How it works?
It's quite simple. This technology is called streaming audio. For example, “SHOUTCAST” is an internet broadcasting tool, used for audio streaming. It can be used by radio stations to bring audio to an internet audience. It uses the very popular mp3 technology for audio delivery. The station broadcasts through the internet instead of broadcasting through radio waves. It is powerful and stable. There is no need for any complicated or expensive software or hardware at the receiving end either - a simple desktop PC and broadband connection will work fine.
RADIO GARDEN is the brainchild of Jonathan Puckey, who is based in Netherlands and is the main person behind this project. The main idea is to help radio makers and listeners connect with distant cultures and/or re-connect with home thousands of miles away. Radio Stations who are willing to be heard on RADIO GARDEN simply register with the webmaster who then pinpoints the location of the station on the world map and provides a hyperlink to the URL of the station. The DJ sends audio data from the station's computer to a central SHOUTcast server that then turns around and streams it out to all connected listeners. I believe, so far more than 10,000 stations have registered. Radio Garden is funded with public money from the Netherlands Institute of Sound and Vision; there is no commercial aspect to the project right now.
Listening to big radio stations is passe. I often listen to CKLB 101.9 MHz FM - one of the six FM stations in Yellowknife - the only city as well as the largest community in the Northwest Territories of Canada with a population of about 19,000. On the map, I do not see any other station for thousands of miles around. Talk about remoteness. Great music, too. Do give it a try - you will be pleasantly surprised!