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THE CSRA...
has been serving Chicago area hams and
radio enthusiasts since the dawn of radio itself! Our membership
over the years lists well into the thousands. Many of these
members were taught the Amateur Radio theory and Morse Code by fellow
CSRA members. Our members have spanned all walks of life, from
construction workers to lawyers; bankers to broadcasters and everyone in
between. For 80 years, Chicagoland men, women and children
from age 9 to 90 have called the CSRA their radio club!
CSRA is the oldest radio club
chartered in the State of Illinois and has been affiliated with the
American Radio Relay League for over 75 years. Building on this
rich history, CSRA looks to the future with eyes on fresh ideas and
emerging technologies.
CSRA Meetings...
are held on the third Thursday of the
month at the Grace Lutheran Church, 1100
Manchester Avenue, in the western suburb of Westchester. Maps and directions are located on
our website's main page. Doors open at 6:30pm and the meetings begin at 7:30
and non-members
and guests are always welcome.
CSRA On The Air...
Club nets include our Monday
Night Net at 8:00pm on the CFMC repeater system on 146.76 MHz. You will also find many members on the
repeater during the week too!
The club also airs a 15 meter HF Net on
Thursday Nights at 7:00pm at 21.331 MHz USB. All are welcome on
both nets!
Keeping the membership
informed...
is the task of the CSRA monthly
newsletter TXT, which contains information about monthly
meetings, what's happening in the Amateur Radio community and news
about CSRA members. Portions of TXT are now available
online at the CSRA website. News items are always welcome and the
newsletter editor can be contacted online or at the meetings.
Community activities...
are central to amateur radio and a
hallmark of CSRA. Club members frequently provide 2-way
communication for many community activities such as marathons, charity
races and runs, and civic parades (especially the annual Houby Day parade
held in the Berwyn-Cicero area). CSRA members have also been on
hand to provide local emergency communication in times of emergency such
as the massive telephone outage at Hinsdale Hospital, river flooding on the Des
Plaines and traffic accidents. Our members also assisted with
communications and relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In addition, members relay
health and welfare messages
during worldwide disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and terror
attacks.
CSRA also puts on radio demonstrations
for scout, civic and community organizations. For many years, CSRA
was present at Brookfield Zoo for it's N9BAT Special Event Station.
Honing radio skills...
is key to any radio amateur. To
that end, CSRA participates annually in the ARRL sponsored Field
Day weekend. The object of Field Day is to set up and
operate amateur radio stations using emergency power and temporary
antennas. An emphasis is placed on developing skills to meet the
challenge of emergency preparedness. CSRA operators try to contact
as many other amateur radio stations as possible during this 24 hour
period. Of course, fun is had by all with family, friends and
guests in the outdoor camping atmosphere of Field Day.
Honoring our own...
With such a long and storied history,
CSRA likes to shine the spotlight on our members. Each year a
meeting is designated as Old Timers Night. This
annual event honors and acknowledges CSRA members that have had their
amateur radio license for at least 25 years. It also gives new
hams an opportunity to hear the Old Timers talk about their earlier days
in amateur radio.
Please join us...
We'd love to have you join the fun with
the Chicago Suburban Radio Association! Stop by a meeting one
evening or contact one of our members. All are welcome, regardless
of whether you are a licensed amateur or not. Our yearly dues are
only $20, one of the best bargains in ham radio!
As easy as w-w-w...
If you'd like to become a member now,
click on the "Join CSRA" icon for a printable
membership form.
Thanks for your interest in the Chicago
Suburban Radio Association, and we hope to see you soon!
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