Private Radio Bureau

FACT SHEET

Federal Communications Commission
1919 M Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20554                                                   PR-5000

                                                            June, 1991

                                                       Fact Sheet #206


                  AMATEUR STATION CALL SIGN ASSIGNMENT SYSTEM


A unique call sign is assigned to each amateur station during the processing of its license. A new call sign is sequentially selected from the alphabetized regional-group list for the licensee's operator class and mailing address.  Each call sign has a one or two letter prefix and a one, two, or three letter suffix separated by a numeral indicating the geographic region.  Certain combinations of letters are not used.  When the call signs in any regional-group list are exhausted, the selection is made from the next lower group.
The groups are:


Group A.  For stations licensed to Amateur Extra Class operators.
Regions 0
through 9:  Prefix K, N or W, and two letter suffix; two letter prefix with
            first letter A, K, N or W, and one letter suffix; two letter 
            prefix with first letter A, and two letter suffix.
Region 11:  Prefix AL, KL, NL, or WL, and one letter suffix.
Region 12:  Prefix KP, NP, or WP, and one letter suffix.
Region 13:  Prefix AH, KH, NH, or WH, and one letter suffix.

Group B.  For stations licensed to Advanced Class operators.
Regions 0
through 9:  Two letter prefix with letter K, N or W, and two letter suffix.
Region 11:  Prefix AL, and two letter suffix.
Region 12:  Prefix KP, and two letter suffix.
Region 13:  Prefix AH, and two letter suffix.

Group C.  For stations licensed to General and Technician Class operators.
Regions 0
through 9:  Prefix K, N, or W, and three letter suffix.
Region 11:  Prefix KL, NL, or WL, and two letter suffix.
Region 12:  Prefix NP or WP, and two letter suffix.
Region 13:  Prefix KH, NH, or WH, and two letter suffix.

Group D.  For stations licensed to Novice Class operators.
Regions 0
through 9:  Prefix KA through KZ or WA through WZ, and three letter suffix.
Region 11:  Prefix KL or WL, and three letter suffix.
Region 12:  Prefix KP or WP, and three letter suffix.
Region 13:  Prefix KH or WH, and three letter suffix.



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The regions are:
Region 1.   Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island 
            and Vermont.  The numeral is 1.
Region 2.   New Jersey and New York.  The numeral is 2.
Region 3.   Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.  The 
            numeral is 3.
Region 4.   Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
            Tennessee and Virginia.  The numeral is 4.
Region 5.   Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.  
            The number is 5.
Region 6.   California.  The numeral is 6.
Region 7.   Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and 
            Wyoming.  The numeral is 7.
Region 8.   Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.  The numeral is 8.
Region 9.   Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.  The numeral is 9.
Region 10.  Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota 
            and South Dakota.  The numeral is 0.
Region 11.  Alaska.  The numeral is 7.
Region 12.  Caribbean Insular areas.  The numeral 1 indicates Navassa Island;  
            2 indicates Virgin Islands; 4 indicates Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
            except Desecheo Island; and 5 indicates Desecheo Island.
Region 13.  Hawaii and Pacific Insular areas. The numeral 1 indicates Baker or 
            Howland Island; 2 indicates Guam; 3 indicates Johnston Island; 4 
            indicates Midway Island; 5 indicates Palmyra or Jarvis Island; 5 
            followed by the letter K in the suffix indicates Kingman Reef; 6 
            indicates Hawaii except Kure Island; 7 indicates Kure Island; 8 
            indicates American Samoa; 9 indicates Wake, Wilkes or Peale Island; 
            and 0 indicates the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.

No request for a specific call sign is granted. A call sign is only changed 
when the licensee requests a change by application (FCC Form 610, Item 2E). 
Each change in call sign is processed as a new call sign as detailed in 
Paragraph 1.  A station is reassigned its same call sign upon renewal or 
modification of its license, unless a call sign change is so requested.  
Because a call sign can be so reassigned only when the licensee information 
resides in the computer database, the information is retained in the data 
base for two years beyond expiration to provide a grace period during which 
persons who unintentionally fail to renew their licenses have additional time 
to do so.  An application filed beyond the grace period is processed for a new 
license because the record has been deleted from the data base.

For further information, contact the Consumer Assistance Branch at (717) 337-
1212.