### Author:  [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2000, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/1 "2000-04-10T10:58:00Z")
How did the term STATION come to be used for a TV or radio transmission center?It’s sort of a headquarters more accurately.The word channel is easier to understand.
These recent terms can usually be tracked down to one person.
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### Author:  [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2000, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/2 "2000-04-10T11:41:00Z")
_recent_??? References to radio and TV “stations” go back 100 years, to the earliest days of wireless. For example:
“This report was so favorable that the Department placed two ships and a torpedo boat of the North Atlantic Squadron at the disposal of Mr. Marconi for further experiments in connection with a third **station** , established by permission of the Treasury Department on the grounds of the Highland Lights, near the entrance to the port of New York.”
(Source: “The Marconi System of Wireless Telegraphy” section of the report of R. B. Bradford, Chief of the Bureau of Equipment, October 1, 1900, from the [Annual Reports of the Navy Department for the Year 1900](http://www.angelfire.com/nc/whitetho/navy.html).)
Station just means a facility, for example train station, weather station, police station, etc. Its been the standard term for radio and TV facilities from the beginning.
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### Author:  [@Guy\_Incognito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Incognito)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2000, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/3 "2000-04-11T05:32:00Z")
I always took it to mean position within a frequency range. I don’t think it’s really used as much in this sense anymore, but wasn’t the word “station” also used to denote position?
It could also be a shortening of “stationary position”.
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“It’s only common sense,
There are no accidents 'round here.”
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### Author:  [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/4 "2000-04-10T20:40:00Z")
Well, the dictionary is somewhat less helpful than usual. According to MW, there are at least _nine_ varying uses of the word “station”.
> [@](#):
>
> Main Entry: 1sta·tion
> Pronunciation: 'stA-sh&n
> Function: noun
> Etymology: Middle English stacioun, from Middle French station, from Latin station-, statio, from stare to stand – more at STAND
> Date: 14th century
> 1 a : the place or position in which something or someone stands or is assigned to stand or remain b : any of the places in a manufacturing operation at which one part of the work is done c : equipment used usually by one person for performing a particular job
> 2 : the act or manner of standing : POSTURE
> 3 : a stopping place: as a (1) : a regular stopping place in a transportation route (2) : the building connected with such a stopping place : DEPOT 3 b : one of the stations of the cross
> 4 a : a post or sphere of duty or occupation b : a stock farm or ranch especially of Australia or New Zealand
> 5 : STANDING, RANK \
> 7 : a place established to provide a public service: as a (1) : FIRE STATION (2) : POLICE STATION b : a branch post office
> 8 : SERVICE STATION 1
> 9 a : a complete assemblage of radio or television equipment for transmitting or receiving b : the place in which such a station is located
Apparently they all come from the same root meaning “to stand” in Latin, so there may be something to the idea that they are in a fixed location (both their broadcast frequency and their location). I have heard the term “mobile station” used before too, so add that to your list of oxymorons.
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“Sometimes I think the web is just a big plot to keep people like me away from normal society.” — Dilbert
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### Author:  [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2000, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/5 "2000-04-10T21:13:00Z")
_I have heard the term “mobile station” used before too, so add that to your list of oxymorons._
How is “a [mobile] complete assemblage of radio or television equipment for transmitting or receiving” an oxymoron? A “mobile station_ary_” would be an oxymoron, but a “mobile [facility]” is not.
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### Author:  [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2000, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/6 "2000-04-10T23:02:00Z")
yeah, the station IS stationary, that much I gather.good enough.
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### Author:  [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/7 "2000-04-11T04:48:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by whitetho:
> \*\*_I have heard the term “mobile station” used before too, so add that to your list of oxymorons._
>
> How is “a [mobile] complete assemblage of radio or television equipment for transmitting or receiving” an oxymoron? A “mobile station_ary_” would be an oxymoron, but a “mobile [facility]” is not.\*\*
–It should be “mobile studios.” But who expects good English from a disc jockey?
I can cut them down. I are one.
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### Author:  [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2000, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/station-in-tv-and-radio-station-term/10089/8 "2000-04-11T14:15:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> How is “a [mobile] complete assemblage of radio or television equipment for transmitting or receiving” an oxymoron? A “mobile stationary” would be an oxymoron, but a “mobile [facility]” is not.
Oh, sorry. I was refering to my previous sentence…
> [@](#):
>
> Apparently they all come from the same root meaning “to stand” in Latin, so there may be something to the idea that they are in a fixed location (both their broadcast frequency and their location).
If you assume they are called “stations” because they are in a fixed location then “mobile station” becomes an oxymoron. If you assume a different reason for being called stations then it isn’t.
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“Sometimes I think the web is just a big plot to keep people like me away from normal society.” — Dilbert