Radio-TV Broadcast History
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Experimental calls[]

These calls used a system similar to amateur radio calls, but generally with an "X" as the first letter after the geographic-area number. Experimental calls issued in the very early days of broadcasting, not containing a K/W prefix, are listed separately in this location. Most of these stations were either Apex stations which later became FM stations, FM stations, or television stations.


W1XAV | W1XAY | W1XBS | W1XPW | W1XSL | W1XTG | W1XY

W2XAP | W2XBA | W2XBO | W2XBS | W2XBU | W2XCD | W2XCO | W2XCP | W2XCR | W2XCW | W2XOR | W2XQR | W2XR | W2XWG | W2XWV | W2XX

W3XAD | W3XAK | W3XK | W3XL | W3XO

W6XAI

W7XAO

W8XAV | W8XFM | W8XT

W9XAA | W9XAG | W9XAO | W9XAP | W9XAZ | W9XBY | W9XER | W9XG | W9XR | W9XYH

W10XU

Frequency-based FM calls[]

The call-letter plan adopted for FM stations in 1941 was intended to be systematic: first a K or W, then two digits representing the frequency, then one or two letters representing the location. Frequencies at the time were in the range of 43 to 49 MHz, and the two-digit frequency code was obtained by dropping the "4" and the decimal point; thus W81SP was on 48.1 MHz in Springfield, Massachusetts.

W31NY | W39B | W39NY |

W41MM | W43B | W45BR | W45CM | W45D | W45RG | W45V | W47A | W47C | W47NV | W47NY | W47P | W47PH | W49B | W49BN | W49D | W49FW | W49PH |

W51C | W51NY | W51R | W53H | W53PH | W55M | W55NY | W57A | W57PH | W59C | W59NY |

W63C | W63NY | W63SY | W65H | W67B | W67C | W67NY | W69PH |

W71NY | W71RF | W71SB | W73PH | W75C | W75NY | W75P |

W81SP | W85A |

FM translator calls[]

FM stations, rebroadcasting local AM stations in areas where reception is poor, known as FM translator stations, have a new type of call sign, resembling the frequency-based call signs of the 1940s. The call consists of a K or W, a three-digit numeral which starts with 201 for 88.1 MHz and goes up to 300 for 107.9 MHz, and two more letters:


W201AA-W300ZZ

Other calls not classified[]

WQO76

See also[]

3- and 4-letter K calls[]

KA | KB | KC | KD | KE | KF | KG | KH | KI | KJ | KK | KL | KM | KN | KO | KP | KQ | KR | KS | KT | KU | KV | KW | KX | KY | KZ

3- and 4-letter W calls[]

WA | WB | WC | WD | WE | WF | WG | WH | WI | WJ | WK | WL | WM | WN | WO | WP | WQ | WR | WS | WT | WU | WV | WW | WX | WY | WZ

Miscellaneous calls[]

K | Other

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