FM radio stations use a series of letters to identify their designation on air. Although these letters seem arbitrary, these names are used by government and industry to identify the location of broadcasts. These modern standards, enforced by law, are rooted in communication techniques from the 1800s.

Identification

According to federal law, all FM radio stations are designated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Known as call signs or call letters, these names are used to identify the station and the fact that it broadcasts in FM.

Features

The designation used by the FCC for FM radio stations are four letters long, although some three-letter station call signs exist from stations that switched from the antiquated system of the early 1900s.

Considerations

In addition to the four letters used in the call sign, the FCC requires FM radio station names to use a suffix as well. This is simply the designation of "FM" followed by the frequency and location of the station. For example, a station in Boston operating as of 2009 is known as "WXKS-FM 107.9 Medford."

Geography

Stations west of the Mississippi River generally have a "K" as a starting letter for FM station designation, while those east of the river use "W."

History

The origins of using call signs to identify radio frequencies is rooted in early maritime communications. It aided ship-to-ship communication in identifying the country to which the vessel belonged. In the early 20th century, this was adapted to radio and ultimately FM stations.

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How Are FM Radio Stations Named?

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