A number of FTers use the 3 letter airport codes to abbreviate our posts. I recently discovered an interesting aside to these codes in the course of my job (the one in Canberra that pays the mortgage, not the fun one in Thredbo). I deal with TV and radio broadcasting issues and have to use the official call signs issued by the Australian Broadcasting Authority.

The person at DMG Radio Australia who submits radio licence applications must be an aviation buff. The official call signs for the metropolitan Nova FM stations are: Sydney - 2SYD, Melbourne - 3MEL, Brisbane - 4BNE, Adelaide - 5ADL and Perth - 6PER. The regional Hot FM and Star FM stations that DMG established in recent years continue the airport code theme - 4MCY Sunshine Coast, 2CFS Coffs Harbour, 2PQQ Port Macquarie, 2DBO Dubbo, 2OAG Orange, 2GOS Gosford.