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Author Topic: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls  (Read 283 times)

W2LO

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The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« on: January 22, 2021, 11:06:56 AM »

 The first US "W" 1x2 calls were issued in the 1920s with the advent of internationally agreed-upon national identifiers but "K" callsigns were reserved for non-mainland (Hawaii, American Samoa, etc.) calls until after WWII.

 What I would like to know is when were the first single letter "K" prefix 1x2 mainland calls issued?
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W3NR

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2021, 01:37:15 PM »

In 1978 my Novice call started with a K (KA3AWS).

Ed W3NR
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VK3KTO

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2021, 01:49:13 PM »

I have Winter 1953 Call Book and that lists a few US Mainland "K" Calls.
73 de Mike VK3KTO
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W7XTV

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2021, 01:51:57 PM »

The first US "W" 1x2 calls were issued in the 1920s with the advent of internationally agreed-upon national identifiers but "K" callsigns were reserved for non-mainland (Hawaii, American Samoa, etc.) calls until after WWII.

What I would like to know is when were the first single letter "K" prefix 1x2 mainland calls issued?

I would guess not too long after the war, maybe circa 1948-50.
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W7XTV

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2021, 01:56:18 PM »

In 1978 my Novice call started with a K (KA3AWS).

Ed W3NR

Yours was assigned under the current system, beginning in March 1978 when the WA/WB/WD 2x3 calls stopped being assigned and KA 2x3 calls began.

What he's talking about was under the previous system, which was used between late 1945 and March 1978.
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He speaks fluent PSK31, in FT8...  One QSO with him earns you 5BDXCC...  His Wouff Hong has two Wouffs... Hiram Percy Maxim called HIM "The Old Man..."  He is... The Most Interesting Ham In The World!

KM1H

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2021, 04:21:36 PM »

I dont believe there were any 1 x 2 K calls until the 70's or so.

My K call was a 1x3 in 1955 and those were consecutively issued with no specials for Extras yet.

Carl
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W7XTV

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2021, 08:31:20 PM »

I dont believe there were any 1 x 2 K calls until the 70's or so.

I know of one prior to the '70s:  K9IU, which is the Indiana University Amateur Radio Club, was assigned sometime in the mid or late 1960s.  I was a member of the club in the early '70s, and saw QSLs with K9IU on them dating back to 1967 or thereabouts.  IIRC, it had been K9UAN before that.

I don't remember if there were any other K 1x2 calls in effect at that time.
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He speaks fluent PSK31, in FT8...  One QSO with him earns you 5BDXCC...  His Wouff Hong has two Wouffs... Hiram Percy Maxim called HIM "The Old Man..."  He is... The Most Interesting Ham In The World!

W1VT

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2021, 04:18:55 AM »

There is a K4AF (the Pentagon) QSL card on ebay right now with a 1948 printing date and a December 28, 1949 Postmark.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1949-1951-Military-Amateur-Radio-QSL-Cards-K4USA-K4AF-Pentagon-/233351711989

Zak W1VT
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W2LO

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2021, 06:30:22 AM »

 It would seem then that the earliest continental US "K" 1x2 calls after WWII were special/university/etc. calls such as the cited K9IU, K4AF, etc. examples. I guess they were granted on a case-by-case basis.

 Thanks to all for the assistance!
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W3HF

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2021, 06:49:20 AM »

It would seem then that the earliest continental US "K" 1x2 calls after WWII were special/university/etc. calls such as the cited K9IU, K4AF, etc. examples. I guess they were granted on a case-by-case basis.

 Thanks to all for the assistance!

I believe that is the case.

They were allocated to the 10 CONUS districts right after WWII, but FCC was only issuing sequentially at that time except for special cases. (K4AF is a great example because I'll bet that W4AF was still an active license at the time.) The first sequentially-issued K 1x2s would have been issued when all the W 1x2s were gone.
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W6RZ

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2021, 07:27:45 AM »

Browsing the callbook archive, 6-land "K" 1x2 calls for regular folks start appearing in the summer 1950 issue.

https://archive.org/details/Summer_1950_Radio_Amateur_Callbook/Summer_1950_Radio_Amateur_Callbook_District_6/
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W3HF

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Re: The First Mainland--US "K" Prefix 1x2 Calls
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2021, 07:54:26 AM »

Browsing the callbook archive, 6-land "K" 1x2 calls for regular folks start appearing in the summer 1950 issue.

https://archive.org/details/Summer_1950_Radio_Amateur_Callbook/Summer_1950_Radio_Amateur_Callbook_District_6/

Thank you. That is perfectly consistent--the 6th and 2nd districts were likely the first ones to run out of W 1x2s. They were also the first ones to run out of W and K 1x3s and start on the WA series.
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