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> often starting with K or W for some reason

All commercial radio and television stations in the US have call signs starting with K or W. The division is geographic -- west coast stations use K; east coast stations use W. (The dividing line is, roughly speaking, drawn at the Mississippi River.)



It took me a while to realize there was any geographic significance. I live in a metro area split by the Mississippi, so we have a roughly 50/50 ratio of K and W stations.


Plenty of exceptions though. e.g. KDKA Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and WACO Waco, Texas.


Of course somebody has compiled a list of the exceptions: https://earlyradiohistory.us/kwtrivia.htm


What I would really like to know is - why did they choose the letters W and K?




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