Police radio code "W2XHP" location info...

[W2XHP]

I have a Gamewell police dispatch board in my Little Wiz Fire Museum, that came from the New York City area. We have not been able to find it's exact service location though. The only clue we have is the call sign "W2XHP" that we believe should have been issued in the middle 1930's, and was in FCC area 2 (a small area around New York City). Does anyone recognize this old code, and can you please share with me the service location? I would be deeply appreciative. Sincerely, Tom Doyle, The Little Wiz Fire Museum.... tom [at] fbnsystems [dot] com

 

[w2xq]

I don't know about W2XHP specifically but perhaps a clue? My call W2XQ was assigned to the Elizabeth (NJ) Police Radio in the mid-1930's. Years ago I spoke to someone who worked for the PD at that time, offered to get me the license but he couldn't find it. 2XQ was assigned c.1916 to the Union College (NY) radio station. The X-suffixes were released by the FCC from the experimental service to the amateur radio service around March 1977, in time for the fourth round of allowing Extras to choose a call. After the last open period of choosing a call ended, the FCC began moving to the testing and licensing procedures of today. HTH.

 

[SCPD]

The callsign may not necessarily be from the New York area. Currently all experimental callsigns are W2X.., but I don't know if this was always so. It looks as though it was an experimental call issued to a state police agency owing to the "HP" suffix.

 

[W2XHP]

W2XHP Call sign.....

I am ....TOTALLY.... ignorant to the circumstances that the FCC used to issue call signs (so please be patient!). What I have been able to asertain (although it may not be accurate!), is, "W" was east of the Mississippi, "2" was FCC area "2" which was a small area (maybe within 150 miles of New York City ???). "X" was for "experimental", (maybe high band or mobil, or some other form of early "specialized" transmission). "HP" seems to be an escalating "number code" for when the call sign was issued (if my information is correct, it would corolate to the middle 1930's). I am not involved in Radio in any way, so I may be way off in my understanding of these codes. I do know that I purchased this dispatch board (with the call sign printed on it) in the vicinity of Albany, New York, so it's home may be close by there. Again, any help would be appreciated! Sincerely, Tom Doyle ... www [dot] thelittlewiz [dot] com , or tom [at] thelittlewiz [dot] com .

 

[W2XHP]

Thank you, every bit of information helps....

Thank you, every bit of information helps.... Each persons tidbit gets me closer to my final destination of identifying the service location! Your help is deeply appreciated! ... Tom Doyle

 

[W2XHP]

The release in 1977 of the "X" codes is interesting. This Gamewell equipment predates that by 40 years or more though, so it may not necessarily be appropriate to my search, but it helps me to understand the way the FCC issued codes better. Thanks a bunch for your input !!.....td

 

[W2XHP]

Your comment about the "HP" suffix is currious, and may help in my quest. Please expand on your comment... Do you mean "HP was was reserved for Police only ???, No matter where they were located ??? .... Tom

 

[ipfd320]

sounds like a HAM RADIO Call Sign....DID you try the Fcc Data Base or any Archive Search??

I Tried Some But Nothing to Help the Cause

WIKIPEDIA had alot of INPUT on how call signs were Assigned

sorry i couldnt help any further

 

[w2xq]

Looking at The Little Wiz Fire Museum, the call is undoubtedly from at least the 1930's. I got my call in April 1977 or so, just after the FCC quietly released the X-suffixes from the experimental service to amateur radio services. I picked 4 or 6 call choices from a typed list (BC=before computers) of available 1x2 calls from the FCC.

 

[RocklandFires]

W2XHP is the call sign for the Kingston, NY Police Department

Image from the 1936 call book courtesy fellow vintage QSL Collector/Amateur Radio Historian Juan EA5BM

Some examples of other Experimental Stations courtesy Mike VK3BDL

Brian-N2BTD