What is "kbqi"

KBQI (107.9 FM, "Big I 107.9") is a radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico which carries a country music format, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque, and the transmitter tower is located atop Sandia Crest east of the city.

KBQI takes its branding, "Big I 107.9", from the I-40 and I-25 interchange near downtown Albuquerque that is locally known as "the Big I". At the time of the station's launch in July 2000, the "Big I" was at the start of a major reconstruction project which had finished in May 2002. The station also launched with former KRST morning personalities Tony Lynn and Myles Copeland taking the morning shift at the new station. This helped to make KBQI competitive with KRST which had once dominated the format in the market. Tony and Myles had hosted mornings for 11 years until they were let go in October 2011. The syndicated Bobby Bones Show now airs in mornings.

In February 2006 the station began broadcasting in HD Radio with an additional HD-2 subchannel that played country variety. On June 21, 2013 the HD subchannel began to air a classic country music format re-broadcasting on translator K251AU on 98.1 FM.