WQXR is moving from 96.3 on the FM dial to 105.9. Here's how you can tune in.
If this does not answer your questions, or you have a comment to make, please visit our Listener Services blog.
We’ve moved to 105.9 FM
On October 8, 2009, WQXR moved from 96.3 on the FM dial to 105.9. Our new signal will reach the five boroughs of New York City and most of Westchester and Nassau counties in New York; Monmouth, Middlesex, Union, Essex, Hudson and Bergen counties in New Jersey; and parts of Fairfield County in Connecticut.
Unfortunately, the signal from our new home at 105.9 is not quite as strong as it was at 96.3. The Federal Communications Commission has designated 105.9 FM as a class B1 station, which broadcasts at a slightly lower power than 96.3 FM, which is a full class B station.The acquisition of 105.9 was the only affordable option for us to find a new home for WQXR. The terms of our license forbid us from boosting the signal. Due to FCC rules, we are unable to boost the signal strength or petition the FCC for a new class of license: we must work with what we have.
About 86% of our listeners should still be able to receive us on our new frequency, but if you’re having trouble getting a clear signal, please read on.
If the signal at 105.9 is slightly fuzzy, consider attaching a new antenna to your radio. For tips from our engineers about how to improve reception, follow this link to our website.
If your signal is extremely poor, one of these options may work for you.
Television and radio repeaters
Listeners in some areas may be able to find us on their cable television system or at another spot on the radio dial.
- In the Hudson Valley, WQXR is carried on Time Warner Cable television channel 590.
- In Poughkeepsie and the surrounding area, WQXR will continue broadcasting on the 103.7 FM radio repeater.
- By the end of October in Asbury Park, WQXR will be broadcasting on the 96.7 FM radio repeater.
Our engineers will try to develop repeater relationships to make the signal accessible beyond the 105.9 coverage area. To that end, we will be passing along the zip codes of listeners with reception problems to our chief engineer so he can determine where work is needed. If you’ve already given us your zip code in an email or a call about your reception, we’ve added your address to this database. If not, please email your zip code to listenerservices@wnyc.org.
Live streaming to computers and mobile devices
WNYC and WQXR both broadcast 24 hours a day on their websites, www.wnyc.org and www.wqxr.org. Anyone anywhere in the world with a broadband Internet connection and good speakers can tune us in online. When you’re in your car or otherwise on the go, you can also receive our live stream on hand-held mobile devices such as the Blackberry or iPhone. For help with Internet streaming and public radio applications for your wireless device, please click here.
Internet radio
If you have an Internet connection at home, you can also listen to WQXR and WNYC with an Internet radio, a stand-alone device that can tune in thousands of free radio stations broadcast online. As with live streaming to computers and mobile devices, Internet radio completely eliminates the issue of signal range. WQXR has secured a discounted price from NPR for our listeners on an Internet radio specifically designed to make it easy to find public radio stations. The radio comes with customized instructions on how to tune to WQXR and Q2 (our web only broadcast featuring contemporary classical music). To find out more about this offer and to purchase, click here. To receive the discount, please enter promo code “WNYC”.
We are sorry if none of these options works for you. Please know that we are continuing to explore technologies that can help us extend the reach of our signal at 105.9 FM. We encourage you to check this page and our Audio Help page for updates.
HD radio
If you have an HD radio or are considering upgrading to one, the HD2 channel of WNYC 93.9 FM now carries WQXR. HD radios are digital devices that require no Internet connection and no monthly fee. If you receive a clear signal of WNYC at 93.9 FM, chances are good that you will be able to receive the HD2 signal broadcasting WQXR. For more information on HD radio, please click here.
Comments [55]
All of your suggestions for improving reception involve spennding money for something thet MIGHT work. If I buy a satellite tuner, I KNOW I can get classical music 24/7. Satellite seems like a better investment.
A very sad state of affairs- where the Spanish station WCAA has apparently more supporters than there are for classical music in New York. They ate WQXR's lunch and walked away with a 6000 watt station leaving QXR broadcasting with a pathetic 600 watt "Mr. Microphone". To say your signal "slightly" less strong is quite an understatement. Thanks to the NY Times and their poor management for all this, why don't you build another mega building in midtown? How's that work'n out for you? Their financial greed will be their downfall. Its unfortunate that they took WQXR down with them.
I couldn't waite for the switch - over. No more advertisements. Had two radios going to listen to the switch. Then bingo! except where WQXR used to be Spanish loud and clear. But no WQXR!! It's gone...from the car radio, from my garage radio, and other portables. I agree with Robert from Norwalk. I live next door in Darien. Something has to be done.
Well, I'm receiving the new WQXR clearly in central New Jersey. I have been listening to QXR since the day after WNCN rolled Beethoven over. I was delighted back then to find that Clayelle had moved from WNCN to WQXR. I am less than delighted to find no mention of her now. I will miss her.
I am SO sad and disappointed with the new frequency! There is NOTHING BUT STATIC! Yours was the only station I would listen to because the rest of NY radio is complete garbage. Your station is so poorly broadcast that it's unlistenable now. PLEASE boost your signal so that I can again enjoy your wonderful programming and soothe my NYC nerves with the beauty of classical music.
Yesterday afternoon, I tuned my car radio to 105.9 so I could save it as a preset. The signal was clear and strong; the announcer was alerting listeners to the impending move to 96.3. This morning, 105.9 was weak, garbled or absent on 7 radios/component tuners (two with external antennas) at home, and unlistenable in two cars. Why was the Spanish language station so strong yesterday afternoon and QXR so weak after the switch? Is the B1 license limit associated with the frequency, or with NPR's license? Why am I getting a good signal on 105.7, which sounds like another NPR station?
GIVE ME BACK WQXR IN SUFFOLK
COUNTY NY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT POSSESSED YOU ???? IN THIS AGE OF TECHNOLOGY WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU MOVE TO AN INFERIOR STATION?
I'M VERY UPSET THAT I CAN NO LONGER RECEIVE YOUR STATION ON ANY OF MY RADIOS IN MY HOME OR MY CAR. FOR YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN THE ONLY STATION I HAVE LISTENED TO . I'M SO VERY DISAPOINTED IN YOUR MANAGEMENT ( OR LACK OF). NO DOUBT YOUR ADVERTISERS WILL DROP LIKE FLIES NOW THEY REACH SUCH A LIMITED AREA.
71 years old an a QXR listener for my entire sentient life. At home and in the car. Here in Norwalk ,CT zippo singal. What a disaster! No Saturday mats at the Met! No soothing or exciting classical music on the dial at all, except, thank God, for WSHU out of Fairfield. and a vague signal from WMNR in Monroe. (WSHU interited the CD library of the now defunct WNCN.)
The end of an era, and it is tragic!
I live just next door to Asbury Park/ Oakhurst NJ where the 96.7 translator is and what's posted here is incorrect.
They are NOT transmitting WQXR, it's simply sending out the replacement station.
I listened last night right up to the end. Then I switched to 105.9 and got all static. I tried moving my antenna around with no success. I have another radio in another part of my home and I could get reasonable reception on that one. I live in Amityville and commute to Westbury. On my car radio this morning, the signal kept coming and going. In my office, the signal is still poor but at least I can still get it. An earlier poster suggested that you inform listeners of what we can do to get the FCC or whomever to lift the power restriction on your license. You have/had a listener base that does have some influence in the society so I suggest that you mobilize us to get the power back up so that we all can get the reception with the quality we were accustomed.
For over 25 years I have , listened to WQXR in my office in Rockland county,
but today I am very disappointed when I
switched to 105.9 nothing but static.
Are there any pans to increase the output
power of your transmitter so we can continue to enjoy your wonderful collection of classical music??
We have been left high and dry in central Westchester! Obviously WQXR as a public radio station does not care about the large swath of potential supporters in the suburbs. Of course, the 103.7 repeater in Poughkeepsie does not work either because it is as far from central Westchester as is the home station. WQXR is gone from my life after 50 happy years. I even purchased an HD radio and it does not BOOST the signal; it only makes an accessible signal clearer. It seems that the only option we are left with is to bring a computer into our living rooms to hook up to our receivers. Is this how we must now furnish our living rooms?
I'm so sad, like many other listeners. I can't tune it in on any of my radios, including the car, and, as a low-tech person, I just want to turn on a radio to listen to a radio program. I hope that all of us disappointed listeners to your station are heard or read and that something can and will be done to improve broadcasting quality material.
I am in southern Westchester County (Larchmont).105.9 is received, but there is loud 'hiss' in the background. I have a rotatable antenna
on my roof, however, I can not eliminate the noise. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for your help
You are getting a lot of negative response from those who cannot get a clear signal.
Fortunately where Ilive (Mineola, NY on Long Island) I can get a fairly good signal.
If you are transmitting from New Jersey, can the transmitting site be changed to a higher point where the old 96.3 signal was transmitted from? Maybe that could help widen your signal for 105.9. Not everybody can or is able to get WQXR by
internet and other gimmicks. I'm afraid you will lose much of your potential donor base if something is not done soon to widen the range and strength of the new WQXR signal. Still hoping for the best.
-The Rev. David L, Tucker
PS - My wife informs ne that in Wantagh, NY-Long Island she cannot get the new signal where she works. You have lots of listeners there.
Tuned in the two radios my wife and I listen to here in Monmouth County and received nothing but static. I have listened to QXR for many years. Alas I will listen only to WNYC. Has anyone suggested the deluge now of Latin music may indicate a big demographic change in this country. Sorry I can't handle that genre upon awakening in the morning.Que Lastima. Adios QXR.
Thank you to J.W. Dauben's posting. Could the executives/Board of WNYC please let loyal, intelligent listeners know how we can galvanize our efforts to help in a license reclassification or signal boosting? All of the pre-advertising made it sound as if we simply scooted up the dial for uninterrupted classical music pleasure.
I tuned into WQXR as I dropped off, and picked up my young children at daycare. The station provided 20 minutes of calm before the chaos of drop-off, followed by white-knuckled driving on the LIE from Huntington to Port Washington. I switched to 105.9 and heard static, interspersed with bits and pieces of music that every other station plays. I'm hoping there's a way I'm able to hear the soothing, quality music that has touched listeners and music connoisseurs for decades.
Additionally, my infant's sleep routine included listening to WQXR 96.3 for half an hour until she dropped off to sleep - I will now have to find an alternative to her normal routine...
What a sad day - such a loss for the next generation.
After 45 years of enjoying WQXR, it is now gone, at least for us New Jersey Listeners
(I used to get it even in Syracuse NY!).
Too bad. Loss of a national treasure.
Another Manhattan location with more static than music, when just above and below on the dial there is plenty of power for stations broadcasting unlistenable noise! Why does the FCC give them the right to blast the world as a "B" station and relegate WQXR to "B1" Status? What would it take to revise the license and up the power of the signal? Everyone would be grateful to hear something about whatever plans may be under consideration or on the horizon to restore classical music to those of us who value the traditions WQXR used to represent.
I join those who have commended everyone who has worked so hard to keep QXR alive (and to create this top flight website). Many thanks. But I'm unable to receive the station at 9th Ave and 20th Street in Manhattan! Hope I can make it work with a different aerial but the downgrade (and the economics behind it) is still a sad commentary on the place of classical music in the life of our city.
I've been a listener of WQXR for over 30 years, after I came back from Paris and found WNCN had disappeared from the planet. I teach art at home and the first thing I do in the morning is switch WQXR on, the last thing at night is off. My students find the music inspiring.
Keep up the good work!
Maria Lewis
www.lewisarte.com
Huntington Station, NY (Zip Code 11746), Suffolk County Long Island looses WQXR (96.3 FM) signal after switching to 105.9 FM. What a disappointment! After over 40 years of listening to great classical music, we have to retrain our ears to hear jungle music! Can anything be done to bring back WQXR to our listening area?
I agree with Patti. I find it incredulous during this day of high technology and Suffolk County is not able to receive WQXR. The Times owned it for years but why aren't they able to secure a more powerful signal? I am terribly disappointed but have turned to my Cablevision classical music station to listen to uninterrupted music.
We live in Shrub Oak, in northern Westchester, and so far we are not getting 105.9 on our home radios. We tried to tune into the repeater in Poughkeepsie, but other non-classical stations are much stronger and we do not receive WQXR. Last night as we drove north on the Taconic Parkway, the new WQXR broadcast from Carnegie Hall, was fading out on our car radio as we approached home. It was a very sad realization to lose classical music on our car and home radios. We have been listening to WQXR for more than 40 years and are devastated that we no longer have any classical radio at home or in the car.
We live out in Suffolk Co. and we don't get 105.9 out here. We have listened to wqxr for over 20 years and are terribly disappointed that we can't listen to it on the radfio. You are going to lose many customers. What a sad day for listeners.
Change is never easy and takes time to adjust. Happy to hear Jeff and Elliot and Midge survived. Will miss the others very much! Been through this already in the past. Hope the signal can be boosted. Live in Washington Township Long Valley NJ and signal not good. Car isn't bad. Computer is great. My horses miss you! Great that classical music has survived. From a many years loyal listener, Lynn.
No QXR in Suffolk County?! Are we being punished? I'm so disappointed. Please get back on track and provide classical music to us!
Obviously, this whole transaction wasn't thought through very well in its execution. Who would deliberately shift a famous radio station that is unique in its playlist and is a New York Cultural Institution to a frequency that is less powerful? This makes no sense to me AT ALL. And because of their new radio license, they're forbidden to try and make the signal stronger? Who thought this one up? We've been listening almost EXCLUSIVELY to WQXR for the last 10 years, most recently for the last 8 years here in Northern Westchester, and I can't get this station on any of our home or car stereos at all. My 8 y o daughter is very disappointed because it's the first thing she turns on in her room in the morning. And now you're telling us that there are all these antennae and stuff we NEED to buy which may not even work? You need to send your notes on this transaction over to the Dilbert folks, because it would make a great series of comic strips about poor corporate thinking.
Good morning. I've been listening to WQXR for about 58 years, loving almost every minute of the music, the voices of your announcers and tolerating the necessary ads. Unfortunately, 105.9 doesn't come through to my northern NJ apt. too well, there's static even though my Bose radio is now standing on it's side, which helps just a little. My daughter, near Princeton, can't get your new signal at all. What hope is there for us classical music lovers? Anyway, good luck to you at your new site. Helen
It's absolutely shameful that the premier classical station in the U.S.cannot transmit in stereo.I have been listening for over 60 years, in fact wqxr is the only radio station that I listen to. I do get reception here in forest hills, but the sound sounds "old".Please help us.
A sad day for us. Farewell QXR
What a relief to hear Jeff's voice this morning. I am lucky to live in the part of NJ that still gets the station. I'd be heartsick if I couldn't get WQXR. I put it on first thing in the morning and leave it on all day, even when I'm gone for a few hours so that the dog has company.
I'm delighted not to listen to those awful commercials, but I guess we will all have to ante up if we want it to continue.
Hey! For those saying they cannot find the "new" WQXR on iTunes...you will need to go to the new website (www.wqxr.org) and click where it says listen then "other streams". That will offer a Windows (boo) choice and one for MP3...pick that and open it in iTunes and you will get it loud and clear! We do wonder why they didn't maintain the old stream (it died right at 8 last night with 96.3) but we switched right then and didn't miss a beat over 700 miles from NYC! So if we can do it, so can all the whiners and complainers in upstate or Jersey....cummon quit whining and log on to enjoy WQXR (though i will admit I wish they'd kept the music jingle and the "Your New York Stars Here" slogan!
Good morning all,
I think we all need to take a moment back and reflect how fortunate we are to still HAVE a station that offers such a daily delight as classical music. If it were not for a dedicated network of loyal individuals, even the greatest city in the world would have gone silent with classical music. I am not happy I have to fight through a repeater for Rock 107 in order to pick up WQXR on my morning commute, however, I am most certain they'll get the bugs fixed. While on the subject, I do hope there are plans for a repeater somewhere in NW NJ or Northeastern PA for all those who moved out of the metro area but enjoy their classical music can still enjoy it while out and about. Our local cable station needs to flip over to the new channel and I have already contacted them to get the signal back on, just as I did when Blue Ridge yanked WCPE a few years ago.
Regards,
Mark,loyal to the cause.
I lived in western NYS in the late 50's. At one point I tuned to a WQXR relay station from Ithaca for one channel of stereo and the AM station from my car for the other channel. Wow! classical music in stereo.
I moved to Putnam county in the mid 60's and listened to WQXR on my daily commute. But! no more. I guess even good things don't last forever.
Thank you for the memories.
What happened to WQXR? Every receiver and tuner in everywhere in my house does NOT tune 105.9 correctly but fuzzy noises including $1k worth my beloved McIntosh tuner. I expected better reception than 96.3 and thought that was why it moved there because even 96.3 was not so strong in my area, upper NJ. Total Frustration! I've been very proud of WQXR but not anymore until they do something about it. I think I should sell the Mac or tune in 104.3 Rock and Roll station which is my second favorate.
Can't get it in Bergan County anymore! Is everyone there oblivious to the fact that you have lost a huge huge amount of your listening audience???
What a rude awakening this morning - we didn't know about your switch! Have changed the clock radio to your new spot, and reception seems fine in central NJ.
Clayelle, where are you?
:(
I grew up listening to WQXR in the 1960's and have had it playing in my house ever since then, over 40 years now. I live in Rockland County, NY and today my house is silent as I can not receive QXR on 105.9. This is a complete travesty! I can see NYC from my house but can not get the signal at all, what kind of station is this? As I momentarly listen on the internet what is maddening is the announcers oblivious attitude toward loosing what must be a huge amount of their listeners. I find this very offensive to all us, the loyal listners for so many years that have been dumped with apparent disregard.
What happened to WQXR is just one of the many typical symptoms of the decline and imminent fall of the United States!
A sad morning! Reception in Upper Manhattan, near GWB, is so bad that I had to turn it off. Classical music drowned out by static and all the surrounding stations on the dial coming in with strong signals. Grrrr! Where is the strongest
WQXR signal? Maybe I'll move there :-)
Terrible reception in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn (Pratt)!!!
There is no signal at all here in western Suffolk County. A real travesty to not be able to tune in. You have lost one of your
loyalist listeners for many decades.
Are there any repeater stations in Suffolk that I can use to hear the new frequency?
If WQXR is no longer available on iTunes (this morning no sound on iTunes), it will become to me a thing of the past. Too bad, I was listening to it in New York and elsewhere I was.
I've been listening to WQXR ever since WNCN went off the air (and I'm one of the young listeners). I was upset to find 96.3 not playing WQXR anymore. More upset to find that 105.9 doesn't reach NW Jersey. I hope something can be done to boost the signal soon.
Impossible to get 105.9 here in Rockland County
... will yoour signal reach my area after your adjustments?
Signed: An 84 year old devoted 9.6.3 fan for many, many years. Cannot live without a classical music station in my listening range.
We listen to internet radio throughout our home through our Verizon DSL line, using Logitech's Squeezebox Duet, a wireless remote control system. As of now the Squeezebox no longer displays the former 96.3FM location, and the 105.9FM location indicates a Spanish salsa station Radio La Kalle.
Do you know when this will be updated so we can listen to WQXR again? Do you have to notify a company that maintains a database of radio station locations?
Tom blames "NPR" for somehow making WQXR fuzzy and he is wrong. First of all, NPR does not own or control either WNYC or WQXR. It's a network that provides programming. If WNYC's owners had done nothing in this case, the stronger 96.3 frequency would still have been sold to Univision and would still be in Spanish today. And the 105.9 frequency would have been sold off to the highest bidder and would now be a commercial station that would not be classical. Would that have been a better result? Don't blame Univision either. The New York Times could no longer afford to keep 96.3 operational and classical and that's why it had to find a buyer.
How I loathe NPR. For years I've enjoyed WQXR here in NW NJ. But now it is naught but a fuzzy echo. Way to go NPR. If you think I'm going to pledge to support your miserable work, think again.
There is tons of static in Scarsdale whereas it was perfect five minutes ago
I'm about 200 miles north. Nearly 60 years ago, my barber shop would play the "QXR Radio Network" out of Troy. Later, I would myself listen to the AM station. Now, when I am on the net, even though we have local classical stations (lucky us, huh?), I will head to WQXR and listen for a while. I am grateful that you have done so much to preserve this American legend.