Radio Data System (RDS)

Another station with the dreaded FFFF PI Code: 3BA Ballarat. Easily decoded with the TEF but not on my car radio.

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Yeah been like that for several weeks now, odd for a commercial station, you would think they would know better. :roll_eyes:
It would be interesting to know what percentage of vehicle tuners & over what makes & years of manufacture that have a problem with the following PI codes re display of RDS or not.
a) FFFF
b) 0000
c) Leading zero PI codes

I think b) is the most common problematic in the community & a flip of the coin for which follows next; either a) or c)

Either way one would need a very large sample size of interested Media Spy users to get any form of comprehensive results across the majority of vehicle makes & year of manufacture.

I had an opportunity to see if I could decode the RDS of a station using a PI code of 0000 in a new 2024 Nissan X-Trail today & it was able to do so in this case.

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I’d be interested in keeping an eye out also. My current radio doesn’t really do much of any RDS so it’s not super helpful. I can at least cross reference with the TEF

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There’s an odd glitch with 3HCR Omeo on 97.3. It doesn’t have RDS but sometimes it will display the RDS from Triple M (90.1). I’ve had this happen on both the car radio and the TEF tuner, so not a bug at the receiver end. I’ll try and get a video but when trying just now, of course the glitch didn’t happen.

90.9 3HCR did not produce the glitch.

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Is decoding okay on my car radio. Along with the Merry Christmas from 3BA text. They might want to look into that too.

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Interesting. Probably having a SDR GUI screenshot of the MPX spectrum capture of both 97.3 & 90.1 would be useful.

We don’t have any recent RDS captures of 90.1 Triple M Omeo (data goes back to 2019). Last recorded PS was MMM 90.1, but suspected of now being ā€˜Triple M’. PI suspected (unconfirmed) of being 2057.
No PTY recorded etc.
90.1 was (maybe still is?) an off air feed of 94.1 Triple M from Falls Creek.

Yeah likely a spur from 90.1 being picked up & retransmitted on 97.3MHz as they share the same transmitter hut/tower I seams.

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Testing out the RDS monitoring on TVCL South:

It only scans/updates when no one is connected to the webserver: http://116.255.0.168:59090/

The monitoring server will be switched over to the omni TEF once I get the SMA => F type adapter to connect the aerial.

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This is correct, Triple M with PI of 2057. Falls 94.1 also PI 2057 and Triple M.

Forgive me for not concentrating on the RDS minutiae as I’m primarily a DX Nerd, interested in the signals themselves!

The spur theory seems the most plausible; they’d definitely share the same tx site. 90.9 is probably from the 3HCR studios (I went up there and took a photo- the building looks like it’s almost abandoned!) No live programming on there which is a damn shame but at least it’s on air unlike this time last year.

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I love RDS. For me, it’s the ā€œvisualā€ side of radio, seeing all the info on the screen, and evolving, when done properly.

If I were at the ACMA I’d make RDS mandatory.

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Disappointed that there is apparently no RDS in PNG. Signals were strong enough for decodes IMO.

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Nova 106.9 has switched it’s PI back to 4106

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Thanks. I’ll add another entry (standby/alt) for the station in the RDS List for the apparent second RDS Encoder. From the frequent flip flopping between the two PI codes it’s become apparent that two differently programmed RDS Encoders are in use.
The ACMA List doesn’t enlighten me much with this station missing. :roll_eyes:

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Previously not seen with RDS, it has been spotted for Riverland Life FM 100.7.

No station name which is interesting despite having a strong signal this morning.

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Good find.

At least they have a logical PI code… unlike another community station I’ve see with no station name (PS) OR a valid PI code (just the 0000 default - being 2OCW Orange). Only a PTY shows up. Which suggests me that it’s been activated unknowingly (perhaps as part of TX upgrade).

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I did a drive along the great ocean road today and noted some of the RDS I saw.

95.9 PS: MIXXFM PI: 3063 PTY: Pop Music
RT: Music that makes you feel good

94.9 PS: 7AD PI: 7989 PTY: None
RT: Title - Artist

90.1 PS: ChilliFM PI: 7901 PTY: Pop Music
RT: Title - Artist

89.3 PS: LAFM PI: 7893 PTY: Pop Music
RT: Title - Artist

102.9 PS: SEA-FM PI: 77DE PTY: Varied

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RDS update for Zinc 96.1

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Thanks for the update, I preferred ZINC96.1

Note that the 100.5 relay is the same.

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Went down to the coast (Tuross Head) late this afternoon to see if there would be any NZ tropo. Unfortunately the tropo wasn’t that exciting (only Middle Brother heard, no Great Lakes FM etc.) and not a hint of NZ.

I can confirm 98.5 Moruya (TAB) is running RDS. I’m actually there at the moment having dinner so will see what PI code it’s running.

Edit: It’s 4897.

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