Earlier this year, during one of the regular HamXposition meetings, Bruce, K1BG, and I were talking about doing some sort of club-centric meetings From that discussion came the Clubs forum which occurred Friday at the 2024 HamXpo.
Most of us know that clubs are the backbone of a healthy and active ham radio community. An active club most often has a newsletter that members get every month informing them of club activities and ham radio events. From this, we created the Club Newsletter Award.
Any club in New England could enter and was encouraged to do so. Newsletters would be ranked on design, layout, and information. The judge would be someone outside of New England. The top three newsletters would then be able to post the appropriate logo on their newsletters for the next year. The newsletter had to be from the second quarter of 2024 and submitted by July 5th.
The top 3 club newsletters would then NOT be able to submit again the following year, giving other clubs a chance to win the award.
I would like to thank the following clubs for submitting their newsletter this year:
| Club | Newsletter | State |
| Algonquin Amateur Radio Club | QRZ | MA |
| Androscoggin Amateur Radio Club | the A.C.O.R.N. | ME |
| Billerica Amateur Radio Society | BARS | MA |
| Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club | Messenger | RI |
| Candlewood Amateur Radio Association | CARA Capers | CT |
| Central NH Amateur Radio Club | Communicator | NH |
| Franklin County Amateur Radio Club | The Communicator | MA |
| Hampden County Radio Association | Zero Beat | MA |
| Housatonic Amateur Radio Club | Direct Currents | CT |
| K1USN Radio Club | K1USN HAPPENINGS | MA |
| Meriden Amateur Radio Club | KEYKLIX | CT |
| Merrymeeting Amateur Radio Association | SQUELCH TALES | ME |
| Minuteman Repeater Association | The Minuteman | MA |
| Wellesley Amateur Radio Society | The Spark Gap | MA |
From this list, I’d like to congratulate the following clubs:
#3 – Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club from Rhode Island
#2 – Billerica Amateur Radio Society from eastern MA
#1 – Hampden County Radio Association from western MA
I would like to thank Bob, WA3PZO, our outside New England judge and Nels, K1UR, for his award design.
We’re going to do this again next year. I hope you will urge your club to submit your club’s newsletter.
73,
Larry, W1AST
[The winners were announced in the Club Forum on August 23, 2024 at the Northeast HamXposition.] BARC-May_2024_final MessengerCurrent-1 HCRA-may24