Only xx43 code I can think of remotely nearby is Triple M Gippsland - not impossible but very unlikely?
3 Likes
Iām not an RDS expert but this intrigued me being pretty close to the transmitter so Iāve had a look on my SDR dongle and RDS Spy- it appears 100.9 NewsRadio is definitely sending out a PI code but it is either extremely weak and not being decoded properly or something else is going amiss as the PI code changed every minute or so.
Iāve attached a couple of RDS Spy files for anyone who might have more knowledge or insight (hope this works).
3 Likes
Thanks for doing this @captaincupcake . It is intriguing. Yes two different PI codes (A6DC & D389) & unusual Group code. Looks like garbageā¦
I suspect some kind of non RDS subcarrier being detected at 57kHz MPX of tuner/s as being output on the 100.9MHz transmitter of Newsradio, in the vicinity of 57kHz.
What will definitely help me is either some snap shots or short video of the SDRās MPX spectrum of 100.9 Newsradio Albury, as viewed with SDR# or SDR Console. I want to see if itās a properly formed RDS subcarrier. If you can do this showing with plenty of Y (MPX amplitude) axis & displaying X axis from 0kHz up to around 92kHz+ if possible & as clean & strong as possible signal?
Doing so might get us closer to solving the mystery.
One other question. What is the BER of RDS Spy showing on 100.9MHz?
2 Likes
BTW Whilst we got you there @captaincupcake
Any chance of RDS Spy decodes of:
98.5 The Light, 101.7 2APH & 88.0 Faith FM - Albury/Wodonga when you have free time?
Weāre missing their PI, PTY & Group Code data from our Aussie RDS List.
Something else caught my attention looking at the tuner screen pic of @aaaaplay
I see 2REM listed with a PTY of Talk.
Thereās no specific PTY (EU) code for āTALKā, but there is for PTY (US) re (PTY4 - Talk).
Last time PTY of 2REM was recorded it had a PTY of āVariedā.
Some tuners/radios use their own descriptors of PTY codes rather than strictly adhering to the RDS PTY standard description. Sometimes you see this as Varied Speech. Maybe āTalkā is another alternative that some tuner manufacturers adopt 
I think some stations use varied (PTY 9) to describe varied programming, varied genre of music & so on. All somewhat ambiguousā¦
The inconsistency with radio/tuner manufacturers to use appropriate & consistent standard PTY descriptors might well be the reason for MediaWorks NZ changing all their RDS PTY for all their FM RDS stations to āNoneā in 2023. 
3 Likes
Snapshot below of the 100.9 MPX spectrum, nothing much on 57khz I can see.
If it also helps, when I get a Group Count itās usually at the rate of one or two per minute.
Perfectly formed example of the RDS subcarrier from 101.7 2APH for comparison.
BER shows no sync to begin and then 0% when it decodes something.
2APH- PI 2017, PTY Code 0
98.5 The Light-PI 8803, PTY Code 0
2REM- PI 207D, PTY Code 9 [Varied]
88.0 Faith FM- PI FA1F (I see what they did there!), PTY Code 20 [Religion]
Hope this helps 
3 Likes
Given News Radio TX is either a Harris or R&S TX, both of which donāt have In-Built RDS, it wouldnāt be generating RDS
Also RDS injection is only been done in places where the RDS can be striped from DAB and added to the FM service
4 Likes
Yes it definitely helped 
, as did the MPX spectrum (especially with the yellow peak graph line), along with āBER shows no sync to begin and then 0% when it decodes something.ā
It seems like youāve opened the bandwidth of 100.9MHz out beyond 120kHz to ensure a RDS subcarrier would be captured (though I canāt be 100% sure), therefore Iād have to assume that itās just some erroneous noise or occasional adjacent channel noise that it causing an occasional false RDS detection. Itās difficult to know from here.
Per additional research from @Informer probably the vehicle of @aaaaplay has either been in Turkey or fortuitously received Pal Doga 100.9FM whilst in Europe presumably soon after its manufacturing & during test run?
The above explanation 
is the best I can do for the moment.
It does 
Thank you, awesome work.
I wonder when 98.5 TheLight is changing frequencies to 98.3MHz?
3 Likes
Noted this morning that Connect FM 100.9 2BAC has reinstated their RDS RT Song Title/Artist info. And other RT msg change.
11:16:38 Connect FM - Connecting The Community
11:16:59 Music and Entertainment For The Holidays
11:17:20 Now Playing: Bruce Springsteen - Hungry Heart
Still no RT+ although the appropriate RDS group codes are there.
Late UPDATE:
Iāve become convinced from monitoring over several weeks that thereās now two different RDS RT feeds for CONNECT FM.
The occasional one (above) that displays Song Artist/Title info along with two other RT messages. This might be when studio is live (unverified)
& the usual one below:-
20:56:26 Connecting The Community - 100.9 CONNECT FM
20:56:48 Community Radio for Bankstown and Auburn
20:57:08 www.connectfm.au
1 Like
Thanks for the replies and research everyone.
Iāve got a current shape Skoda Octavia Mk4 with Volkswagen Groupās MIB3 system - same as the Golf 8, Audi A3, Cupra Leon, and many more.
You can read a detailed explanation on the system functions with schematics etc: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10189329-0001.pdf
But I was playing around with a coding tool and turned āPI Ignoreā. That probably allowed the system to match the PI code to the radio logo database (created by Radiostar.de for VAG) stored in the car which then displayed the PAL DOGA name.
By unfavouriting the station and performing a soft reset of the infotainment system the name disappeared. This was BEFORE turning the Ignore PI setting back on.
So my best guess is that 100.9 was broadcasting out a PI code (or something misinterpreted as one by my car) briefly but that has stopped sometime in the last two weeks. For the record the PAL DOGA name appeared about a month ago.
Side note - I also found options to enable an FM DRM band - interesting considering the trial in Wangaratta.
5 Likes
Good news if in Albury & surrounds, the FM DRM trial is from Mt Baranduda, same site as FM & TV.
The AM DRM trial is at Dockers Plains near Wang.
BAI are the trial operators if you need to contact for any info we donāt have here.
And welcome @aaaaplay, we appreciate more members here.
2 Likes
Thereās nothing at that address visible from the footpath. Perhaps at the old Magic Mountain site up on the nearby hill or atop an apartment building.
1 Like
Thanks for investigating @crankymedia
Interesting given that licence is intended to have a site precision accuracy of 10m.
Yes perhaps not transmitting from where itās supposed to beā¦
1 Like
Thanks @ozbark. Yes Iāve read Media Spy for many years now but havenāt posted much. I work a lot with broadcasters around the world in setting up RDS, and I wanted to condense a lot of wisdom into a reference article so I had something to point people to.
Whenever I tell an Aussie broadcaster āthereās actually a local system for picking a PI codeā, they are usually shocked 
Thanks to everyone here for their work on the spreadsheet.
5 Likes
Thanks Anthony for your posting & appreciation.
Iāve posted a link to your article on Worksheet 13 (Links Box) in our RDS List.
Hopefully a combination of all our efforts results in better RDS programming for Australian (& NZ) FM radio stations.
Keep up the good work.
2 Likes
I noticed in my van radio, as well as on my digital radio, this week Hit104.7 and Mix106.3 Canberra had major RDS upgrades, reflecting their DAB+ positions.
PS for 104.7 MHz is HIT1047
PS for 106.3 MHz is MIX106.3
PTY for HIT1047 is Pop Music
PTY for MIX106.3 is Other Music
Can @Aaron_Evans_2005 please confirm the RDS text for both stations, for me, since he also lives in Canberra and it would be too long to fill out.
5 Likes
I canāt, because I donāt know what RDS text is. Could someone explain it to me?
1 Like
RDS text is basically radio text which broadcasts static or dynamic messages.
Hereās a ref for your information: What is RDS Radio/What Does RDS Mean on a Radio?
3 Likes
3NE has RDS on its Mount Hotham translator (89.3) but thatās it. Nothing on Mt. Buffalo/Bright (99.1) or Mount Beauty (90.1). I donāt think Myrtleford (90.1) has it on either.
The Edge Mount Beauty exists (93.3) but doesnāt have RDS. The Bright translator on 92.1 still isnāt on air. No RDS on 3VKV Alpine Radio in either Mount Beauty (96.5) or Bright (92.9). I donāt think Harrietville (94.5) is on air; Iāll check when I visit Mount Hotham on Thursday. I went close enough to Harrietville today and all I got was a fairly strong JJJ Shepparton.
Many of these stations in the alpine regions would benefit from blanket RDS with AF. A station that could really use it is 94.1/94.3/96.3 2TVR. BTW, they still have the scrolling RDS. Weāve now got static ā2BRWā on Braidwood FM, which will please most here.
Here in Falls Creek, both MMM and (s)hit have RDS, on 94.1 and 100.5 respectively. DX from the town centre is pretty poor as itās still fairly hemmed in by the mountains.
4 Likes
Good summary of current RDS in the Alpine region.
The Shepparton SCA relays at Mansfield/Mt Buller on 91.3 and 93.7 had RDS when i was down there last too.
2 Likes
From memory you barely get a signal unless youāre in Harrietville proper - mind you it has been some time since Iāve been in this part of the world.
1 Like