📻 Why hams need these
In a radio contact you might hear "You're five nine in Kentucky." In your log you write it short: KY. Every state has a two-letter abbreviation. They're always two capital letters with no period.
Radio bonus: the number in a US call sign tells which region it came from. W4KIDS is a "4" call, and 4 includes Kentucky! (Hams can keep their call if they move, so it's not always true, but it's a good guess.)
M states: MA Massachusetts, ME Maine, MD Maryland, MI Michigan, MN Minnesota, MS Mississippi, MO Missouri, MT Montana
N states: NE Nebraska, NV Nevada, NH New Hampshire, NJ New Jersey, NM New Mexico, NY New York, NC North Carolina, ND North Dakota
A states: AL Alabama, AK Alaska, AZ Arizona, AR Arkansas
I states: IA Iowa, ID Idaho, IL Illinois, IN Indiana
Watch out! Kentucky is KY (not KE), Kansas is KS, Iowa is IA, Tennessee is TN, Texas is TX, Connecticut is CT.
Our neighbors: KY touches IN, OH, WV, VA, TN, MO and IL. Can you find them on the chart?
Worksheet
Name: ______________________ Call sign: W4KIDS (practice) Score: ____ / 30
Part 1: Write the two-letter abbreviation
Part 2: Write the state name