Author: Alan, 5B4AHJ
Prefixes of U.S. administered callsigns prior to WWII were very different to those in the post-WWII period.
However, the pre-WWII prefixes continued to be used for a short time after the end of WWII, and thus are of interest for Club Log.
As far as I can ascertain, new prefixes began to be issued in early 1946, and the changeover was largely complete before the end of 1947.
Known prefixes (this may not be a complete list), including Club Log mapping dates - log in to Club Log to view QSLs (not necessary for K8CX QSLs):
| Old prefix | Mapped until | QSL | New prefix | New prefix Mapped from | QSL | DXCC Entity | Notes & acknowledgements |
| K4 | 1946-12-31 | K4JAU | KP4 | 1945-11-15 | KP4AU | Puerto Rico | Tnx W2VRK |
| K5 | Not QRV post WWII | N/A | KZ5 | 1945-11-15 | KZ5AA | Canal Zone | Tnx W2VRK |
| K6 | 1946-12-31 | W1MVF/K6 | KH6 | 1946-07-01 | KH6CN | Hawaii | Tnx Patrick Rigg, K8CX |
| K7 | 1946-12-31 | W6QJW/K7 | KL7 | 1945-11-15 | KL7AD | Alaska | Tnx Patrick Rigg |
| K4, KB4 | May not have been QRV post WWII | N/A | KV4 | 1945-11-15 | KV4AA | US Virgin Islands | Tnx W2VRK, F5VHY |
| KB6 | 1946-06-30 | W2LRI/KB6 | KG6 | 1946-07-01 | KG6AL | Mariana Islands, Guam | Tnx G4UZN, K8CX |
| KC6 | Not mapped | QSL required | KW6 | 1945-11-15 | W6VDG/KW6 | Wake Island | Tnx Patrick Rigg. |
| KD4 | Not QRV post WWII | N/A | KS4 | 1945-11-15 | KS4AC | Swan Island | Tnx K8CX |
| KD6 | 1946-12-31 | QSL required | KM6 | 1945-11-15 | KM6AA | Midway Island | Tnx K8CX |
| KE6 | 1946-12-31 | KE6/W9QMD | KJ6 | 1945-11-15 | W6VID/KJ6 | Johnston Island | Tnx W2VRK, Patrick Rigg |
| KC6 KF6 | 1947-12-31 1946-12-31 | K6ETF/KC6 K6HOT/KC6 KF6SJJ | KB6 | 1946-07-01 | KB6AD | Baker, Howland and American Phoenix Islands | Tnx Patrick Rigg, K8CX Tnx W2VRK Tnx Patrick Rigg KC6 may not have been used pre-WWII |
| KG6 | 1946-06-30 | QSL required | KP6 | 1945-11-15 | KP6AB | Jarvis & Palmyra Island | Tnx Patrick Rigg |
| KH6 | 1946-06-30 | QSL required | KS6 | 1945-11-15 | W0OZW/KS6 | American Samoa | W3LJL/KH6 QRV 1946. Tnx XTAL Magazine Vol 7, #8, October, 1946, K8CX |
| NY1, NY2 | Not QRV post WWII | N/A | KZ5 | See above | See above | Canal Zone | |
| NY4 | 1949-12-31 | NY4DD | KG4 | 1949-01-01 | KG4AD | Guantanamo Bay | Tnx G4UZN. NY4DD became KG4AD sometime in the period 1949-03-26 to 1949-07-02 |
The following is an extract from QST April, 1946:
The following is an extract from QST February, 1947:
Note:
The only prefixes for USA prior to 1947 were W[1-9], there was no W0 prefix.
Acknowledgements
ARRL/QST April, 1946
Stephen Emlyn-Jones, GW4BKG
Yahoo Groups: QSL Card Collectors
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