W8USR - Special Events

The Ghost Town of Paradise, Arizona

About the Special Event

The Cochise Amateur Radio Association (ARA), operating under the call sign WA7KYT, hosted this commemorative special event live from the historic ghost town of Paradise, Arizona, nestled in the rugged Chiricahua Mountains. The operation spanned the Labor Day weekend in 1992, running from 1800Z on September 3 through 1800Z on September 5, tracking down contacts across both CW and phone bands.

Historically recorded frequencies for the operation included 7.040 MHz for CW, alongside voice (SSB) frequencies at 3.885 MHz, 14.288 MHz, 18.135 MHz, 21.315 MHz, and 28.385 MHz. Operators and shortwave listeners who confirmed contacts with the mountain station received a special commemorative QSL card or certificate by routing a self-addressed stamped envelope to the club's post office box in Sierra Vista, AZ.

The History of Paradise, Arizona

Paradise was originally established as a short-lived 1890s copper and silver mining camp located deep within the steep, scenic canyons of southeastern Arizona's Chiricahua Mountains. Early prospectors chose the name "Paradise" because the area boasted an abundance of fresh water and a lush, oak-wooded landscape that offered a striking, beautiful contrast to the surrounding desert terrain.

Initial prospecting before 1870 was impossible due to fierce Apache resistance led by legendary figures like Cochise and Geronimo. Once regional tensions settled, the Chiricahua Development Company located rich copper and silver veins in 1901, triggering a local population boom that quickly swelled to roughly 300 residents. The settlement formally became a town when its U.S. Post Office officially opened on October 23, 1901. At its peak, the town boasted saloons, stores, and a local jail.

Unfortunately, the region lacked the dense, concentrated ore bodies found in major mining hubs like Bisbee, and the mines ultimately failed to yield long-term profitable ore. As the mining claims fizzled out, the population drifted away. The post office hanging on over the decades finally shuttered its windows on September 30, 1943. While a small cluster of permanent residents remained, tragedy struck the mountainside in June 2011 when the human-caused Horseshoe 2 Fire swept the range. Scorching 222,954 acres, it ranked as one of the largest wildfires in Arizona history and destroyed several of the remaining historic structures. Today, the site survives as a quiet, remote settlement with a few standing structures and a pioneer cemetery.

Station Log: Contact History

Date / Year	Special Event Call	My Callsign Used	Time (UTC)	Band	Mode	RST
September 5, 1992	WA7KYT	N8SWQ	16:01 UTC	15 Meters	SSB	59