WR4USA 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 conventionswould 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 WR4USA Special Event callsign was used during the Republican National Convention, 21 – 24 AUG 1972. This was possibly the first use of the WR prefix on the amateur bands Ten months after the WR4USA operation, mid-1973, the FCC began issuing WR prefixed calls across all U.S. Districts. The WR prefixed calls were assigned only to repeaters. The WR assignments would continue until 23 FEB 1978, at which point no further WR prefixed callsigns were issued. Currently assigned WR calls would not be renewed or modified, and a license from the KA block would be issued to replace the previous WR callwhen that license expired.

During the three days of operation, many persons visited the operation with the resultant origination of 562 radiograms to relatives and friends of the visitors.

QSL + Info courtesy of W4WJ
Callbook info courtesy of NL7XM