Radio Data System (RDS)

Radio Skid Row RDS:



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Rebel FM & The Breeze Beaudesert & Gold Coast have recently added RT+ to their RDS data stream. Thanks Aaron :+1:

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It looks like the Classic fm Wollongong / Illawarra RDS trial has finally end.
Back to the old normal on 95.7.

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Very sad to see it switch off. Hopefully it comes back alongside the other Illawarra ABC services receiving RDS. Although without the trouble of that Triple J trial.

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Hope so. I’m surprised they didn’t trail dynamic RT (i.e. usual ‘ABC Classic’ RT such as song title/artist & announcer info) during the period. Maybe that will be next? :man_shrugging:

92.9 ABC Classic (Sydney) has reinstated their former PS, but have turned off RT (Group 2A). Probably that will be reinstated soon. Can only guess what 102.3 ABC Classic FM Canberra is showing at the moment.

Unfortunately for dxers the RDS subcarrier levels of ABC Classic Sydney have also now been reduced by 15dB.

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VCA 88.5 Ellenbrook…

Few other tech bits -
PI FFFF
Groups 0A and 2A
No PTY (think Ozbark was asking a while back)

Most impressive was the low signal level decoding. The lowest I’ve ever recieved and decoded. Noisey mono, probably only 2/10.

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Looks awfully wide in that spectrum photo there

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They didn’t sound too bad. I’ve seen and heard worse community stations. Honestly, the signal was too low to really get a good listen - too much static.

As a better example, on the MPX spectrum, the RDS carriers where equal to the stereo pilot.

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新年快乐

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Thankfully FBi have seen the error of their ways and reverted to a static FBiRadio PS name and moved their other text down to the info text.

This threw me for a minute thinking somehow their old Melbourne brand got into their system…

Turned out to be another mash up of songs

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Thanks for the update. :slight_smile: Usually someone needs to be shown the error of their ways by another party.

For the past two weeks FBi have had a static PS, but most folk would have been oblivious to the RDS change due to the FBi tech adopting a new PI code of 0000

Regular readers of this tread will know or recall that leading zero PI codes are not part of the RDS standard & hence many or most RDS tuners will then not display any RDS data for the station transmitting RDS with a PI of 0xxx.

What has changed today are two things:

  1. FBi implemented RT (Group 2A). It displays as: Sydney music, art & culture
    and
  2. Changed their PI code from 0000 to 2945

In relation to point 2 above, WARNING BELLS :fire_engine: :astonished: are now ringing in my head.
Why? Well there’s a station on the Central Coast called Star FM on 104.5 with a PI code of 2045.
Now if we recall @RFBurns recent cut & paste of the RDS standards in relation to PI codes, we’ll remember that the 3rd & 4th digits of the PI codes need to be unique amongst all RDS stations in local & adjoining areas. Probably for at least a few hundred kms would be sensible.

How long before people commuting between the Central Coast & Sydney listening to either 94.5 FBi or Star 104.5 experience unexpected station switching & complain to either station?

:roll_eyes:

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Reached out to the station about this, it had been frustrating me. (and not expecting an email back)
The station replied with a suggestion ‘Try updated my RDS Spy as that rubbish AF data is a decoding issue’ I Haven’t yet updated RDS Spy though so cant comment if this is the case.

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@Flanklin What station? What person? What precisely-described/specific problem?

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Currently sitting in car park next to Charlestown library, not far from @Radiohead’s waiting for someone in the doctors, & while scanning radio stations as we do, have noticed Great Lakes FM on 101.5 have Traffic Announce turned on, do they actually transmit any traffic data or is it incorrectly turned on?

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I’m down in Sydney right now so can’t confirm, can’t imagine why they would really need that up in a small town like Forster

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I can’t get any RDS on 2NBC 90.1 lately, is anyone else noticing this too?

I noticed song and artist on 102.7 today - can’t usually get RDS but seems stronger than usual - even before this afternoon’s opening.

Which 102.7? 3RRR or 4DDB?

Local 4DDB

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