Radio Data System (RDS)

Probably depends on the injection level set by the engineer in the equipment generating the RDS carrier.

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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.

May also depend on the receiver too.

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.

Yeah I’ve noticed the RDS changed to Breeze92 too. Although when I preset it the name is BreezeGC

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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)

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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

Id probably guess both!

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There is also Encore FM @ 20w from the same site? KIX definitely seems to perform better.

http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/assignment_search.lookup?pEFL_ID=1597320

I dont see Encore FM? just the community, Radio TAB, KIX and HITZ

and thats 20watts EIRP

http://www.encore963fm.org.au/

Take a closer look… its 200watts EIRP… they are at a different site… there are a few up the hummock

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I can’t receive 96.3 as well as 97.1 despite the listed power difference - perhaps because it is vertical.

My point exactly! realistically… you should receive 96.3 @ 200 watts vertical better then 97.1 @ 20watts Mixed!!

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Something that I noticed a couple of days ago and as of last night (confirmed with @SydneyCityTV) is that WSFM’s RDS time is completely off.

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.

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Does anyone know what the other group data is that some stations broadcast on RDS?

For example hit105, 4MMM, ABC Classic and JJJ broadcast 1A data - is this a program schedule for timed recording?

4TAB has data on 10A while River, Hot91, hit105 and 4MMM have data on 3A and 4A.

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

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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.

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Hills FM have a similar unusual RDS read out for the station name area that also manages to include the song title and artist !

Scrolling PS is EVIL … I used to like it when I first experimented with RDS at river949 however I have learnt that scrolling PS causes grief for alot of car radios.

It was the best solution 10 years ago as very few cars did RT

Glad you like Mix/SEA RDS… I just hope it has helped people be informed

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