What AutoDJ and the Schedule Mean on tilderadio

On tilderadio, AutoDJ means no human DJ is broadcasting at that moment — the station is running an automated playlist. The UP NEXT list and full schedule show which DJs are booked next and at what UTC time, while the recently played list shows what just aired. All times are in UTC, so you need to convert them to your local time to know when a live show starts.

The three parts of the page

The tilderadio homepage packs several distinct signals into one view. Reading them separately avoids confusion.

When AutoDJ is active, you'll see it labeled next to the current track, along with a listener count (the page evidence shows "3 listening" as an example). That count reflects how many people are tuned in at that moment.

What AutoDJ actually is

AutoDJ is the fallback state. When no scheduled DJ is on air, tilderadio keeps the stream alive by playing from an automated rotation. The "now playing" line during AutoDJ can show anything from music tracks to station promos — for example, the page evidence lists items like a promo jingle and a library track in the recently played feed.

Practical implication: if you tune in and see AutoDJ, you're hearing music, but there's no live host to interact with. If you specifically want a live DJ set, check the schedule instead of just hitting play.

Reading UP NEXT and the schedule

The UP NEXT section lists upcoming broadcasts in order, each with a DJ name and a UTC timestamp. The page evidence shows entries like:

• G_Love — Mon Sep 28 02:00 UTC
• dokuja — Mon Sep 28 06:00 UTC
• ten_forward — Mon Sep 28 13:00 UTC

Each line pairs a DJ handle with a start time in UTC. The "full schedule" link expands this into the complete timetable.

Converting UTC to your local time

UTC does not shift with daylight saving, so the offset depends on your region and the season. To find your local start time:

1. Note the UTC time from the schedule (e.g., 02:00 UTC).
2. Find your current offset from UTC (e.g., UTC−5, UTC+2).
3. Add or subtract that offset.

For example, 02:00 UTC is 21:00 the previous day in UTC−5, or 04:00 the same day in UTC+2. Because offsets change with daylight saving in many regions, recheck the conversion when clocks shift.

Recently played: what it's for

The recently played list is a rolling log of the last few items that aired, each with a UTC timestamp. It mixes:

• Music tracks (artist and title)
• Station IDs and promos (labeled as station content)
• Library entries (tracks pulled from the station's collection)

This list is useful for identifying a song you just heard, or for confirming whether a live DJ set has ended and AutoDJ has resumed.

How to use this when you tune in

• Want background music now? AutoDJ or a live DJ both work — just press play.
• Want a specific DJ? Check UP NEXT and the full schedule, convert the UTC time, and return then.
• Heard something you liked? Check recently played to find the track.
• Unsure if it's live? If the page shows AutoDJ, no human is hosting; if a DJ is scheduled and the time matches, you're likely hearing them live.

Listening options

The station offers several direct stream URLs, so you can pick a format and bitrate that suits your connection:

• https://tilderadio.org/listen — main listen page
• https://tilderadio.org/listen/ogg/192k — Ogg 192k
• https://tilderadio.org/listen/ogg/320k — Ogg 320k
• https://tilderadio.org/listen/mp3/192k — MP3 192k
• https://tilderadio.org/listen/mp3/320k — MP3 320k

Higher bitrates (320k) use more bandwidth; 192k is lighter. Ogg and MP3 differ in codec support — MP3 plays in nearly everything, while Ogg needs a compatible player.

Contributing and getting involved

tilderadio describes itself as internet radio streamed by and for users of the tildeverse. If you want to take part, the site points to three options: make a station ID, submit a jingle, or plan a one-off broadcast. The community gathers around the #tilderadio channel and a Mastodon presence, and there's a curl /now API for pulling the current status programmatically.