Hi all.I asked this in Hanger Chat, but no-one likes me there as no-one replied.So, I'll try here!Is there any logic / history behind the US using "K" to start their ICAO codes?ThanksTimNZWN

>Is there any logic / history behind the US using "K" to start>their ICAO codes?>It is undoubtedly related to Australia using "Y" to start their ICAO codes. R-

logic, maybe.history, certainly.At one point the codes were handed out, and the US got all codes starting with K and N. The US assigned K codes to groundbased radiostations, N to airborn stations.This happened at a conference in the 1920s where a worldwide system of identification codes for radio communications was established.It was determined that each station all over the world must have a unique identifier, and that each such identifier would start with a (combination of) letter(s).The US was given the N and K, Europe was given E and L subdivided at the second letter per country with the Netherlands for example getting EH and EP (with EP used for mobile stations, this now shortened to P with PH for aircraft), etc. etc..The codes have nothing per se to do with aviation therefore, but as almost everything in aviation has a radio almost everything in aviation will have a code so it was logical to use those codes to identify aircraft and airfields with as well (why think up yet more identification systems?).

Awesome!Thanks guys.Tim

I have long wondered about that. For instance, I had some understanding that ACK was also the call sign for Nantucket seaport. Anyone know anything about this?Thomas[a href=http://www.flyingscool.com] http://www.flyingscool.com/images/Signature.jpg [/a]I like using VC's :-)

More than you probably wanted to know here (but not about ICAO airports)http://earlyradiohistory.us/sec024.htmscott s..