What Happens to Inactive/Defunct Call Signs?

[cc333]

Interesting discussion!

So I guess I can use anything in the KAA-KCZ block without any worry that some station, past or present, might have already been assigned whatever I might pick.

I thought maybe I could use some of those old instrumental PAMS jingles that were popular among pirate stations, and having a call to go with them makes sense to me.

c

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

KMET is more known as an AM Station in Banning, CA since 1987 when 94.7 FM Los Angeles became KTWV. These call letters are more associated with the Inland Empire than Los Angeles at this point.

KMET (AM) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Hyrum]

The only legal call letter requirement is that you use your actual call letters and city of license on the legal ID. You can call it anything during the programming hour. There are lots of "Froggies" and "Jacks" out there. The FCC will no longer issue three letter calls, but perhaps you could use KAYA and identify as Kay-Y A except for the legal ID. When WKBW became WWKB they used "KB" as the station name, except for the legal ID. In 200something they brought back music for a time, used the old WKBW jingles and imitated the old station. The legal ID still remained WWKB, Buffalo while they called the station "KB" but used WKBW jingles. I would argue that the WKBW jingle may not have been kosher because of the appearance of the station using call letters other than their own, which is contrary to the rules. Plus, they probably didn't pay for or have rights to the jingles which are always owned by the production companies, and leased to the station. But who knows?

 

[davideduardo]

The legal ID still remained WWKB, Buffalo while they called the station "KB" but used WKBW jingles. I would argue that the WKBW jingle may not have been kosher because of the appearance of the station using call letters other than their own, which is contrary to the rules.

For quite a few years, a number of Clear Channel AM talk stations in Florida were all called "WFLA" even though they had separate call letters on all but one of them. They used the "real" calls once an hour, but the rest of the time they were "WFLA".

 

[davideduardo]

KMET is more known as an AM Station in Banning, CA since 1987 when 94.7 FM Los Angeles became KTWV. These call letters are more associated with the Inland Empire than Los Angeles at this point.

I'd say "more associated with Banning and Beaumont than Los Angeles". The signals do not make it down the hill to even Redlands, let along Riverside or San Berdoo.

 

[b-turner]

I recall when WOAI grabbed 760 and went Sports Talk. In an attempt to bolster WOAI, in San Antonio, they referred to 760 as WOAI-Two except for top of the hour. KTSA was doing talk like WOAI and I always thought it was a great plan to outdistance KTSA although all the decisionmakers knew what was happening.

 

[KeithE4]

Interesting discussion!

So I guess I can use anything in the KAA-KCZ block without any worry that some station, past or present, might have already been assigned whatever I might pick.

I thought maybe I could use some of those old instrumental PAMS jingles that were popular among pirate stations, and having a call to go with them makes sense to me.

c

You don't need to use call letters at all, but if you do, just make sure that no licensed station that is audible in your area is using them or anything similar to them. Something like "Radio CC333" would work perfectly fine, so long as you are following the FCC Part 15 regulations and are not actively trying to get your neighbors to listen (aka, broadcasting to the general public, as opposed to just yourself and your family). The latter might cause licensing issues from the Music Mafia.