What is the meaning of (k) in the beginning of radio stations names such as (K ISS, K ZIP, and K TFM)?

Question

You will find this in the US only.

Answer 1

It all depends on the location of where the station is. The Mississippi River is the dividing point for whether radio stations begin with either K or W.

K refers to radio stations located on the west of the river.

W would then refer to radio stations located on the east side of the river.

Answer 2

Each country has a set of alphabetic or numeric International Telecommunication Union-designated prefixes with which their call signs must begin. For example:

Australia uses AX, VH–VN,VK and VZ.

Canada uses CF-CK, CY-CZ, VA-VG, VE, VO, VX-VY, and XJ-XO.

Egypt uses SSA-SSM, SUA-SUZ, and 6AA-6BZ.

Germany uses DA-DR

India uses AT–AW, VT–VW, and 8T–8Y.

Japan uses JA–JS, 7J–7N, and 8J–8N.

New Zealand uses ZK–ZM.

Russia uses R and UA–UI.

The United Kingdom uses G, M, VS, ZB–ZJ, ZN–ZO, ZQ, and 2.

The United States uses K, W, N, and AA–AL.

The United States was represented by the military at the 1927 conference, which is why it received (or, in some cases, retained) A (for Army) and N (for Navy). The W and K for civilian stations followed as the simple addition of a dash to the Morse code letters A and N. (However, in 1912, KDA–KZZ, all of N, and all of W were assigned to the United States, but all of A was assigned to Germany and its protectorates.)

Answer 3

Thanks for the info.  I've always wondered about W and K being designated for radio stations.