Ticket to ride in a New York squad car

By PETER GRIFFIN

Somewhere down on the bleak, windswept expanses of Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf, the great southern continent's only radio station broadcasts to thousands via the web - or so we are told.

ANet Station claims to broadcast from the bottom of the world an international mix of folky guitar music by little-known artists who air their material at clubs and cafes.

The station strives to "support your mental health by providing stimulus beyond the range of commercial media," but suspiciously, has a mailing address somewhere in Florida.

Still, the remote broadcaster seems to have already acquired a strong local following.

"Howdy Down Under ... I've been listening to your live radio. It's real good sound up in NZ," one listener comments on the site's feedback page.

The proliferation of internet radio stations has given enthusiasts of everything imaginable the ability to reach like minded listeners.

Star gazers, for example, can download a version of RealPlayer 8 which comes complete with a number of pre-programmed audio channels including the celestial www.space.com. Get up-to-date, in-ship gossip from the International space station or listen-in on a running commentary on the latest blast-off from Cape Canaveral.

For those with bandwidth to spare, the site also provides some decent space-trip footage as well.

Voyeuristic in the aural sense, a number of mainly American sites now broadcast live radio feeds from the police cars, fire engines and ambulances of emergency workers.

Eavesdrop on squad car banter of all the major US police departments and Sheriffs' offices, but don't expect shoot-outs and bank robberies at every listen. Most of the time it is the reporting of driving infringements or graffiti artists that fill the airwaves and Net forces usually combine to cut your audio feed just as the rare chase gets underway.

This is strictly background sound but tune in to the Los Angeles or New York police department feeds to increase your changes of stumbling on some real action.

Live politics has also taken to the web with audio feeds coming from the chambers of most of the world's Governments.

Audio and video feeds of Political debates from the UN General Assembly through to the Australian House of Representatives can be accessed from Radio Radicale.

Last April www.policast.com emerged as the first internet-only radio station to specialise in political news and running commentary.

Sadly the site has broadcast its last. "In this uncertain dotcom climate, it became financially impossible to continue our operation," the website now reads.

Of suprisingly high interest can be tuning-in to hear air traffic control conversation at some of the largest airports in the US.

Sit back and listen as an overworked air traffic controller juggles several incoming planes preparing to touch down at New York's JFK International Airport.

WebDisney Radio allows you to relive your visits to the Disney theme parks scattered around the world.

Streaming 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the site features the music and sound effects from the attractions you may have visited.

And for the truly quirky, try Comedycentralradio.com.

Links:


ANet Station

space.com

US police scanners

Parliament around the world

policast.com

US air traffic control

WebDisney Radio

Comedy Central Radio