Radio Clubs of Yesteryear

Introduction

Like people, radio clubs are born and eventually they die. It is only fitting that we take a moment to honor these Eastern MA clubs of yesteryear that have enriched our lives. 

1200 Radio Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1956-05-10
Last ARRL Affiliation Date:
1989-03-27
Club meetings:
Burlington at Honeywell Bull
Club contact:
N1BUB

The 1200 Radio Club was a company club located at the Honeywell complex in Billerica. It featured an HF “shack” and sponsored the 147.12 repeater in Billerica.  For years, the 1200 Radio Club, along with the Waltham Amateur Radio Association, sponsored the highly successful “Honeywell Auction.”  -Phil Temples, K9HI (May 1, 2018)

In August, 2021, the remaining members of the 1200 Radio Club voted to transfer ownership, and responsibility for operating and maintaining the repeater to MMRA. MMRA voted to accept the repeater. https://www.mmra.org/repeaters/BCA/

19-79 ARA

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1976-01-14
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1992-04-30
Club meetings: Chelsea at Burger King 85 Squire Rd
Club contact: K1VLK

Acton-Boxboro ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1979-04-21
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2001-09-05
Club meetings: Maynard at Acton/Boxboro High School
Club contact: KA1MWP

“Definitely closed. It was some time after 1995 after I moved away from the area, but  not sure exactly when. It met in Acton at Acton Boxboro High School, not Maynard. I still have a list of members if anyone is  interested.  73, Tony KX1G” (February 29, 2020)

Ashland Middle School ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1976-10-28
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1978-12-18
Club meetings: Ashland at
Club contact:

Avco ARA

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1978-11-19
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1986-03-12
Club meetings: Everett at Conference Room
Club contact: WW1E

Bedford Radio Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1953-11-20
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1985-03-11
Club meetings: Carlisle at club members’ QTH
Club contact:

Boston College ARC

Club meetings: Boston College, Chestnut Hill

The club’s callsign was W1PR. When the club trustee (unknown) did not renew the call, it passed to Paul Ryack (initials:  PR), in 1996.  He is the former W1ETH, of Brookline, MA. Paul is a physician in Santa Barbara, California, and a former station manager of the Harvard Wireless Club, W1AF. He is willing to join the BCARC when it is reinvigorated.  -Fred Hopengarten, K1VR (August 2, 2019)

Graduates of any faculty at BC are invited to email K1VR (Law ’70) with their present callsigns. He’s thinking of creating a “Friends of BC ARC.” -Fred Hopengarten, K1VR (January 31, 2019)

“I’ve been googling, and have found old articles in The Heights dating back to the 40s. One article says the club was founded in 1919. There was a station in Gasson Hall.” -Phil Temples, K9HI (May 1, 2018)

The Heights, October 18, 1946

Radio Club Needs Licensed Operators

“After a lapse of nearly five years, the official Boston College Radio Station W1PR went back on the air waves Monday, Oct. 7, at 5:58 p. m. Under the capable direction of the Faculty Moderator, Mr. Crowley, S.J., of the Physics Department, the Boston College Radio Club is now transmitting and receiving on a 10 meter band.

“Many points throughout the world have been contacted by this powerful station with the call of “W One Peter Roger.” Largest Club Around As usual the club is one of the largest extra-curricular activities in operation on the campus. Manned | and maintained by over 80 students the Radio Station will receive widespread recognition. Conspicuous in the work thus far are William Canty and John O’Neil, both licensed operators. At present there is a need of students with amateur radio operators’ licenses.

“The members will study radio theory, radio practice, and code. Code sessions attempt to work the students up to a speed of 13 words a minute, the qualifying code speed for an amateur license. Films are to be shown and seminars are to be conducted in the near future. At last Friday’s informal meeting, President John O’Neil of the Radio Club gave a short talk on the principles of transmission. Located in Room S-211, the Radio Station is open on class days from 9 a. m. to 5 n. m. to all students interested in radio. Arrangements for formal meetings and seminars will be made a: a later date.”

The Heights, October 30, 1947 :

W1PR

“The radio club will hold an evening social, the first of its type sponsored by the club, on Monday, Nov. 10th, at 7:30 p. m. Scientific and athletic motion pictures will be shown and Rev. J. F. X. Murphy, S.J., will be guest speaker. At the weekly seminar more active participation in radio affairs by the 107 members was requested. Freshmen are needed to carry on when the upper classmen graduate. At present the speakers agenda for future meetings include Charles Cullen, William Canty and Edward Kirby. Edmund S. Mockus, Physicist of Freshmen, continued his discussion on the “Fundamental Theory of Oscillators.

“W1PR Goes On The Air This Afternoon — Fifteen members were present last Friday as the Boston College Radio Club held what was probably its last formal meeting until September. These are the pioneers who are reviving the only B.C. activity which was forced to shut down during the war by government order. John O’Neil, acting president of the Club, advised the as yet unlicensed members, to try for their class B operator’s licenses during the summer vacation. He then answered the questions of those members wanting to know how much they would be responsible for in a license examination. When it was discovered that most of the men would be here during the May-June session, Mr. Crowley, moderator of the club, promised to keep the radio room open for any who wish to practice their Morse code on the club’s “bugs.” The club came up with another licensed operator at this meeting (up to now, Pres. O’Neil has been the only one). He is John McGowan, owner and operator of W1LOK. The members expect to be going full swing, and broadcasting three times weekly by September, when they get their new transmitter. Last Saturday, a few of the members worked here fixing up the long-unused antenae. The first broadcast will take place this afternoon.”

 

Boston College High School ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1965-05-21
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1983-02-14
Club meetings: Dorchester at Boston College H.S. Rm S-5
Club contact:

Boston Latin High School Radio Club

This clipping from the BLS Argo (the school newspaper) in fall, 1974, courtesy Jim Repetti, WJ1R. (April 3, 2019)

 

 

 

 

Brookline Amateur Radio Club

Cape Cod & Islands Amateur Radio Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1956-03-09
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1985-03-28
Club meetings: East Sandwich
Club contact: W1TTY

Capeway Radio Club of MA

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1967-04-16
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2005-03-10
Club meetings: North Weymouth at members’ homes
Club contact: WA1OWQ

Catholic Memorial School ARC

235 Baker St, West Roxbury, MA 02132

“Jack Wyatt, W1JAW, was an Elmer to many hams, and Dick Bean, K1HC, related how Jack came back to Jack’s high school alma mater, Catholic Memorial [CM] High School in West Roxbury, to meet with and encourage the then current members of the amateur club, including Dick, who was then WN1KDL. Ed LaJoie, W1MA (SK),  was also a member of the Catholic Memorial Amateur Radio Club but preceded both Jack and Dick in his years of attendance at CM.”  -Dick Bean, K1HC (November 8, 2019)

Charles River Wireless Society

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1975-05-14
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1983-02-25
Club meetings: Medway at Various Local Restaurants
Club contact:

Chelmsford ARA

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1958-05-09
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1985-03-13
Club meetings: Chelmsford at Chelmsford Town Hall
Club contact: WB1GMT

“When I joined BARS in the late seventies, there were more clubs in the area than today. Another good club back then was the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Club which I joined in 1978. That club would hold a Saturday morning on-air meeting with their namesake in Chelmsford England. This cross the pond weekly net was a very popular event in its day and the two clubs forged close ties for a while. I am delighted to see that CARS as it is known today is still going strong and you can read about its history at http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/society/index.htm Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society.  […] The Chelmsford MA club shut down in the early 80s. Maybe some of our long-time members can relate more details. Many of the former Chelmsford members gravitated to the Billerica ARS and the rest is history. I first learned about Yagi antennas and other antennas from Joe Reisert, W1JR, from his many talks at our then Chelmsford club.  -Tom Walsh, K1TW (September 23, 2021)

“I was a member from 1972 till it disbanded (do not recall the year that took place).   In the late 1960’s CARA had over 80 members.  When I joined it was starting to decline.  One of the most influential members was Bob Wallace, W1HH.  Field Days generally (but not always) took place in Fort Hill Park in Lowell.  Upon its demise members gravitated to the Billerica [Amateur Radio Society] and to PART.   I have very fond memories of my participation with this club.” -Bo Budinger, WA1QYM (May 1, 2018)

“As I was rummaging through some old stuff the other day, I came across  this listing of members of the CARC Feb 1963!! Best 73 & DX, Bob Hulick, W1ZX (ex K1MXF).”  (Feb. 29, 2020)

Chelmsford High School ARC

The club’s call sign is still valid: N1CHS. 

See:

 

Clay Center Amateur Radio Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 2006-11-28
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2017-08-28
Club meetings: Dexter School, 20 Newton St, Brookline, MA 02445
Club contact: K5TEC

Bob Phinney, K5TEC reports the Clay Center ARC has ceased operations. Bob has formed another (501(c)(3)) organization called New England Sci-Tech.  It is a non-profit STEM education center and maker space in Natick. The members of the former Clay Center ARC have regrouped and formed the Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society (STARS), apparently under the New England Sci-Tech umbrella. In Bob’s words, ‘With adult mentors of NE1AR and NE Sci-Tech helping, the students hope to build a strong membership following of youth and families looking for ham radio as part of a broader STEM education.'” –Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ, Affiliated Club Coordinator (June 20, 2018)

September 19, 2018: The club’s web site is still operational: <https://www.cc-arc.org/>

Colonial Wireless Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1976-03-08
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1997-03-16
Club meetings: Lexington at Hancock Church 1912 Mass Ave
Club contact: W1QGL

“For decades, CWA was an active club. They held monthly meetings at the Concord-Carlisle High School and conducted licensing classes. The November, 2011 Section News made reference to a meeting featuring a presentation.

“As far as I know, we still exist, but haven’t met in several years.  I am maintaining the bank account in case repairs are needed on the repeaters.  Steve, K1SLB is nominally the president and I have talked with him from time to time about what to do about the club.  The last few times we met, we had only a handful of attendees and it was increasingly difficult to obtain speakers.  Most of the interested members attend the PART meetings and most were members of both clubs.   I don’t know of any downside to maintaining the ‘organization’, but it’s unlikely to be revived in the absence of someone taking the initiative.  […] With the apparent demise of COMET and a lack of  interest from the public safety folks in Concord, I don’t know that there is a lot of interest in restarting the club.” –Alan Lewis, K1ALL (March 30, 2018)

“A brief history of the club is that it started with the special events station WL1CEN during the U.S. Bicentennial celebrations in 1975.  This special event operation on the Lexington Battle Green was put together by hams in Lexington with Bill Santelmann, N1AU (SK) leading the effort.  After the event the group decided to become the Lexington Amateur Radio Club which continued until 1979 when it merged with the Concord Amateur Radio Society to become the Colonial Wireless Amateur Radio Club.  Colonial Wireless was an ARRL affiliated club and I remember your visit as the Section Manager to one of the meetings held in the Hancock Church.  The Lexington based Colonial Wireless A.R.C. continued until 1997 when it decided to shut down.  A group in Concord adopted the name and was active until 2012.” -Mal Crawford, K1MC (March 30, 2019)

Council of Eastern MA Amateur Radio Clubs (CEMARC)

CEMARC was last active around 2005.  According to an archive.org snapshot of its website:

“CEMARC is an ARRL affiliated council of clubs representing the ham radio community in Eastern Massachusetts.  All organized amateur radio groups in Eastern Massachusetts are invited to assign one or more delegates to represent their club/group members at quarterly Council meetings. At these meetings, delegates are expected to work in concert with peer delegates toward highlighting, addressing and helping to solve club/member problems brought to the Council.  This Council acts only in an advisory capacity.  Any subject relating to improving the ham radio community may be brought to the Council.”

CEMARC last known slate of officers were:  Blake Haskell,  K1BTH, Chair – EMA Section ACC;  Alfred Prudhomme, W1DUW (now a silent key), Secretary (North Shore Radio Assoc.); Frank Murphy, N1DHW (now a silent key), Exec. Committee (Boston ARC); Dick Doherty, KA1TUZ (now a silent key),  Exec. Committee  (Newton Radio Group); Kevin Paetzol, K1KWP, Exec. Committee (Minuteman Repeater Assoc.)

Crocker Public Service Group

CPSG was established by Bruce Pigott, KC1US and others to honor the memory  of Eastern Massachusetts Section Manager David Crocker, W1TMO who became a Silent Key in 1994.  Crocker was very active in public service events. The group disbanded in 2007.  -Phil Temples, K9HI (May 1, 2018)

See also:

Archived snapshot of web site from April, 2001: <https://web.archive.org/web/20010424011012/http://www.amateur-radio.net:80/bin/display.cgi?cpsgindex.ARSYST>

https://ema.arrl.org/2003/01/22/a-new-arrl-affiliate-the-crocker-public-service-group/

 https://ema.arrl.org/2007/11/29/crocker-public-service-group-votes-to-disband/

Dim Light Boys

Dim Light Boys plaqueThis group gained notoriety when its members made 10-meter AM mobile contacts and the headlights on their automobiles would noticeably  “dim” from the large current draw. The Dim Light Boys  issued a handsome certificate for making contacts with its members. The certificate featured an illustration of an antique car with lanterns in place of headlights.  -Tom Walsh, K1TW (May 1, 2018)

The starting date of this club is unknown.  

Bill Ohrenberger, K9BO, writes on February 14, 2021:

“I grew up in Quincy, went to Northeastern, did a couple of years in the Army in the middle 60’s.  I took my Novice test in late spring of 1958 at age 15.  I have been trying to totally confirm the dates using old call books.  I am not in the Summer 58.  I am awaiting delivery on a Fall 1958 and can’t seem to find a Winter 58 call book. My call, KN1IIE appears in the Spring 1959 call book.  I have a Dimlight Certificate dated 4/22/59 for K1IIE so I must have had a General Class license by that date. Rather than dig through the details of the Dimlights in an email, I suggest you refer to the QCWA Journal for March 2019 and there is a front page copy of my Dimlight Certificate and an article put together by Amber Pelliter, K1AMP of the QCWA.  I joined the QCWA in the middle of 2018.  I noticed in my first journal Amber and her call K1AMP.  The first time I had ever seen that call it belonged to Chet Norwood of Braintree who was one of the Dimlight Boys. I reached out to her and she was quite interested in the history of the Dimlighters so I put a bit of a history together for her and that turned into the QCWA article.  So far as I know they are all Silent Keys.  There were two late comers, a guy named Paul O’Brien from Braintree or Weymouth and me.  I haven’t heard from Paul in over 50 years and don’t know what ever became of him.  I was the Secretary and at one time had 30 or 40 blank certs. Not even sure what happened to all that stuff, I have lived in 7 states and had 4 ham calls and am in my 11th house since those times.  I could have stayed in the Army and moved less.

“Anyway, if you look at and read the article in the QCWA Journal there is a fair amount of info on these guys.  They all were my Elmers as I was only 15 years old joining there round table on 28.700 Mc (MHz in those days) on AM most every night. When I got out of the Army in 68 I picked up with them again on 28.7 every night at 7:00 but now on USB.  Art, W1GFO was the designated “High Potentate” of the Dimlight Boys. It wasn’t elective but it was permanent, he was never allowed to give it up.  Many of them retired to the Cape, most but, not all, had been workers at the Bethlehem Steel, later General Dynamics Shipyard in Quincy.  Andy, W1ACB was a car salesman for the local Buick dealer, Chet, K1AMP was in advertising, Spud, W1JLQ was a machinist at the old Pneumatic Scale Company in Quincy, Max K1VJI was a Valuation Appraiser at Factory Mutual in Norwood. Then there was Earnie aka Unc for Uncle, W1GOU (Whisky 1 Good Old Uncle, hence UNK) who was a 10 meter DX freak.  He had an old BC-610 in his attic, lived across the road from Quincy Bay and the BC-610 ate his neighbors TV sets alive. “

Don Bosco Tech Hs Rc Or

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1977-11-20
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1981-03-04
Club meetings: Boston at
Club contact:

Dorchester Amateur Radio Club

East Coast Amateur Television

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1985-05-18
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1995-06-21
Club meetings: Melrose at Bickford’s Restaurant
Club contact: WB1CEA

Electro-Optics Center Ham Radio Club

Call sign: WB1HMB (expired 01/22/2016)
Trustee: Donald Taranto, WA1GBN
126 Helen Drive
Marlboro, MA 01752

Elite Amateur Radio Society, Inc

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1984-11-19
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1991-05-13
Club meetings: Lowell at Lowell
Club contact: WA1USU

Little is known about this radio club. Elite ARS was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Massachusetts in June, 1985. The corporation was dissolved in June, 2012. 

Falmouth High School Amateur Radio Club

Foxboro Company ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1977-07-20
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1987-06-16
Club meetings: Foxboro at Company Cafeteria
Club contact:

From the Foxboro Co. ARC’s QRZ.com web site (last update, Jan. 15, 2017):

“WB1EMT is the callsign of The Foxboro Company Amateur Radio Club. Foxboro is a brand of systems from Invensys Operations Management. Foxboro has been in existence for over 100 years, providing instrumentation and control systems for a variety of industrial applications. At one point the company was an employer to many radio amateurs across its global locations. Today, the club meets informally and does not hold any permanent assets such as a repeater or APRS digipeater. Questions may be directed to W5PFG.”

Steve Schwarm, W3EVE recalls that the club sponsored a repeater (WB1EMT) equipped with an autopatch. According to Steve, “the club operated the repeater only after business hours because the RF interference concerns.” He also remembers the Field Day operations conducted at a baseball diamond and a rhombic antenna. Steve’s call sign was used for the club’s digipeater.  (July 10, 2018)

Greater Lawrence AR Fellowship

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1979-01-23
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1998-08-11
Club meetings: Haverhill at Senior Citizen Center 120R Main St N Andover MA
Club contact: KA1VF

“The club’s final meeting was held at the North Andover Senior Center in December of 2000. We disbanded because the Town fathers decided to start charging $35.00 per month for use of their meeting room which had been free of charge to us for about 15 years. I was the GLARF club President for the last 10 years of its existence.” -Robert H. Smith, KA1VF (May 6, 2018)

Green Meadow School ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1992-03-28
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2003-03-04
Club meetings: Maynard at Green Meadow School
Club contact: KA1WZM

Hingham ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1952-08-19
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1980-02-11
Club meetings: Hingham
Club contact:

“The Hingham ARC is no longer active but the call sign  “W1VPR”  is still in effect under my name. It is currently used by or can be used by Hingham Emergency Management if needed although to my knowledge there are currently no licensed hams in the [Hingham Fire Department]. Since I retired in 2015 it is used very little. The current FD Administration has very little interest in Ham Radio. -Mark, KB1EKN (May 1, 2018)

Lexington Amateur Radio Club

Bill [N1AU, SK] was very active with it. I think it was formed by Bill Weiss. Met at Hancock church. Later merged with the Concord club to form Colonial Wireless! President was Rich Norsworthy, WA1YGJ. Circa 1975. NTS legend Dan McDonald, W1PEX, was a member, now SK.” -Rick Palm, K1CE (March 12, 2019)

“A brief history of the club is that it started with the special events station WL1CEN during the U.S. Bicentennial celebrations in 1975.  This special event operation on the Lexington Battle Green was put together by hams in Lexington with Bill Santelmann, N1AU (SK) leading the effort.  After the event the group decided to become the Lexington Amateur Radio Club which continued until 1979 when it merged with the Concord Amateur Radio Society to become the Colonial Wireless Amateur Radio Club.  Colonial Wireless was an ARRL affiliated club and I remember your visit as the Section Manager to one of the meetings held in the Hancock Church.  The Lexington based Colonial Wireless A.R.C. continued until 1997 when it decided to shut down.  A group in Concord adopted the name and was active until 2012.” -Mal Crawford, K1MC (March 30, 2019)

Lexington High School Amateur Radio Club

“I was first licensed as KN1BOW/K1BOW (Novice and Technician) in 1957 at the age of 14. Getting my code speed to 13 wpm was hard. I upgraded to General just in the nick of time to retain h.f. privileges (the Novice license was then valid for one year, non-renewable). I lived in Lexington Massachusetts and was the first trustee of LHS club station K1JMQ. Following college and Peace Corps service in West Africa I moved to Seattle for graduate school in 1967. In those days you had to get a new call when you moved between US call areas, and I held W7FHK for five years. Back to Massachusetts and W1GSJ in 1972. At that point I upgraded to Extra, and when the opportunity to choose your own call came along in 1977 I opted for N1AW, which I have held since then. I also was trustee of Hampshire College club station WA1WDU. Between 1985 and 1997 I made a number of visits to Nicaragua where I taught in two different universities. In 1990 I operated as N1AW/YN1, and then in 1993 I was issued YN1ASW.” –Albert Woodhull, N1AW, from https://www.qrz.com/db/k1jmq

“Bill [N1AU, SK] was an adviser to Lexington (MA) High School’s Amateur Radio Club. In other words, he was the adult in the room. A younger brother of mine (Mark, WA1STJ) really enjoyed being part of the club. I was not an active member while at LHS, but I did once participate in a club Field Day. It was 1963. I had just passed my general exam and had become friends with Roy Nonamaker, K1ZMP (SK) and Carl Huether (now KM1H). After midnight, a case of beer mysteriously appeared and by 2:00 am, the 20M phone position was out of control. I believe that Bill was the adult that showed up the next morning. The party in the 20M tent was short-lived. Bill only heard about it and wasn’t happy.” –John Webster, NN1SS, March  12, 2019

Lower Cape Amateur Radio Service Group

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date:
Last ARRL Affiliation Date:
Club meetings: North Eastham
Club contact:

Malden Amateur Radio Association

Call sign: W1TYM
Trustee: Francis A. Cascio, K1SVP
240 Hamilton Street
Saugus, MA 01906

Marconi Radio Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1994-03-07
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2006-09-26
Club meetings: Lakeville at Bickford’s Restaurant Hanover 7:00 AM Breakfast
Club contact: K1VV

“We about 35 members in the late 1990s. We have not had a meeting since about 2004.”  -“Whitey” Doherty, K1VV (May 11, 2018)

Mashpee Amateur Radio Associaton

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1987-09-05
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1996-02-13
Club meetings: East Falmouth at Mashpee Senior Center
Club contact:

Mayflower Amateur Radio Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1987-12-05
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1994-01-21
Club meetings: Plymouth at Plymouth Airport Conference Rm
Club contact: WF1M

Megapulse ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1980-09-13
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1980-07-10
Club meetings: Everett at
Club contact:

 

MITRE Bedford ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1971-07-30
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2010-12-07
Club meetings: Bedford at MITRE Corp
Club contact: AA1VS

Natick High School Radio Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1986-03-22
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2006-01-20
Club meetings: Natick at Natick High School
Club contact: N1DGC

North East Professional Broadcasters

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1989-01-27
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1995-02-22
Club meetings: North Dartmouth at Charles Orms Bldg
Club contact: N1EXA

Needham ARA

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1952-05-10
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2003-04-26
Club meetings: Needham at Memorial Pk Bldg
Club contact: N1TPU

New England Amateur Television

“One of the founding 19/79 amateur radio repeater group (K1VTE) founding members in Malden MA and New England amateur television pioneer (NEAT GROUP ) in Malden MA. Louie, W1JLI, was one of the first amateurs in Boston with W1BHD to have a live amateur TV signal repeated by an amateur TV repeater on 432 MHz in the greater Boston area. We will miss watching him on ATV.”  -Anthony Tamosaitis, K1VTE, online obituary for W1JLI, August 13, 2006

NEW ENGLAND DXCC (NEDXCC) f.k.a. Patriot DX Association

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1991-10-26
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2005-02-03
Club meetings: at 1st Baptist Church

NEDXCC’s web site was last operational on December, 2007.  The club held monthly meetings on the fourth Monday of each month from September through May. They sponsored an email reflector and an on-air operating event twice annually. The last club officers were: Jim Tumelty, W1CUW (President); Al Rousseau, W1FJ (Secretary); Mel Cole, WZ1Q (Treasurer). -Phil Temples, K9HI (December 14, 2018)

New England Packet Radio Assn

New England TCP

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1989-12-15
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1990-02-15
Club meetings: Wakefield at Honeywell Bldg Billerica Ma
Club contact: K1UGM

Newton Radio Response Team

This RACES/ARES EmComm group was formed by KA1PYJ, KA1TUZ, K3KLQ, WA1IDA, and WA1WIS. It’s unknown when the group disbanded. Here is a recruitment announcement, dated April 30, 1999:

We need your help or at least we may! We can not say when or even why, and in fact hope we never really will. However, in the case of a city wide emergency, history shows that hams who provided safety net communications services have made the difference that has saved lives and contained further suffering.

In order for the Newton radio amateur community to be effective, we need to know before a disaster strikes what people resources are available and for those willing to serve, enough knowledge of what to do in the event of an emergency.

To this end, we have formed The Newton Radio Response Team (NRRT), a volunteer group of Newton Hams serving The City of Newton’s Emergency Management Agency whose director is Jay I.W. Moskow, WA1WIS. We hope you can join us as a part of this reserve team– ready to serve in the event of an emergency.

To help your community please consider the following:

1) Complete and mail back the registration form on the reverse side of this letter, or better yet, do it online with automatic emailing at website http://www.nrrt.org (if you already registered you need not do it a second time).

2) Check into the NRRT net held at 8:30pm (local time) the 1st Monday of each month on the Newton repeater on 147.360MHz (+600KHz offset) CTCSS (PL tone)=67Hz is required. 

3) Consider attending our first training session at 7:00pm Thursday evening May 13th at Newton Police Headquarters, 1321 Washington Street in West Newton. This brief 2hour session will provide an introduction to emergency communications procedures and will be conducted by ARRL SEC Steve Schwarm, W3EVE.

The form will allow us to keep your information on file in case we need to call upon you in the event of a real emergency. The net checkin will provide experience in network operations that you will need to be effective in the event of a real emergency.

During the year, we will keep you informed of opportunities for more extensive classroom training. However, checking into the net or sending in the registration form puts you under no obligation to respond in the event of an emergency.

For more information check out the team web site at http://www.nrrt.org

We hope you can join us in hoping for the best but being ready to face the worst that may come.

The abandoned NRRT website can be found at: http://www.cybercom.net/~slipoff/nrrt/home.html

Patriot DX Association

see New England DXCC

Philips ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1993-04-06
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2007-11-14
Club meetings: Andover at Philips Medical
Club contact:

Club web site: http://www.qsl.net/w1hp/

“We are a Field Day only club, as most of us who worked at HP ‘back in the days’ are now retired.  We have a few members who work at Philips.  We ‘do’ FD at the site in Andover.  You can put me down as contact.  (We are not really an ‘ARRL’ club anymore as we don’t have regular meetings.)” -Larry Banks, W1DYJ (June 1, 2018)

73 — Larry — W1DYJ

Quannapowitt Radio Association

Don Melanson, W1DM, writes on the QRA website:

It is sad news that I report that the Quannapowitt Radio Association (QRA) has ended. At the October [2021] Board of Directors meeting the Board of directors recommended dissolution of the Association due to the number of factors as explained to the remaining QRA membership in a recent letter. The membership subsequently unanimously voted to dissolve the Association at the November Membership Meeting. The membership also voted to distribute the remaining QRA treasury toFEMARA to support its scholarship programs. It was also noted the the QRA dissolved on exactly their 73rd birthday. I would like to thank all Members, Board of Directors (both present and past) and all others who supported the QRA in its 73 years of service to the Amateur Radio field. We made a lot of friends both Nationally and Locally. Friends we will never forget. Hopefully we will catch each other on the bands. 73s de Don Melanson, W1DM, QRA President

Quincy High School ARC

Radio Op. Assn Of New Bedford

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1933-03-01
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1995-12-04
Club meetings: Dartmouth
Club contact:

Raymond J. Levesque Memorial ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 2010-02-01
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2010-12-16
Club meetings: Fall River at Please see our Yahoo Group
Club contact: N1TZM

“The RJLMARC in Fall River was established in 2009 to honor Silent Key Raymond J. Levesque, K1ZZN. Its members participated in emergency communications exercises, field days, and the Thirteen Colonies special event operation in 2011. It’s unknown precisely when this group became inactive.” -Phil Temples, K9HI

The website is still online at http://www.qsl.net/rjlmarc/about.html.

Sharon ARA

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1970-04-30
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1989-05-09
Club meetings: Sharon at Sharon Community Center
Club contact: Robert L Gibbons, W1REP

photo of Sharon ARA field day
W1MJ trying to make a satellite contact at the Sharon ARA FD

“I was active in SARA when in Sharon High School after getting my novice license.  That would be 1970-1973.  And I think I did FD with them for some years after. We operated Class 3A plus Novice Station and sometimes Satellite Station from the grounds of Sharon Junior High School.  I think the principal of that school was a ham, which is how we got permission.

“When I was active, none of the adult hams in town were interested, though some of them had been active in the past.  It was all young members during the 70s.  There were a string of presidents doing one year terms when they were seniors in high school.  I think, but I’m not sure, that Dave WA1LXE was pres before me, and Rich WA1NRT after me.  I’m cc’ing this to Rich to see what he may remember about all of this.

“The club call was K1JNQ, unofficially “K 1 Junkies Never Quit”.  We had a friendly FD rivalry with the nearby Norwood ARC, K1JMR, which Norwood always won.  In hindsight, this is no surprise, as NARC’s ops included future superstars like First WRTC champ K1DG and other serious contesters such as K1BG!”  -Eliot Mayer, W1MJ (August 12, 2018)

 

South Shore ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1933-05-17
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2000-11-29
Club meetings: Dorchester
Club contact: WA1GHL

Southern New England Dx Assn

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1975-05-14
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1985-08-20
Club meetings: Stow at Medway American Legion
Club contact: W9BF

“I was program chair and member of the SNEDXA during the 1983-87 period as a fledging DXer in the midst of the mighty when I joined their ranks… K1MM, K1MEM, K1VR, W1OO, W1AX, W1YRC, W1GHH, W1CF were just a few of the greats.”  -Bob Farmer, W9BF (May 9, 2018)

Southern Shore Rptr Assn.

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1978-09-16
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1984-02-03
Club meetings: South Weymouth at Sons Of Italy Hall
Club contact:

T-9 Club

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1939-04-01
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1978-06-12
Club meetings: Ipswich
Club contact:

Taunton Area Communications Group

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 2008-04-25
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2009-01-13
Club meetings: 81 Fremont Street at Morton Hospital Taunton

TACG held its first organizational meeting in October, 2006. Its goals included “public service, informing the public about the amateur radio service, and bringing more people into the amateur ranks by providing classes so that one might become a licensed amateur operator.” It became ARRL-affiliated, then later involved in ARES and RACES. TACG also conducted JOTA operations and held several summer BBQ cookouts for its members. The Taunton Area Communications Group met at the Morton Hospital cafeteria, 88 Washington Street, Taunton. TACG disbanded sometime in 2015.  -Phil Temples, K9HI (May 8, 2018)

Tri-county Vocational H.S. ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1992-06-08
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1994-03-15
Club meetings: Franklin
Club contact: N1LRL

Venture Crew 47, KB1PAL

“[Sponsored by the North Shore Radio Association,] the purpose of Crew 47 is to get Scouts interested in ham radio communications so that they can participate in events and provide emergency communications in times of need.

Previous major events:

License in a Weekend – Camp Lion, Lynn, MA (6/9-6/10/12)
Northern Light District Winter Klondike – Lone Tree Scout Reservation, Kingston NH (1/28-1/29/12)
Jamboree on the Air 2011 – Wah Tut Ca Scout Reservation, Northwood, NH (10/15-10/16/11)
West Wind District Fall Camporee – Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation, Northwood NH (9/11/10)
Final Aquila District Spring Camporee – Topsfield Fairgrounds, Topsfield, MA (5/21-5/23/10)
Antenna Testing – Peabody, MA (6/1/08)
License in a Weekend – Camp Lion, Lynn, MA (4/19-4/20/08)
Aquila District Winter Klondike – Brooksby Farm, Peabody, MA (2/2/08)
Lone Tree Winter Klondike – Kingston, NH (1/26-1/27/08)
Jamboree on the Air 2007 – Spencer Pierce Little Farm, Newbury, MA (10/19-10/20/07)
Aquila District Communications Camporee – Camp Nihan, Saugus, MA (5/18-5/19/07)

This club was last active circa 2012.

Wang ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1984-08-26
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 1990-04-12
Club meetings: Lowell at Wang Laboratories, Inc.
Club contact: K9HI

“The Wang Amateur Radio Club was an ARRL affiliated company club located at the Wang Laboratories, Inc. corporate headquarters in Lowell. It featured a club shack situated in a penthouse stairwell atop the roof of the original “Tower One” at One Industrial Way.  The club sponsored one of the first packet radio stations in the country operating under the call sign KD2S. After Connors’ death, the club’s wide-area digipeater then operated using my call sign. Some of its members included: WA1GRC, KA1M, K1AR, K9HI, KD1BF (now AA1VI), W1JR, and W1GXT to name but a few. The club disappeared sometime before the demise of the company in the mid-90s.” -Phil Temples, K9HI (May 1, 2018)

“I was Wang’s Western Regional Marketing Manager out of LA from 1980 to 1990. I used to visit the towers every few months, for a week or so. I was AJ6J at the time. I don’t remember any formal meetings, but I remember the shack on Tower 1 well. The Wang PC came out in Apr ’82, so we were probably one of the first stations to have a PC in the shack.” Bill Principe, K1NS (October 5, 2019)
 

Wareham ARC

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1983-02-12
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2000-01-19
Club meetings: Mass Maritime Academy at Bay State Conf Center

Witch City Radio Club

Witch City Radio Club, Salem Vocational High School, K1HDZ, circa 1959. Mike, N7MW, reports that his father, W7IMA, was a member. Shown here: the club’s QSL card, dated 2/15/59.

 

Young Amateur Radio Operators

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 2000-06-20
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2000-09-11
Club meetings: Seekonk at 148 Marnoch Dr
Club contact:

ZL Specials

Initial ARRL Affiliation Date: 1995-03-25
Last ARRL Affiliation Date: 2008-03-03
Club meetings: Andover at Members Homes
Club contact: K1AJ

“I recall the  ZL Specials during in the 90s when I and others operated contests at Bruce Marshall’s old QTH (formerly WA1G, now K1AJ) in Roslindale. At that time, Bruce hosted groups of interested would-be contesters–many of them Boston ARC members–at his home. I recall the club was established primarily for Bruce’s field day operations.” -Phil Temples, K9HI (May 8, 2018)