What do the W and K stand for in call letters?

In the United States, call signs begin with the letter K, W or N. N is reserved for military and government use, so we are left with K, generally for stations West of the Mississippi River and W for those East.

Where do radio call letters change from W to K?

East of the river, all call signs start with W [5]. The origin of the division goes back just over a century. In 1912, the U.S. federal government started licensing terrestrial radio stations, assigning the call letters W and K to stations in the east, respectively the west of the country.

Why is radio W and K?

All radio stations have a four-letter identification code. The letters ‘N’ and ‘A’ were given to military stations, but ‘K’ and ‘W’ were assigned out for commercial use. Radio stations east of the Mississippi River had to start their stations with ‘W’, and stations west of the Mississippi with ‘K’.

What does WGBH stand for?

Great Blue Hill
WGBH-TV

Why do radio call letters start with W?

What does the W stand for in radio call letters?

The FCC policy covering broadcasting stations limits them to call signs that start with a “K” or a “W”, with “K” call signs generally reserved for stations west of the Mississippi River, and “W” limited to stations east of the river. …

Why do radio stations have call signs?

In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique designation for a transmitter station. The use of call signs as unique identifiers dates to the landline railroad telegraph system.

Why do stations start with W or K?

What does W stand for in radio stations?

The FCC policy covering broadcasting stations limits them to call signs that start with a “K” or a “W”, with “K” call signs generally reserved for stations west of the Mississippi River, and “W” limited to stations east of the river.

Why do radio stations start with K and W?

Background The United States federal government began licencing radio stations in late 1912, and from the beginning it has assigned call letters starting with K and W to commercial and broadcasting stations.

Why do all stations have a K call sign?

For about a year in the 1920s, the Bureau of Navigation decided that all new stations were going to get a K call sign no matter where they were located. Still other exceptions were made by special request, station relocations, ownership changes, and even human error.

What is the history of radio call signs?

In the days of the telegraph, operators started the practice of using short letter sequences as identifiers, referring to them as call letters or call signs. Early radio operators continued the practice, but without a central authority assigning call letters, radio operators often chose letters already in use, leading to confusion.

What is the difference between K– and W– calls?

Moreover, from the start the policy has been that stations in the west normally got K– calls, while W– calls were issued to stations in the east. (Initially ship stations were the reverse, with W assignments in the west, and K in the east).