SMARA was created in 1971 to bring together the interests of the Schenectady Museum and community amateur radio operators who were using the museum's radio facilities. SMARA operates a complete amateur radio station at the museum under the callsign "W2IR". The purpose of the museum's radio station is to display, demonstrate, and teach the art and science of radio communication to the public.

W2IR was the amateur call sign of William G. Broughton who died in 1994. William Broughton donated the Collins radio equipment for an amateur radio station to be located in the Schenectady Museum in memory of his father Henry Primm Broughton. The station is known as the Henry Primm Broughton Memorial Station and is manned by the members of the Schenectady Museum Amateur Radio Association. The station can be visited by appointment.

http://www.smara.com