound is? Here’s what it sounds like – rtty (hint, click rtty) Usually abbreviated RTTY, it…

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  • Tablets and Amateur Radio

    This is my first article covering tablet computers and the apps they provide for amateur radio. In this first article I will look at the two main platforms, Apple’s IOS and Google’s Android. Apple’s OS revolves mainly around two devices, the Iphone and Ipad. Both will utilize the same applications. But Apple has many more…

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  • Re-Up, Re-Up, Wherever You Are.

    Our 2012/2013 season started on September 1st and thanks go out to all of you who renewed your membership for another year. However some of you have yet to take that quick moment to get your own renewals taken care of. It’s fast, it’s easy, and can be done by mail or in person at…

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  • SOTA jerks are on the road again

    (In a deep loud voice) SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY September 30th 2012 the jerks are heading out to a place unactivated.  That’s right,  We are heading to Burley Hill W1/MR-002.  Showtime will be 1600Z.  Modes CW, FM, SSB, and new to this activation PSK31.  Frequencies 7.034, 14.061 CW 7.190, 21.333, 14.3425 SSB depending on propagation, look…

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