WRNQ

WRNQ (92.1 FM, "Q92") is an adult contemporary radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts with 520 watts ERP from the Illinois Mountain master tower in Highland, New York to which it moved in 2000. Unlike other Class A stations on that tower, WRNQ's signal is directional to protect first adjacents WBMP New York City and WFLY Troy.

A variation of WRNQ's format, without the simulcast and with different jocks, is broadcast on 98.5 WCTW Catskill, New York. From March 2005 until November 2006, WRNQ's format and programming is "shadowcasted" on 99.3 WFKP Ellenville, New York which aired the same air talent as WRNQ (and simulcasted WRNQ's "Joe Daily in the Morning").

History

The original construction permit for what became WRNQ was awarded in December 1985, several years after the FCC amended the table of allotments to allow for the 92.1 frequency to become active in Poughkeepsie. Around 1987, the frequency was awarded to WKIP owner Richard Novick, gained the WLMS (Lite Music Station) calls and announced that the station would take on a format near-identical to that which hit the air. Due to potential ratings confusion with WLTW ("Lite FM") from New York City the call letters were replaced with WRNQ in 1989, a decision made by then-General Manager Don Verity. The difficulty obtaining a transmitter site in the market also was a problem and Novick eventually settled on a site in Lagrangeville, New York, east of Poughkeepsie, unlike most stations which broadcast on mountain peaks in Ulster County.