The Mighty KBC

Stream URLs:
http://stream02.audisi.nl/kbc-high (128 kbps MP3)
http://stream02.audisi.nl/kbc-low (48 kbps AAC)
Website: http://www.kbcradio.eu/

The Mighty KBC, a European station targeting truck drivers, is an anorak's dream. Just the business plan is intriguing; to our knowledge, no-one has attempted to reach this market from a single transmitter before. And it gets better: as well as its main AM service, KBC simulcasts on shortwave. (Genius, given its widely-scattered audience, but contrary to current wisdom.)

And just when you thought it couldn't get any cooler, there's more: KBC has just launched a studio ship! Who does that anymore? Well, no-one, but KBC's owner has in fact deep roots – an anchor? – in old-school offshore pirate radio. With KBC he's gone legit, more or less; broadcasting English-language pop from Lithuania on a Soviet Army surplus transmitter, with some Dutch mic presence, this is basically a border blaster: technically legal under local law, though it may tweak international treaties.

And of course, it's got a mean stream. (Two, in fact; a "high quality" MP3 feed and a bandwidth-maximising "mobile" feed.) All of which has earned KBC a militant following, consisting of truck drivers (some of whom tune in via SMS); hams and SWLs, who love the HF service; anoraks nostalgic for the days of offshore radio; and lots of normal people who simply appreciate the diverse mix of Top 40, adult contemporary, fresh picks, and country music.

What more could an IRL ask? KBC is like a spirit warrior for the Radio Nation: one hand holding fast to heritage, the other reaching boldly into the future. Whether you join on AM, SW, SMS, or WIFI, load 'er up and put 'er down, good buddy.

The Gouge:

Genre: Pirate radio, Dutch radio, Lithuanian radio
Location: Vilnius
Time zone: GMT
Stream URL access: Fair
Bouncer: No
Type of radio: Broadcast
Mic presence: live and recorded personality jock-blocks, local day (especially Sunday); newsbreaks in Dutch; automated music
Stream reliability: Excellent
Format selection: AAC, MP3, embedded Flash player
Song ID: Yes
Found it on: Yourmuze

Radio Caroline

Stream URL: http://sc3.radiocaroline.net:8030/ (AAC; many alternatives available on the listen page.)

Mi Amigo, Radio Caroline's first studio ship

Probably the most famous of the 1960s offshore pirates, Radio Caroline now broadcasts (legally!) from dry land to the whole world, via livestream. As "Europe's First Album Station", Caroline's new Web-based service streams an eclectic mix of oldies, adult contemporary, hard rock, and roots music. She's one of the rare net-only stations to have live mic presence, as well as pre-recorded and automated blocks; some shifts feature original DJs from the pirate era, in the usual welter of accents from around the English-speaking world.

As the most well-planned, well-designed, and ambitious net radio station to date, Radio Caroline boasts one of the most up-front listen pages (with a spectrum of formats and bitrates; several in-browser Flash-based players; and a string of mobile apps); comprehensive website; and plans for an on-air broadcast service when someone can convince the UK government to grant a license.

The live blocks are mostly scheduled sporadically during local day. For old-fashioned interactive mic presence (on net-only radio!), check out 60's and 70's Request Show, Tuesdays at 2100 GMT.

So swing by. The Ship That Rocks is off the sea, and on the stream.

The Gouge:

Genre: Pirate radio, UK radio
Location: UK
Time zone: GMT + 0 (Western European Time)
Stream URL access: Excellent
Bouncer: No
Type of radio: Net-only
Mic presence: Live, pre-recorded, and automated blocks
Stream reliability: High
Format selection: Windows Media Player (.asx); RealPlayer (.ram); M3U (iTunes etc.); MP3, in a full range of bit rates
Song ID: No
Found it on: Virtual Radio (mobile app)

Recipient of the Clear Crystal Award! (Graphic pending.)

Ross Revenge, Caroline's
 final studio ship

(Photo of Ross Revenge courtesy of Mark Hawkins; photo of Mi Amigo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and a generous photographer.)