The allocation for 102.1 in Lena was added by the Federal Communications Commission in 1993;[4] the construction permit to build a station there was awarded in 2000 to Lena Radio, Inc.,[5] which was controlled by Sally McMahon.[6] Lena Radio would sell the WQLF permit to Thompson & Spielman, a partnership led by Scott Thompson, in 2002.[6] It went on the air August 2, 2002,[1] as "Hit Radio Q102.1", with a classic rock format.[7] Lena Radio Broadcasting was a subsidiary of Green County Broadcasting, owner of WEKZ and WEKZ-FM in Monroe; the station was operated from the WEKZ studios, with Thompson comparing its format to "the WLS of the '70s".[7]
