With the implementation of a network of MMM and Hit stations through SCA, I wonder what the chances are of implementing Alternative Frequencies into the RDS.
SCA currently have this implemented for SEA FM Wide Bay/Bundaberg with AF active on both 101.9 and 93.1 frequencies, so there is some possibility.
i doubt youâd ever see it nationally. More likely that it would be used among overlap stations run out of a single office (like Wide Bay). It is used on stations further up the coast as well when they have translators.
A lot of them are unlikely to still have much in the way of RDS at all yet at this point.
Even then, as mcpaton said, it would only be useful for translator sites, as the various Hit and Triple M stations will still be independent so far in having their own breakfast hosts, local news, commercials etc. AF wouldnât work for these.
The reason I used Sea FM Wide Bay as an example is that the two frequencies have different programming and commercials so they are a good example of what could be done and shows that AF can be used in when the broadcasts donât match.
But wouldnât it be nuisance if youâre in an area both signals are roughly equal strength, and because the programming/ads were different and and you were hearing say 3 seconds of each station and it kept switching back and forth?
The tuner is supposed to look for an alternative frequency only when the current tuned signal becomes too weak.
Can RDS Alternative Frequency even be used as it was intended in Australia? I think the reason why the ABC hasnât implemented RDS AF across their national network is partially because of the difficulty in getting it to work over every transmitter across the country.
From what I understand, RDS was developed with national radio networks in Europe (e.g. BBC Radioâs national stations), which have their frequencies reserved for use by the respective networks nationally (e.g. BBC Radio 1 is found between 97.0 and 99.0MHz across the country), but here in Australia youâve got a mishmash of frequencies used by commercial stations and Radio National. So for the BBC, all they have to do is set their encoders across the country to have the alternative frequencies set as 97.8, 97.9, 98.0, etc. and all the radio tuners will ever find are BBC Radio 1.
But for the ABC, youâve got frequencies all over the place. As an example, on a drive from Sydney to Brisbane, youâll find Triple J is on:
Sydney: 105.7
Newcastle: 102.1
Manning River: 96.3
Grafton: 91.5
Byron Bay: 96.1
Gold Coast - 97.7
Brisbane: 107.7
Now, if these frequencies were all reserved for the specific use of Triple J nationally, it would all be fine and dandy. Slap an RDS encoder in the transmitter with all the appropriate frequencies and youâre laughing. But these frequencies are not reserved. If the radio receiver detects 96.1 (The Edge) is stronger than 105.7 (JJJ) in Sydney, it would switch to a completely different radio station automatically. So theyâd have to tailor the list for every station with the surrounding transmitters and Iâd imagine it would be a relatively difficult task. And even if you did tailor the list, there would be problems. What if there was a different station on the same frequency as the set alternative frequency on the other side of your transmission area?
For example:
No it wonât - the radio only switches to another frequency that also has the same AF identifier.
Broadcasters could use the REG flag:
Each broadcast service is supposed to have its own unique PI (programme identification code), so the radio can tell when itâs on the same service:
PI codes are all over the place in Australia though, as itâs not regulated here.
I mentioned this previously, but a while back (about a decade), Star 104.5 used to have 96.9 set as its AF (since both Nova and Star have the same owner). However, since Nova is a different station, it had a different PI code. This resulted in an annoying behaviour where my radio constantly switched to 96.9 momentarily to see if there was a better signal for Star and since the PI didnât match it would switch back.
For SEA FM Wide Bay 93.1 uses the Regional setting while 101.9 uses the Local setting on their RDS.
I am at Port Macquarie at the moment and these are the only RDS stations receivable in the area
Station name - additional info
2MC100.7 - 2MC Port Macquarie
2MC FM - Song Title And Artist info (this is for 106.7)
Star FM - Hits and Old Skool (this is for 102.3)
Star FM - Song Title and Artist info (this is for 105.1)
STAR CFS - Song Title and Artist info (for 105.5)
2CS FM - Song Title and Artist info (for 106.3)
The only community station with RDS was Tank FM Kempsey
The first line text rotated between the following
TANK FM
KEMPSEY
103.1
Time
The 2nd line text had the station URL as static text.
ANDâŚ
It looks like both 2MC FM and Star 102.3/105.1 uses AF.
This was the first time Iâve come across AF.
It threw me at first - I couldnât work out why the 2MC FM text kept changing to 2MC100.7 whenever I tuned to 106.7. I thought it was 2MC being cheap and lazy, in using the same station name on both! It worked seemlessly otherwise, the audio was in perfect sync on 100.7/106.7 and 102.3/105.1.
It also works on the 2MC FM 90.3 repeater at Laurieton
I had to switch off AF on my car radio to see the song / artist info on the 105.1/106.7 stations (which were weaker than 100.7/102.3 here in Port Macquarie). I would have never known about the song title /artist info without switching off AF, or until I got closer to Kempsey.
For the record, the car radio used here is the standard MY 2016.75 Ford Focus SONY system (with Sync 3).
EDIT: Also meant to say I canât work out why 2MC & Star 102.3/105.1 only have the Song info on the Kempsey transmitters, and not Port Macquarie. Odd.
I always find it interesting how SCA doesnât have a consistently set standard in terms of RDS - it seems to be up to each individual station as to how it is programmed.
For example, the three Star FMâs (and sister LocalWorks stations) I can receive all have their own slight variations
Shepparton:
STAR FM / HITS / ALWAYS (Static text: Jess & Tommy 6 - 9am)
3SR FM / GREATEST / HITS (Static text: The Valleyâs Own)
Bendigo:
STAR FM (Hits & Old School / song title & artist info)
3BO BGO (The Greatest Hits from the '70s to Now / song title & artist info)
Albury:
Star FM (Static text: 104.9 STAR FM - Hits. Always.)
River FM (Static text: 105.7 THE RIVER - Everything âThe Borderâ)
Also noteworthy that THE EDGE has AF enabled with their 102.1FM Wangaratta and 102.5FM Deniliquin stations.
The most bizarre part about 2MC 100.7/106.7 and Star 102.3/105.1 is that they are EXACTLY the same station, 24/7, same brekky shows, same ads etc.
Only the RDS seems to be differentâŚ
They get the name of their station wrong on RDS?
They brand themselves on air as âThe Riverâ, but my guess is they resorted to RiverFM with their RDS PS due to the 8 character limit.
In saying that though, they could drop the space to make it fit. Has been set like that for a few years now - not quite sure what their logic is behind it!
Recently visited Launceston and noticed that the two commercial FM stations there are now broadcasting RDS according to my car radio.
Both LAFM and ChilliFM have PS program labels and radio text consisting of song title - artist info and station positioner.
My understanding is Chilli and 7LA also have alternate frequency active, swapping between the main TX site on Mt Barrow to the Launceston CBD in-fill translator.
Breeze 92.1 is back with RDS and in stereo!!
Station name is BreezeGC / 100.6 GC
plus Artist - Song âon BREEZE 100.6â
Saw this this morning too - nice addition, completes the set if you will. I wonder if this has anything to do with the weird mixing of signals/poor sound quality they were experiencing on 90.5 and 92.1 over the weekend?
96.5 here in Brisbane appears to have just launched RDS on their service too. Station ID reads â96Fiveâ, radio text scrolls different messages including station slogan, website and phone number.
