US radio station names

[Dacetine]

Why do US radio stations have acronyms for names usually starting with K or W such as "WXRK" or "KBON". What do the letters signify?

[smorodina]

Weird things are happening to the site as I type this! The call letters were a world wide system once, but only the US continued to use them. Here is an article in some depth about the history of K and W:

 

http://earlyradiohistory.us/3myst.htm

[Dacetine]

Wow. An excellent and comprehensive response Smorodina. Thanks... it had been puzzling me on and off for years.

[ezapf]

Smorodina, thanks for the link from me too.

Dacetine, amateur radio operators world-wide still use call letters.

[themi-joseph]

Hello. USA radio stations east of the Mississippi River begin with the letter "W". USA radio stations west of the Mississippi River begin with the letter "K". I'm not certain, but this might also include television stations as well.