WSQK 94.5 FM, popularly known as The Squawk, is a local radio station in Hawkins, Indiana. During the events of Season 5, the station serves as a critical strategic asset for The Party and their allies. While publicly broadcasting the Morning Squawk hosted by Robin Buckley and Steve Harrington, the station is secretly utilized to monitor and relay intelligence regarding military movements and Upside Down incursions.

History

1987

Following the "Hawkins Earthquake" and the subsequent military occupation, WSQK became one of the few functional communication hubs in the town. Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley secured employment at the station, using their airtime to broadcast coded messages. These broadcasts served as a "decoy" to provide real-time updates to their allies without alerting military censors or the supernatural forces occupying the town.

The station's high-gain antenna became a focal point for technical operations, with Jonathan Byers and Steve frequently scaling the tower to adjust signal strength for long-range communication with distant resistance cells.

1989

To be added

Gallery

The Art-Deco exterior of WSQK.

Robin and Steve during a "Morning Squawk" broadcast.

Steve using the station equipment to coordinate with Dustin Henderson.

The WSQK transmission tower.

Steve and Jonathan ascending the tower for signal calibration.

Mike and Eleven on the station roof.

Behind the scenes

The Duffer Brothers based the design of the WSQK station on a real-life Art-Deco radio building in Cary, North Carolina (the WPTF transmitter station). Matt Duffer noted that the building's distinct 1940s aesthetic provided the perfect "vintage" atmosphere for the station's role as a resistance headquarters.^[2] The location was identified by fans and historians as a preserved architectural landmark, which the production team meticulously recreated for the interior sets.^[3]

Trivia

• In late 2025, Global partnered with Netflix to launch a real-world "The Squawk" pop-up station on 94.5 FM, featuring '80s hits and in-universe "Hawkins updates" to promote the final season.^[4]
• The call sign "WSQK" is a phonetic shorthand for its nickname, "The Squawk."
• The station is one of the few locations in Hawkins that appears virtually identical in both the Right Side Up and the Upside Down, making it a vital landmark for navigation between dimensions.

References

Locations	The Upside Down • Creel House • Curse gates • Gable Ridge Road Base • Gates • Hawkins • Hawkins National Laboratory • Lover's Lake • Hawkins Public Library • Hawkins Middle School • Hawkins Tunnel System • Mothergate • Forest Hills Trailer Park • Wall
Entities	D'Artagnan • Demobats • The Demogorgon • Demogorgon (species) • The Flayed • Flesh Thralls • Hospital Monster • The Mind Flayer • Russian Demogorgon • The Spider Monster • Hawkins Tunnel System • Vecna • Vines
The Flayed	Billy Hargrove • Heather Holloway • Bruce Lowe • Tom Holloway • Janet Holloway • Doris Driscoll
Visitors	Robert Akers • Murray Bauman • Robin Buckley • Joyce Byers • Will Byers • Scott Clarke • Vickie Dunne • Eleven • Steve Harrington • Dustin Henderson • Barbara Holland • Jim Hopper • Dr. Kay • Max Mayfield • Eddie Munson • Bob Newby• Eight/Kali Prasad • Shepard • Lucas Sinclair • Mike Wheeler • Nancy Wheeler
Miscellaneous	The Abyss • Camazotz • Cyborg Demodogs • Dungeons & Dragons • Exotic matter • Fabric of space-time • Hellscape • MAC-Z • Mind Lair • Pain Tree • The Keys • The Void • Upside Down Egg • The Upside Down (episode) • The Upside Down (track) • Vecna's curse