Radio Data System (RDS)

New RDS addition here in Newcastle!

There doesn’t seem to be any sub text info yet.

Certainly no song info.

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Might not be finished setting up yet?

Super Tech Steve, from Hope 103.2 dropped in during the week to help install equipment & set it up, while he’s on holidays up here in the region.

No rest for a broadcast tech.

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I was using the “FM Radio” program for Realtek chips in USB tuners with it’s build in RDS decoder.

Now checking with RDS Spy, it looks like the other program doesn’t display the correct time. My apologies.

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All good. Thanks for the feedback. I’m always interested in what software people are using with their SDR devices.
I haven’t used "FM Radio " program, but from what I read the required driver would ‘stuff up’ my other SDR devices that I use with other software. I have done that once & it’s a pain - not again…
Perhaps you can gain the correct RDS time with ‘Area List’ button change or set your PC to different time zone to display correct local RDS time? Dunno…

Whilst RDS Spy appears to sit of the top of the rank list for the amount of RDS data it extracts, I personally have trouble getting it to sync with weaker signals compared to the data I can extract with SDR Console, SDR Sharp or SDR Touch etc - not sure why.

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I generally don’t use the SDR drivers because I don’t seem to get a good enough signal to use welle.io for DAB+. I’m not sure if it’s an issue with computer inference, the usb tuner or because I’m using coaxial with F type connectors instead of the Belling-Lee connectors. There’s nothing wrong with the antenna feed as the TV and Foxtel box gets good signal from them.

This is a reading for DAB+ channel 9A:
image

I get okay FM coverage, 99.9 doesn’t come in well at all though.

I have issues receiving Channel Nine.

The FM Player software does integrate with RDS Spy though:

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Just going back a step to the incorrect RDS. Reading the FM Player notes. Have you installed this patch below, if using Windows 7?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2731771/an-update-that-provides-new-apis-for-conversion-between-local-time-and

Have & do use Welle-io with a RTL-SDR dongle with same realtek chip. Difficult gaining better SNR on 9A DAB+ to be honest compared to figure you obtain. Depends on many factors I think, some others do better. I tried it with DAB+ bandpass filter that was almost perfect for just 9A band & it made no difference what-so-ever with the dongle SNR figures.
These 8bit dongles don’t perform as well as a dedicated higher end device like an Airspy R2 etc, whilst only 12 bits, it would/does perform much better than the dongle.
I’m hoping a higher end wideband Airspy device to replace it, will happen sometime in the near future.

As to other programs there’s also QIRX & SDR-J (the later is easier to get going from memory) that decode DAB+ - if that helps?

Back on the FM performance of the RTL dongle, you definitely have to tinker with the config gain settings for nearly every frequency channel to get the best performance from it.

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Song info added to West Coast Radios’ The Wave.

And this between tracks.

This is the same text broadcast in on their new DAB+ station. Working flawlessly too.

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3mFM in South Gippsland have RDS on all three of their frequencies as of November.

PI Code: 3996 (the postcode of Inverloch, where the studio is)
PS: 3mFM
PTY: Varied
RT: Scrolling between a few simple messages (ie "Local People. Local Focus. Local Radio.) and the now playing data, which is formatted TITLE - Artist

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Innovative in this regional case :+1:

Excellent. I was looking this morning at the Australian RDS List
and noted earlier entries for the 3x 3mFM transmitters in December 2019.
Your updated RT notes can be easily updated by yourself or anyone with
the above link. Use ‘CTRL ENTER’ to add new lines within a cell.

Probably a good time to suggest to anyone who has an interest in RDS updates to review RDS RT for stations in your local area where the last update was 12 months or more. Also any other RDS changes. I note the list colour format changes & plenty of updates in the last 12 months or so to the Australian RDS List.
Great work by contributing members.

BTW does 3MFM use AF in their RDS coding?

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Innovative in this regional case

Out tech (I do little bits and pieces as well as a few programs at 3mFM) wasn’t entirely sure whether their was another station using 3881, so just went for the postcode, as it’s easy to remember and is an even number which, in theory, won’t be used anywhere else.

and noted earlier entries for the 3x 3mFM transmitters in December 2019.

Yeah, that was me. I didn’t actually set the RDS up (we were replacing all our PCs at the time, and I was way too busy to even look at the RDS for a few weeks) but I have seen exactly what it’s displaying.

Probably a good time to suggest to anyone who has an interest in RDS updates to review RDS RT for stations in your local area

Was in Bairnsdale before christmas and noticed that both TRFM frequencies have RDS and now playing data, as well as the Gold1242 repeater. Will update that now.

BTW does 3MFM use AF in their RDS coding?

I didn’t check. It’s something our GM has been interested in, but it all comes from the same source (and I’m pretty sure that you can’t use it when all from the same source, but you guys in this topic would probably be able to confirm that!)

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I’m not really sure sorry. There’s a Media Spy member here by the tag of @Gizzi his name is Adrian & he’s the tech that established RDS for each of the three 2UUU (Triple U) FM transmitters for the Nowra based community station.
Given the similarities of both stations re 3mFM RDS & number of transmitters you may wish to contact him for RDS AF advice?
Others here like @tx42 or @gordo92 etc maybe helpful with similar RDS AF scenarios & RDS encoder software etc.
Hope this helps a little :slight_smile:

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Can confirm that 2VOX’s RDS now works on my car radio with its new PI code:

And hit94.7 Emerald’s RDS as received in Sydney today:

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4DDB

Also received in today’s DX opening

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I understand that 106.7 Hot FM Mildura now has RDS.
Anyone have any pics?

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Sea and Mix on the Sunshine Coast have changed their RDS again, this time dropping the frequency.

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Having the Freq at the beginning in the PS means that on most radios youd be top of the list :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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They’ve also added stupid messages to the “now playing”

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I think they’ve had those “stupid” messages for a while.

I too agree that Mix and Sea Sunshine Coast have gone a little OTT with their RDS.

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100.9 2BACR restored their RDS today after a lengthy hiatus.
UPDATE (Next Day): RDS turned off again.
Seams to be regular pattern of RDS disappearing shortly after reactivation.
Also intermittent audio dropouts…hmm.

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Disappointing to see that 2BRW Braidwood is using the station name for scrolling text. If I join the station, I’ll tactfully suggest they stop doing it.

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