Re RDS - what is the explanation behind apparently different thresholds for detection of RDS. What prompts the question is 93.9 Hitz at Bundaberg. I had thought that the station had switched off the RDS but during a very intense opening yesterday it suddenly kicked in, and even then just (the opening was so good that 20w Kix on 97.1 had perfect reception). Prior to that, despite perfect wide band reception there was nothing. By contrast RDS was present on Sea FM 93.1 and even Gladstone was coming in at the same time with a very scratchy sound but immediate detection and display of RDS.
Yes, I’ve noticed during tropo that my Sangean DRP-67 can take a while to resolve RDS on WAVE and i98, but a weaker Power FM on 94.9 will show RDS almost straightaway.
I also noted the lack of RDS from Hitz during a strong Sporadic-E opening into Cooma over the Silly Season. Varying injection levels, as the esteemed poster pointed out above, are the most likely explanation.
There is more at play then just injection levels and signal reception level although they are a big factor the other is the Groups being sent out… Broadcasters that send out traffic info are generally slower to update due to the group sequence then broadcasters who only send out 0A and 2A (PS and RT)
If KIX Bundaberg on 97.1 is running its TOC power of 20w ill eat my hat
With regards to hitz… Usually when RDS is hard to decode even with strong signal its can be due to either 2 reasons… 1) the Total Mod is too high 2) the RDS carrier is not sync’d to the pilot
There was a post back in August last year about WSFM’s RDS time being wrong, & it was making their alarm time wrong.
I’ve got a feeling there was a post even back before then, about the WSFM RDS time being wrong too?
Obviously an issue there, because the time being encoded in the RDS, is usually linked to a time server, be-it internet based, or a GPS locked time server, at the studio/TX site.
A quick look around SEQ and stations that have data on the group 8A Traffic Message Channel include 4MMM Brisbane, B105, Sea FM 90.9, Hot 91, Gold FM, River 949.
Example of Bushfire RDS message on MIX FM (and SEA FM) Sunshine Coast
19:55:57 Everything Sunshine Coast
19:56:05 HONKY TONK WOMAN - ROLLING STONES
19:56:29 Residents are advised that if their plan is to
19:56:40 relocate or they do not have a plan then
19:56:51 they are advised to relocate now.
19:56:59 UPDATE: Bushfire WATCH and ACT
19:57:10 for #Coolum (Sunshine Coast)
19:57:19 as at 6.15pm Fri 20 Jan
19:57:28 Everything Sunshine Coast
I just got back from Canberra.
I got some good reception of Hit 93.1 from Wagga just north of Canberra (just on NSW side of the border on the Federal Highway) but there was no RDS. It COULD be a reception issue (this was on the current model Toyota Camry, a work vehicle), but it doesn’t look like they are running it.
Also, Snow 97.7 Cooma doesn’t seem to be running RDS.
I thought they did?
Meanwhile, Eagle FMs RDS is quite odd.
The FIRST line (where stations usually have the on air ID as static text) has variable text promoting the breakfast show
Something like
BREKKIE
WITH
BILLY
WEEKDAYS
ON
EAGLE FM
And the 2nd line has fixed text
"Goulburn’s Eagle FM"
Suffice to say, no song title or any other info there.