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CALL LETTER COMBOS

E

elchupacabras

Just out of curiosity, how many call signs can be generated out of the current four letter K's and W's. And if you add LP, FM or something along those lines, what is mathematical possibility of running out? I know this is a little off the beaten path, but maybe someone with a good math brain could come up with some stats.
 
elchupacabras said:
Just out of curiosity, how many call signs can be generated out of the current four letter K's and W's. And if you add LP, FM or something along those lines, what is mathematical possibility of running out? I know this is a little off the beaten path, but maybe someone with a good math brain could come up with some stats.
Click to expand...

I think there are 17,526 possibilities for the the W's and 17,526 for the K's. Currently licensed stations in the us 13-14,000.

As far as LP's what are the naming conventions?
 
Thanks. The LP Fm's must have the regular K's or W's followed by a dash the "LP." There may actually be a few more combinations due to the grandfathered three letter call signs. I can think of a couple. KSL, SLC, UT signed on an FM companion with calls KSL-(dash) FM. Same with KID-FM, and a host of other FM's tied to the call signs of some of America's earliest broadcast pioneers.
 
I came up with 8 variations possible for each call sign, but have I missed any?

1. AM KXXX
2. FM KXXX-FM
3. FM-HD KXXX-HD
4. FM-LP KXXX-LP
5. TV KXXX-TV
6. TV-HD KXXX-DT
7. TV-LP KXXX-LP
8. TV-CA KXXX-CA

The only duplication in the list is the LP suffix, which is used for both FM-LP and TV-LP, so technically there could only be 7 call signs issued for the same call letters. I'll let someone do the rest of the math for the number off combinations possible.

A mystery I just discovered is a new suffix I have never seen. A TV station that is on VHF analog and digital also has a listing in the FCC DB for a UHF channel and the service is listed as DR. Does anyone know what the DR suffix is? "Digital Reserve" maybe? No technical information was listed for it, so I'm wondering if maybe they just have a reservation in for a UHF channel in case they decide to switch from VHF.
 
CatFM said:
A mystery I just discovered is a new suffix I have never seen. A TV station that is on VHF analog and digital also has a listing in the FCC DB for a UHF channel and the service is listed as DR. Does anyone know what the DR suffix is? "Digital Reserve" maybe? No technical information was listed for it, so I'm wondering if maybe they just have a reservation in for a UHF channel in case they decide to switch from VHF.
Click to expand...

It looks like the R in -DR is for rulemaking, for example:

WMSN-DR WI MADISON USA (Digital)

Licensee: WMSN LICENSEE, LLC
Service Designation: DR Petition for rulemaking to add or modify a digital allotment -- see Docket for details
Channel: 49 680 - 686 MHz Application
File No.: BPRM-20080620AOW Facility ID number: 178290
CDBS Application ID No.: 1252062

In this case, WMSN does not have the allocation yet, so the channel is not reserved.
 
wgliradio said:
CatFM said:
1. AM KXXX
2. FM KXXX-FM
3. FM-HD KXXX-HD
4. FM-LP KXXX-LP
5. TV KXXX-TV
6. TV-HD KXXX-DT
7. TV-LP KXXX-LP
8. TV-CA KXXX-CA
Click to expand...

9. KXXX-HD2
10. KXXX-HD3
Click to expand...

Show me where on the license it says "WXXX-HD3"! :D

But here are two more suffixes that do appear on licenses: -CD and -LD, the digital versions of Class A LPTVs and non-class A LPTVs.
 
Realizing this thread is slightly over 2 years old and not really important; I'm still wanting to say that I'll be spending a few days with KKBS in Guymon, Oklahoma.

If you know spanish and english; this is a call worth fighting for. ;D
 
You left our a few stations and service.

The Coast Guard. I think WMLK is still a Coast Guard Cruiser. Odd that these stations use radio call signs and are unavailable.
 
ChiefEngineer said:
You left our a few stations and service.

The Coast Guard. I think WMLK is still a Coast Guard Cruiser. Odd that these stations use radio call signs and are unavailable.
Click to expand...

As boiseengineer says, ships had the calls first...

but WMLK is in fact a broadcast station. A shortwave station, but a broadcaster nonetheless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WMLK

The earlier use of 3- and 4-letter calls for marine facilities explains the K/W callsign divide. 3-letter W calls were given to shore stations on the East and Gulf Coasts -- and K calls to shore stations on the West Coast -- while 4-letter K calls were given to East Coast ships, and 4-letter W calls to West Coast vessels. The idea was to make it easier to tell whether you were listening to a ship or a shore station.
 
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