Radio Station Service Codes

DXIC RADIO STATION SERVICE CODES

An unofficial list for use by DXers
Last Update 2021-01-27

This list of codes for classifying radio stations is mainly based on ITU and classic FCC codes, but is modified for DXers.

Aeronautical	Experimental	Maritime	Public Safety
Amateur	Fixed	Meteorological	Radionavigation
Broadcasting	Industrial / Business	Oceanographic	Space
Common Carrier	Land Transportation	Personal	Standard Frequency & Time Signal
Non-Services

Service
CODE	Station	Remarks.

Aeronautical Service
FA	Aeronautical Enroute Advisory	Air-to-ground advisory with aircraft in flight, primarily below 18,000'.
FD	Aeronautical Enroute Control	Air-to-ground control with aircraft in flight, primarily above flight level 180 (FIR).
FG	Aeronautical Off-Route	Air-to-ground communications primarily outside of civil air routes (military).
FS	Search & Rescue	Includes civil air patrol.
AB	Aeronautical Broadcast	Regular or continuous broadcast of weather reports and/or flight information for aircraft (ATIS, AWOS, volmet, etc.), including studio-transmitter links and inter-city relays.
AC	Aerodrome Control	Control tower or advisory station, including ground control, approach, departure and clearance delivery, but excluding private advisory (unicom) stations .
AO	Aeronautical Operational Control	Airlines and private companies.
AU	Aerodrome Advisory	Unicom private advisory, flying school, soaring, flight test, aviation support, etc.
AX	Aeronautical Fixed	Point-to-point transmission of flight safety information.
UA	Universal Access	UAT.
MA	Aircraft
EJ	Aeronautical Mobile Satellite

Broadcasting Service
BA	Broadcast Auxiliary	Used for cue and control or synchronization of TV cameras (normally accompanying a simulcast), wireless cameras or microphones (broadcast use only). Excludes STL, relay, feeder and remote pickup stations.
BC	Radio Broadcasting	Radio broadcasting station.
BR	Remote Pickup Broadcast	Remote pickup broadcast at a specified location or on a mobile.
BT	Television Broadcasting	TV broadcasting station.
BX	International Feeder	A feeder for a relay station in another country.
IR	Inter-City Relay	A relay for a rebroadcasting station in another city.
ST	STL	Studio-transmitter link, excluding inter-city and international relays.
EB	Broadcasting Satellite
EV	Television Broadcasting Satellite

Fixed Service
FX	Fixed	Point-to-point station (includes diplomatic stations, United Nations, international disaster relief agencies, etc.).
OX	Operational Fixed	Operational fixed link used in non-broadcast services.
PX	Public Press Fixed	Press broadcasts.

Radiotelephone Service
CA	Air-Ground Radiotelephone	For service in aircraft.
CC	Common Carrier Paging	One-way paging open to public subscribers.
CD	Domestic Radiotelephone	Includes rural and offshore radiotelephone.
CI	International Radiotelephone	(Obsolete)
CM	Broadband
CP	In-House Paging	Private one-way paging. Does not include dispatch paging.
IM	Mobile Telecommunications	Includes cellular, IMT, PCS, etc.
YX	Trunked SMR	Specialized mobile radio for subscribed industrial, business and land transportation users.
MO	Mobile Phone
EC	Common Carrier Satellite

Space Service
ME	Space Station or Spacecraft
EH	Space Research	Space stations conducting space research.
ET	Space Operation	Space stations operating spacecraft.
ED	Space Telecommand
ER	Space Telemetering
ES	Inter-Satellite

Amateur Service
AT	Amateur
AR	Amateur Civil Emergency
MH	Amateur Mobile
EA	Amateur Satellite

Industrial & Business Service
BB	Business Audio	Public broadcast, announcement, auditory assistance or language translation services provided by a business.
IB	Business	Operations of a commercial business, philanthropic institution, school, church, or hospital.
IF	Forest Industry	Logging and woods products.
IP	Petroleum	Petroleum or natural gas production, prospecting or exploration, or pipeline repair.
IS	Special Industrial	Agriculture, construction, mining, patrol or repair of public utilities, petroleum industry support, or delivery of concrete, asphalt, fuel, or water by truck.
IT	Telecommunications Maintenance
IV	Film & Video Production	Motion pictures or television programs, including drive-in audio.
IW	Public Utility	Electric power, natural gas, water, or steam.
IX	Manufacturers
IY	Relay Press	Newspaper or press association.
YB	Trunked Business	Private system. See YX for commercial trunked systems.
YI	Trunked Industrial	Private system. See YX for commercial trunked systems.
MI	Industrial/Business Mobile
EU	Land Mobile Satellite

Land Transportation Service
LA	Automobile Emergency	Garages, tow truck companies and auto clubs.
LK	Highway Truck
LR	Railroad
LS	School Bus
LT	Public Transit	Includes urban rail transit and inter-city buses. Excludes sightseeing and special charter buses (code IB).
LX	Taxicab
YL	Trunked Land Transportation	Owned and operated. See YX for commercial trunked systems.
ML	Land Transportation Vehicle
EU	Land Mobile Satellite

Maritime Service
FC	Public Coast	Ship-to-shore, open to public correspondance.
FP	Port	Harbourmaster, port operations, etc.
FS	Search and Rescue
FT	Ship Movement	Vessel traffic service (VTS), bridge station, etc.
FW	Port / Ship Movement	Combined FP / FT station.
AI	Automatic Identification System	AIS.
CO	Official Coast	Coast guard or naval operations, not open to public correspondance.
CR	Limited Coast	Ship-to-shore, not open to public correspondance (marinas, high seas internet, etc.)
CV	Private Coast	Ship-to-shore operations of a private agency (yacht clubs, fishing fleets, etc.)
DC	DSC Watch	Watch-keeping using DSC.
IF	Navtex Broadcast	Regular broadcast of maritime safety information using NBDP.
LH	Lighthouse
MB	Marine Broadcast	Regular or continuous broadcast of meteorological information and/or notices to navigators for ships, including associated studio-transmitter links and inter-city relays. May include notices to navigators or press.
MD	Medical Advice	Medical advice for ships.
MS	Ship
EG	Maritime Mobile Satellite

Oceanographic Service
OE	Oceanographic Data Interrogation	HF radar.

Public Safety Service
FB	Army	Range control, etc.
PB	Travelers' Information	TIS, highway advisory radio (HAR), etc. Regular or continuous public safety information broadcast, including studio-transmitter links and inter-city relays.
PC	Corrections	Correctional facilities.
PF	Fire
PG	Government	Other miscellaneous national or state government services.
PH	Highway Maintenance
PL	Local Government	Emergency management or other miscellaneous or combined municipal services.
PM	Emergency Medical	EMS.
PO	Forestry & Conservation	Forestry conservation and firefighting, park, fish and game wardens, etc.
PP	Police	Includes all national, state and municipal law enforcement entities.
PS	Special Emergency	Combined PF / PM station, or a land rescue squad, beach or ski patrol, veterinarian, disaster relief station (Red Cross, etc.), or isolated establishment. (Use LS code for school bus dispatch).
YP	Trunked Public Safety
MP	Public Safety Mobile	Includes aircraft when transmitting in a public safety band.
EU	Land Mobile Satellite

Radionavigation Service
DG	DGPS Radiobeacon
RB	Non-Directional Radiobeacon	NDB.
RC	Marine Radiobeacon	ROBN.
RD	Radar Beacon	Racon.
RG	Radio Direction-Finding	DF.
RI	Instrument Landing System	ILS localizer, glide path, or 75 MHz marker beacon.
RM	Microwave Landing System	MLS.
RN	Long Range Navigation	Loran.
RO	Omni-Directional Range	VOR, VORTAC or Tacan.
RS	Surveillance Radar	For detecting the presence of aircraft or ships.
RT	VOR Operational Test	VOT.
RV	Distance Measuring Equipment	DME.
MR	Mobile Radionavigation	Driftnet buoys, etc.
EN	Radionavigation Satellite
EO	Aeronautical Radionavigation Satellite
EQ	Maritime Radionavigation Satellite

Standard Frequency & Time Signal Service
HR	Time Signal	Time signal broadcasting on a non-standard frequency.
SC	Synchronized Clock System
SS	Standard Frequency & Time Signal
EE	Standard Frequency Satellite
EY	Time Signal Satellite

Meteorological Service
MX	Meteorological Fixed Broadcast	Point-to-point broadcast of meteorological information and/or solar terrestrial conditions.
SM	Radiosonde
WB	Meteorological Broadcast	Regular or continuous public broadcast of meteorological information and/or solar terrestrial conditions, including associated studio-transmitter links and inter-city relays.
WD	Meteorological Radar
WX	Meteorological or Hydrologic	Meteorological or hydrologic observation station (excluding AWOS).
MW	Meteorological Mobile
TM	Meteorological or Hydrologic Earth	Meteorological or hydrologic station that transmits its observations to a satellite.
EM	Meteorological Satellite
EW	Earth Exploration Satellite

Experimental Service
EX	Experimental
(X)	Experimental Mobile

Personal Service
ZA	General Mobile	GMRS, FRS (family radio) or MURS (multi-use radio).
ZC	Radio Control	Short range non-voice.
ZD	CB	Citizens band.
ZI	ISM	Industrial, scientific, medical, or domestic equipment or appliances.
ZL	Low Power	Short range ultra low power devices (non-broadcast wireless microphone or camera, TV interface, WAN, etc.).
MZ	Personal Mobile	Short range handheld, portable or automobile interface audio or video devices.

Non-Services
S	Sounder	HF ionospheric sounder used for the real-time selection of frequencies.
U	Unwanted Emissions	Spurious or out-of-band emission.
XX	Pirate	An iIlegal station.

Record of Changes
2021-01-27	"BM" and "NA" codes combined into new code "MB". "NV" code merged into "CO". "RP" code changed to "BR". "MB" code combined with "BR". "WH" code changed to "WX". "WX" code changed to "WB".
2021-01-25	PB code - stipulation "in the standard broadcast bands" removed. "PS" code now includes a combined PF/PM dispatch station.
2021-01-20	"FW" code added. "PS" code now includes a combined PF/PM dispatch station.
2021-01-19	"LT" code definition expanded.
2021-01-17	New "OX" (Operational Fixed) code for non-broadcast links. "CX" (Common Carrier Fixed) code deleted and combined with "OX". "FX" (Fixed) code term "international" deleted.
2021-01-15	New "PC" (Corrections) code separated from PP (Police) code.

This list is in no way is meant to represent official usage. Code definitions may differ from the official ITU and FCC versions.

Maintained by William R. Hepburn ©2021.