Radio Data System (RDS)

[ozbark]

@Brettski_1234

Not sure how to update the list sorry

All is good have updated the list for you & the group.
I’m fairly familiar with Google Sheets now.
Anyone in Melbourne/Geelong know what the PI code is for KIX Country?

I see Seymour FM with RDS on this list now too.

[Brettski_1234]

Managed to find my SDR dongle so the PI code is 3893 and now as i’m on desktop I could update the list. Wasn’t able to get RDS Spy working for the other info.

[ozbark]

Hi @Brettski_1234
Awesome. Thanks for that
If you have time to dabble you might find this post helpful.

Radio Data System (RDS)

@Moe, Okay something wrong with the config, probably with RDS Spy. Your ‘Relative RDS Signal Level’ should be around -25 to -35dB (not -107dB). Check in the RDS Spy config. Go to Configure --> Sound Card & ensure that it points to VB Cable O/P. Soundcard Input Mode: Direct RDS/MPX 192kHz. Also ensure control panel VB Cable setup per RDS Spy instructions etc. BTW Use VB Cable “HiFi” version. There are RDS decode problems with the standard version. Delete old version, restart PC & instal Hi…

Subsequently you can now also use RDS Spy with SDR Console.

[Brettski_1234]

Thanks, I’ll try that out over the next few days, see how I go

[Brettski_1234]

Managed to get RDS Spy working, thanks for your help @ozbark

[ozbark]

@TV-Expert

I’ve noticed this afternoon that Vintage FM, at least via 88.7 from Razorback (near Camden), is now using RDS in the form of Dynamic PS, which goes like this:

“VINTAGE”
“FM”

Noted today that they have a couple of RT messages:-

It’s all about the Music
vintagefm.com.au

Also noted that 100.3 Bay FM Qld has RDS CT.
Does anyone in the area know if CT is accurate?

Have updated these changes in our RDS List.

[Radiohead]

FBI 94.5 Sydney now with RDS.
No other info yet, station name only.

[RFBurns]

@ozbark

Hi @RFBurns RDS has definitely changed from Gore Hill then. WS & KIIS never had RT+ previously. New RT formats & messages too. New Group 3A which started 4 days ago. I think clock time Group 4A & ODA group 12A (required for RT+) changes happened on Sunday or Sat night.

Remains to be seen if CT gets to be implemented again & what other changes might be in the pipeline at both sites. I’m interested to know if KIIS will reinstate TMC on their RDS.
Would be interesting comparing the RDS differences between Gore Hill & Artarmon sites for both WS FM & KIIS. Do they plan to have same equipment & RDS output at both sites? Many questions.

I’ve had to come to work at the Artarmon TX site today, so I’ve had a look around at what’s changed since I was last here about 8 weeks ago, (maybe a bit longer?).
ARN have installed new RDS encoders at Artarmon & have taken the old Artarmon ones to Gore Hill, to replace the faulty ones. I guess at some stage they’ll replace them at Gore Hill with new too, but COVID restrictions mightn’t give them enough site access time right now?
There’s some transmitter & tower works Monday & Tuesday this week at Artarmon, so ARN are transmitting from Gore Hill for now, they’ll probably (but I can’t confirm) come back to Artarmon on Wednesday, if you want to compare if RDS settings are different at either site?
I’ll be working from home again on Wednesday, so can’t confirm where ARN are transmitting from though.

[TV4]

Had a wee scan of what stations are broadcasting RDS here in Wanganui NZ… I’ve added these to the spreadsheet… I’ve also shifted the record for More FM Te Anau to the South Island.

There’s only one broadcasting the time and that’s four hours out - go fig!

STATION 31/2/2021 19:30-20:00	RDS	STATION	RADIO TEXT	CLOCK
The Edge	Y	THE EDGE	Hit Music Now 88.8 The Edge	N
The Hits	Y	The Hits	(Blank)	N
Magic Music	Y	Magic	Whanganui’s Greatest Hits - Magic 90.4	N
Brian FM	Y	Brian FM	(Song Title and Artist)	N
Reelworld Radio	Y	REEL WLD	REEL WORLD RADIO	Y
More FM	Y	More FM 92.8	The Breakfast Club from 6 then More Music, More Variety MORE FM	N
The Sound	Y	The Sound	The Soundtrack of our Lives	N
The Rock	Y	THE ROCK	REAL ROCK RADIO - 95.2 THE ROCK	N
ZM	Y	ZM	ZM - Laugh out Louder	N
The Breeze	Y	Breeze	Your place to Take it Easy - 97.6 The Breeze	N
Coast	Y	Coast	Coast - Feel Good	N

I can’t gather more info than that, sorry. I just used a Philips receiver/CD-burner I bought at a Council auction two yeas ago for $5 (some poor bastard’s donation to Noise Control!)

[ozbark]

@RFBurns

ARN have installed new RDS encoders at Artarmon & have taken the old Artarmon ones to Gore Hill, to replace the faulty ones. I guess at some stage they’ll replace them at Gore Hill with new too, but COVID restrictions mightn’t give them enough site access time right now?

Thanks for info

@RFBurns

There’s some transmitter & tower works Monday & Tuesday this week at Artarmon, so ARN are transmitting from Gore Hill for now, they’ll probably (but I can’t confirm) come back to Artarmon on Wednesday, if you want to compare if RDS settings are different at either site?

Thanks for that @RFBurns . I’m keeping an eye on their RDS output & MPX levels to determine if I can see a difference. I think I’ve mentioned previously I’ve never been able to determine a signal level difference between Artarmon or Gore Hill transmission sites for the major commercial FM broadcasters. Perhaps @Radiohead could determine from his location when/if a TX switchover of WSFM & KIIS occurs today or later?
At the moment or at 9am this morning everything about the RDS & MPX spectrum looks the same as past few days, although WSFM’s RDS RT data input has locked-up again this morning.

I have noted the past couple of weekends that both WSFM & KIIS RDS RT gets locked up & not usually fixed until the Monday morning following.

Certainly would be interesting to see if I could see a difference in the RDS between the transmission sites.

I do know that since the WS FM RDS upgrade/change that the RDS injection level has increased for WSFM. The 57kHz RDS carrier increased from -49 to -46dB (average peak). These few dB’s greatly reduced my BER at home & dramatically improved my RDS decoding for WS FM. I’m curious if the RDS subcarrier level & data will be the same from Artarmon.

@TV4

Had a wee scan of what stations are broadcasting RDS here in Wanganui NZ… I’ve added these to the spreadsheet… I’ve also shifted the record for More FM Te Anau to the South Island.

Excellent work. Well done @TV4 .

Looks like More FM there has Dynamic PS too, as seams to be the case with all or most of More FMs RDS transmitters.

@TV4

There’s only one broadcasting the time and that’s four hours out - go fig!

They should turn off Clock Time if they can’t maintain an accurate time. An easy way to irritate drivers who use RDS to set their vehicle clock.

[RFBurns]

@ozbark I’ve just remote logged in to the electricity meters at work, & ARN haven’t come back to Artarmon yet, according to the electricity load levels, not sure if they’ll come back today, generally they’ll change sometime overnight, I’ll have another look tomorrow.

[ozbark]

Here’s another new RDS station from Melbourne.
98.7 3RPP

[natcomms]

@Radiohead

I’d like to think that someone there has taken notice of this thread!

Comments here helped…

[natcomms]

@ozbark

Encouraging seeing TANK FM fixing their badly implemented RDS PS.
Wonder what prompted them to make the correction?

Initial implementation was only suppose to be temporary. Larger projects took time to finish and bed down and RDS work was left untouched.
What was on air in June was Part 1 of a change which has just been completed in Aug.

[ozbark]

Triple j 105.7 - Sydney having some issues with their RDS atm.
Barely outputting any codes other than Group code 0A.
Radio Text (Group 2A) taking perhaps a couple of minutes to update with very few 2A codes output in data stream.
CT now inaccurate.

[Radiohead]

New RDS log, Great Lakes FM Forster

[ozbark]

No RDS subcarrier today from TCBL ‘Hawkesbury Radio’ 89.9MHz.
UPDATE: RDS restored later on 9/9/2021

96.5 Wave FM has increased it’s RDS subcarrier level a little from last look earlier in the year; should improve RDS decoding a little.

[Radiohead]

That might explain my RDS reception of Wave FM last night, which can struggle to get past weakish 2CHR Cessnock reception here.

[ozbark]

If people can excuse my nerdy observances I can reveal the following differences between the RDS & MPX spectrum between the Gore Hill & Artarmon transmissions of WSFM & KIIS Sydney.

Gore Hill: (For both WSFM & KIIS). This site transmits RT+ (Group Code 12A), no CT (ClockTime). The MPX output is more clearly defined with more modulation guarding of the RDS subcarrier. I receive low to Nil BER (Bit Error Rate) for the RDS from this site.

Artarmon: (For both WSFM & KIIS). This site transmits accurate CT (Clocktime), but no RT+. The modulation of both stations often masks the RDS subcarriers & I get much higher RDS BER for both stations.
The RDS subcarrier levels for both stations bounce around & differ greatly comparing no modulation ( might add - it’s rare to hear periods of silence on commercial FM ) to modulation.

In summary; very revealing. Thanks to @RFBurns & @Radiohead for their assistance.

[Radiohead]

Hope this is a sign of things to come from the Super Radio Network!