WD4USA 1972 Miami Beach, Florida

In the United States, the political conventions, leading up to the Presidential election, are held every four years. 1972 was no different, with the exception that both the Republican and Democratic conventions would be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in sunny south Florida.

This was viewed as a opportunity for two public service events, featuring ham radio. The Dade Country Amateur Radio Public Service Corps (W4EHW) stepped forward, under the leadership of Eastern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator, Andy Clark, W4IYT (sk), to make it happen.

A station location, with roof access for antennas, was made available by a local business on Lincoln Road Mall, adjacent to the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Many details were taken care of quickly! FCC applications for Special Event Callsigns were at the top of the list! Equipment and antenna selection and testing. Operator and support team scheduling. QSL design and printing would be handled by Brad MacKay, WB4OYA.

In addition to having an on air presence, we also had a meet the public obligation, explaining ham radio and offering free ARRL Radiograms to be sent to friends and relatives of visitors to the station.

As the ARRL Radiograms would be accepted at the station location, one of our operators would be transmitting those already received via 2m FM to Joe Poerschke, WB4HIS, who would then relay them via a 20m RTTY schedule to the W3CUL/W3VR team, Mae and Joe Burke in Morton, Pa, where they would be entered into the National Traffic System.

The WD4USA Special Event callsign was used during the Democratic National Convention, 10 – 13 JUL 1972. This was possibly the first use of the WD prefix on the amateur bands. First normal assignment, from the WD call block, went to WD8AAA in mid -1977, 5 years after the WD4USA operation. The issuance of the WD prefix would continue until 23 FEB 1978. At that point the KA block started to be issued in all call areas, ending the issuance of new WD call block calls.Currently assigned WD calls could be renewed or modified.

During the three days of operation, many persons visited the operation with the resultant origination of 638 radiograms to relatives and friends of the visitors.

QSL + Info courtesy of W4WJ
Callbook info courtesy of NL7XM