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{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
▲{{short description|Unique designation for a transmitting station}}
▲{{refimprove|date = March 2013}}
In [[broadcasting]] and [[radio communications]], a '''call sign''' (also known as a '''call name''' or '''call letters'''—and historically as a '''call signal'''—or abbreviated as a '''call''') is a [[Identifier|unique identifier]] for a [[transmitter station]]. A call sign can be formally assigned by a government agency, informally adopted by individuals or organizations, or even [[cryptography|cryptographically]] [[encryption|encoded]] to disguise a station's identity.
The use of call signs as unique identifiers dates to the landline [[railroad]] [[telegraph]] system. Because there was only one [[Electrical telegraph|telegraph line]] linking all [[railroad stations]], there needed to be a way to [[Address space|address]] each one when sending a [[telegram]]. In order to save time, two-letter identifiers were adopted for this purpose. This pattern continued in [[radiotelegraph]] operation; [[Radio industry|radio companies]] initially assigned two-letter identifiers to [[coast radio station|coastal stations]] and [[marine radio|stations
==Transportation==
===Maritime===
[[Image:UKTY Call-sign of Russian nuclear icebreaker Arktika.jpg|thumb|Russian [[nuclear icebreaker]] ''[[Arktika-class icebreaker|Arktika]]'' with call sign UKTY]]
▲{{main|Maritime call signs}}
Merchant and naval vessels are assigned call signs by their national licensing authorities. In the case of states such as [[Liberia]] or [[Panama]], which are [[flags of convenience]] for ship registration, call signs for larger vessels consist of the national prefix plus three letters (for example, 3LXY, and sometimes followed by a number,
Leisure craft with VHF radios may not be assigned call signs, in which case the name of the vessel is used instead. Ships in the US still wishing to have a radio license are under [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] class SA: "Ship recreational or voluntarily equipped." Those calls follow the land mobile format of the initial letter K or W followed by 1 or 2 letters followed by 3 or 4 numbers (such as KX0983 or WXX0029). [[U.S. Coast Guard]] small boats have a number that is shown on both bows (i.e. port and starboard) in which the first two digits indicate the nominal length of the boat in feet. For example, Coast Guard 47021 refers to the 21st in the series of 47-foot motor lifeboats. The call sign might be abbreviated to the final two or three numbers during operations, for example: ''Coast Guard zero two one''.
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Currently, all signs in [[aviation]] are derived from several different policies, depending upon the type of flight operation and whether or not the caller is in an aircraft or at a ground facility. In most countries, unscheduled [[general aviation]] flights identify themselves using the call sign corresponding to the [[aircraft registration|aircraft's registration]] number (also called ''N-number'' in the U.S., or ''tail number''). In this case, the call sign is spoken using the [[International Civil Aviation Organization]] (ICAO) [[NATO phonetic alphabet|phonetic alphabet]]. Aircraft registration numbers internationally follow the pattern of a country prefix, followed by a unique identifier made up of letters and numbers. For example, an aircraft registered as ''N978CP'' conducting a [[general aviation]] flight would use the call sign ''November-niner-seven-eight-Charlie-Papa''. However, in the United States a pilot of an aircraft would normally omit saying ''November'', and instead use the name of the aircraft manufacturer or the specific model. At times, general aviation pilots might omit additional preceding numbers and use only the last three numbers and letters. This is especially true at uncontrolled fields (those without control towers) when reporting traffic pattern positions or at towered airports after establishing two-way communication with the tower controller. For example, ''Skyhawk eight-Charlie-Papa, left base''. In commercial aviation, the callsign is usually the ICAO [[Flight number]]. For example, ''Delta Airlines Flight 744'' would have the flight number ''DL744'' and the callsign would be ''Delta 744''.
In most countries, the aircraft call sign or "tail number"/"tail letters" (also known as registration marks) are linked to the international radio call sign allocation table and follow a convention that aircraft radio stations (and, by extension, the aircraft itself) receive call signs consisting of five letters. For example, all British [[civil aviation|civil aircraft]] have a five-letter registration beginning with the letter G, which can also serve for a call sign. Canadian aircraft have a call sign beginning with C–F or C–G, such as C–FABC. [[ground-effect vehicle|wing-in-ground-effect vehicle]]s and [[hovercraft]] in Canada are eligible to receive C–Hxxx call signs, and [[ultralight aviation|ultralight aircraft]] receive C-Ixxx call signs. In days gone by, even American aircraft used five
===Spaceflight===
{{main|Spacecraft call signs}}
Radio call signs used for communication in crewed spaceflight are not formalized or regulated to the same degree as for aircraft. The three nations currently launching crewed space missions use different methods to identify the ground and space radio stations; the United States uses either the names given to the space vehicles, or else the project name and mission number. Russia traditionally assigns code names as call signs to individual [[astronaut#Russian|cosmonaut]]s, more in the manner of [[aviator call sign]]s, rather than to the spacecraft.
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==Broadcasting==
[[File:QSL card sent to listener confirming reception of WWV from Maryland - 194007.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A 1940 [[QSL card]] for [[WWV (radio station)|WWV]], indicating its early location in the U.S. state of [[Maryland]]]]▼
{{main|Broadcast call signs}}
▲[[File:QSL card sent to listener confirming reception of WWV from Maryland - 194007.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A 1940 [[QSL card]] for [[WWV (radio station)|WWV]], indicating its early location in the U.S. state of [[Maryland]]]]
Broadcasters are allocated call signs in many countries. While broadcast radio stations will often [[brand management|brand]] themselves with plain-text names, identities such as "[[cool jazz|Cool]] [[FM radio|FM]]", "[[rock and roll|Rock]] 105" or "the ABC network" are not globally unique. Another station in another city or country may (and often will) have a similar brand, and the name of a broadcast station for legal purposes is normally its internationally recognised ITU call sign. Some common conventions are followed in each country.
Broadcast stations in North America generally use call signs in the international series. In the United States of America, they are used for all FCC-licensed transmitters.<ref>{{cite web|title=CALL SIGNS/LETTERS - The Museum of Broadcast Communications|url=http://www.museum.tv/eotv/callsigns.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314132238/http://www.museum.tv/eotv/callsigns.htm|archive-date=
In Canada, the publicly owned [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] uses the prefix ''CB''; privately owned commercial broadcast stations use primarily ''CF'' and ''CH'' through ''CK'' prefixes; and four stations licensed to [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]] by the [[Dominion of Newfoundland]] government retain their original ''VO'' calls. In Mexico, [[AM radio]] stations use ''XE'' call signs (such as [[XEW-AM]]), while the majority of [[FM radio]] and television stations use ''XH''. Broadcast call signs are normally four or five alpha characters in length, plus the ''-FM'', ''-TV'', or ''-TDT'' suffix where applicable.
In South America call signs have been a traditional way of identifying radio and TV stations. Some stations still broadcast their call signs a few times a day, but this practice is becoming very rare. Argentinian broadcast call signs consist of two or three letters followed by multiple numbers, the second and third letters indicating region. In Brazil, radio and TV stations are identified by a ZY, a third letter and three numbers. ''ZYA'' and ''ZYB'' are allocated to television stations
In Australia, broadcast call signs are optional, but are allocated by the [[Australian Communications and Media Authority]] and are unique for each broadcast station.
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==Amateur radio==
{{main|Amateur radio call signs}}
[[Image:Reg plate california.jpg|thumb|right|All U.S. states issue call sign [[license plate]]s upon request for motor vehicles owned by amateur radio operators
[[Amateur radio]] call signs are in the international series and normally consist of a one or two character prefix, a digit (which may be used to denote a geographical area, class of license, or identify a licensee as a visitor or temporary resident), and a 1-, 2-, or 3-letter suffix. In Australia, call signs are structured with a two letter prefix, a digit (which identifies geographical area), and a 2, 3 or 4 letter suffix. This suffix may be followed by a further suffix, or personal identifier, such as /P (portable), /M (mobile), /AM (aeronautical mobile) or /MM (maritime mobile). The number following the prefix is normally a single number (0 to 9). Some prefixes, such as Djibouti's (J2), consist of a letter followed by a number. Hence, in the hypothetical Djibouti call sign, J29DBA, the prefix is ''J2'', the number is ''9'', and the suffix is ''DBA''. Others may start with a number followed by a letter, for example, Jamaican call signs begin with 6Y.
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When operating with reciprocal agreements under the jurisdiction of a foreign government, an identifying station pre-pends the call sign with the country prefix and number of the country/territory from which the operation is occurring. For example, W4/G3ABC would denote a licensed amateur from the United Kingdom who is operating in the fourth district of the United States. There are exceptions; in the case of U.S./Canadian reciprocal operations, the country/territory identifier is, instead, appended to the call sign; e.g., W1AW/VE4, or VE3XYZ/W1.
Special call signs are issued in the amateur radio service either for special purposes, VIPs, or for temporary use to commemorate special events. Examples include ''VO1S'' (''VO1'' as a [[Dominion of Newfoundland]] call sign prefix, ''S'' to commemorate [[Guglielmo Marconi|Marconi]]'s first trans-Atlantic message, a single-character [[Morse code]] ''S'' sent from [[Cornwall]], England to Signal Hill, [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]] in 1901) and GB90MGY (''GB'' as a Great Britain call sign prefix, ''90'' and ''MGY'' to commemorate the 90th anniversary of historic 1912 radio [[distress call]]s from ''MGY'', the [[Marconi Station|Marconi station]] aboard the famed [[White Star Line|White Star]] luxury liner [[RMS Titanic|RMS ''Titanic'']]).<ref>[http://www.g0sjh.com/Puttenham/GB90MGY/Main_page.htm GB90MGY] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908105212/http://www.g0sjh.com/Puttenham/GB90MGY/Main_page.htm |date=September 8, 2008
The late [[Hussein of Jordan|King Hussein]] of [[Jordan]] was issued a special amateur license number, '''JY1''', which would have been the shortest possible call sign issued by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
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==Military call signs==
{{main|Military call signs}}
In wartime, monitoring an adversary's communications can be a valuable form of intelligence. Consistent call signs can aid in this monitoring, so in wartime, military units often employ [[tactical designator|tactical call signs]] and sometimes change them at regular intervals. In peacetime, some military stations will use fixed call signs in the international series.
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International regulations no longer require a call sign for broadcast stations; however, they are still required for broadcasters in many countries, including the United States. Mobile phone services do not use call signs on-air because the phones and their users are not licensed, instead the cell operator is the one holding the license. However, the U.S. still assigns a call sign to each mobile-phone spectrum license.
In the United States, ''voluntary ships'' operating domestically are not required to have a call sign or license to operate [[Marine VHF radio|VHF radios]], [[radar]] or an [[Emergency position-indicating radiobeacon station|EPIRB]]. Voluntary ships (mostly pleasure and recreational) are not required to have a radio. However, ships which are required to have radio equipment (most large commercial vessels) are issued a call sign.<ref name="FCCSHIPS">{{Cite web |title=FCC: Wireless Services: Ship Radio Stations: Licensing |url=https://wireless.fcc.gov/services/index.htm?job=licensing&id=ship_stations/ |
==Callbooks==
[[File:Callbook 1919 excerpt.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.6|Department of Commerce callbook, 1919]]▼
A directory of radio station call signs is called a callbook. Callbooks were originally bound books that resembled a [[telephone directory]] and contained the name and addressees of licensed radio stations in a given jurisdiction (country). Modern Electrics published the first callbook in the United States in 1909.<ref name="bluebook1909">{{cite book|url=https://www.seas.upenn.edu/~uparc/documents/First%20Annual%20Official%20Wireless%20Blue%20Book%20-%201909.pdf|title=First Annual Official Wireless Blue Book of the Wireless Association of America |publisher=Modern Electrics Publication |location=[[New York City|New York]] |first=H |last=Gernsback |date=May 1909 |access-date=
▲[[File:Callbook 1919 excerpt.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Department of Commerce callbook, 1919]]
▲A directory of radio station call signs is called a callbook. Callbooks were originally bound books that resembled a [[telephone directory]] and contained the name and addressees of licensed radio stations in a given jurisdiction (country). Modern Electrics published the first callbook in the United States in 1909.<ref name="bluebook1909">{{cite book|url=https://www.seas.upenn.edu/~uparc/documents/First%20Annual%20Official%20Wireless%20Blue%20Book%20-%201909.pdf|title=First Annual Official Wireless Blue Book of the Wireless Association of America |publisher=Modern Electrics Publication |location=[[New York City|New York]] |first=H |last=Gernsback |date=May 1909 |access-date=2018-08-14}}</ref>
Today, the primary purpose of a callbook is to allow amateur radio operators to send a confirmation post card, called a [[QSL card]] to an operator with whom they have communicated via radio. Callbooks have evolved to include on-line databases that are accessible via the Internet to instantly obtain the address of another amateur radio operator and their QSL Managers. The most well known and used on-line QSL databases include QRZ.COM,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.qrz.com/| title=QRZ.COM| access-date=
==See also==
<!-- Please respect alphabetical order --> *[[Brevity code]]
*[[Glossary of military abbreviations]]
*[[List of aviation, avionics, aerospace and aeronautical abbreviations]]
*[[List of aviation mnemonics]]
*[[List of government and military acronyms]]
*[[ITU prefix]]
*[[NATO phonetic alphabet]]
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*[[Procedure word]]
*[[Pseudonym]]
*[[Tactical designator]]
==References==
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* [http://www.ominous-valve.com/callsign.txt Military Call Sign List]
* [http://henney.com/chm/callsign.htm Another Military Callsign List]
* [http://www.clydepark.com/callsigns.htm Fictional Story About Military Call Signs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029022151/http://www.clydepark.com/callsigns.htm |date=October 29, 2020 }}
* [http://www.radio-locator.com Radio-Locator]
* [http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/sp_dgse-ps_dggs.nsf/eng/gg00073.html Broadcasting undertaking callsigns possibly available for assignment]
* [https://nelson.oldradio.com/origins.call-list.html Call Letter Origins]
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