Radio Data System (RDS)

Have noticed Triple M Brisbanes RDS has stopped displaying song names and just seems to be stuck on “Rocks Greatest Hits”

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973 is also stuck on “97 Minutes Of Non Stop Music to start your Workday from 9 On 973”

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Scrolling PS (programme service) is EVIL! … breaks the standard and is problematic with some radio (especially European radios)

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I don’t mind that they are a bit different, a small window of opportunity for uniqueness when so much else is the same these days.

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MMM Seems back to normal now.

Also note that Bridge FM hasn’t had RDS for a while now.

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Just wondering something that I hope you Brisbane locals can help me with… I’m in town for a couple of days and something has already confused me.
The Sunshine Coast commercials are much stronger than the Gold Coast commercials??? I would’ve thought that because Gold Coast is a bit closer to the city that Sea90.9,Hot Tomato, etc. would be received a lot clearer (with RDS) than the stations on the sunny coast? Anyway, last night I got RDS on 91.9SeaFM, Hot91, Mix927 with no sign of RDS or any signal of Hot Tomato, Gold Or Sea90.9 with 90.9 having overspill of Hot91!!! Anyway I just thought it was a amazing considering the Sunny Coast is further away… Is that the norm in Brisbane? Do many listen to Zinc in Brisbane?

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Their transmitter at Bald Knob (west of Caloundra) has an excellent LOS towards Brisbane, whereas the path between Mt Tamborine (Gold Coast) & Brisbane is not nearly as good.

Zinc can’t be received into Brisbane well in normal conditions, as their transmitter is much further north near Gympie, which is their licence area (as opposed to Nambour, which is served by Sea FM, Mix FM & Hot 91).

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I’m not a local up there anymore (used to live on the Gold Coast in the late 90s), but a few thoughts from me

  1. The Sunshine Coast TX site is at Bald Knob, near Maleny, at the southern end of the Coast, which evens up the distance factor a bit.

  2. The terrain between Maleny and Brisbane is quite flat, it’s a bit hillier between the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

  3. I’m pretty sure there is restriction on the TX power to the north from the Gold Coast, it’s not the 25kw that they can use to the east and south east from Mt Tamborine. Can’t recall what it is without looking it up on my phone right now. I also say this as the Gold Coast signals still aren’t good even at Beenleigh, they don’t get strong again until about Ormeau / Pimpama.

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According to the Gold Coast LAP, Sea & Gold transmit at only 1kW towards Brisbane (4kW towards Bayside), whilst for Hot Tomato, they transmit at only 250 watts towards the same direction (2kW towards Bayside).

The Sunshine Coast (Nambour) commercial stations from Bald Knob transmit at 750 watts towards Brisbane.

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What about the Brisbane commercials out to the coasts? Are they stronger on the Sunny Coast because of the low terrain? Or to the Gold Coast because it’s closer to Cootha? (Assuming the transmitters for Brisbane are on Mt cootha)

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Yes, the Brisbane commercial FM stations are transmitted out of Mt Coot-tha. They transmit at an ERP of 12kW towards both the Gold & Sunshine Coasts.

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Hot91 has different pattern and TOC than Mix/Sea… Mix and Sea is approx 500watts south… Hot91 considerably more

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Certainly packs some punch for 500W! A product of good ‘engineering’ I’d think :grin::wink:

Another consideration is where you are in Brisbane. Across such a large city the reception varies considerably. There are many areas especially on the south side of the river where Gold Coast stations are stronger than Sunshine Coast one, with some places at near local strength.

Also the Sunshine Coast radio licence area officially overlaps Brisbane radio so the northern stations are permitted to provide a strong signal to that area of Brisbane.

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RG capital fought hard to get that licence area changed to cover Caboolture etc… in the end it was the reason Mix and Sea had to be sold… talk about falling on your own sword

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This is what I have complained of here many times.

No Sunny Coast service is up to the full ERP towards Bris, Hot is closer to it and the signal is useful in Brisbane.

The GC services have a heavy null towards Brisbane. Every other adjacent metro market has good overspill save for the Gold Coast. Unique inequity that it is, ACMA never address it.

It’s fine. It’s the lack of signal towards that area.

Only us Mediaspyers during DX events where the weather is kind.

Signal is low south of Roys Road and gone by the descent to Caboolture.

Correct. The output differs at 20m to 63m for the distance towards Brisbane, it’s all low, below 500 watts in what the ERP out the antenna is.

250w for those at 63m, 60w for those at 22m. This is why Hot Tomato is receivable along the range at Toowoomba and well beyond Fisher Park along the Cunningham.

None are up to the spec in the ACMA docs towards Bris from either coast.

Boom into the GC as far south as over the border to Terranora, Bilambil Heights and Kingscliff.

Sunshine Coast sees good coverage to at least Coolum and Cooroy but not in Nambour which is in a hole.

And we have the long running example of a business on Racecourse Road Hamilton running Gold 92.5

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FBI 94.5 Sydney.

Does it not run RDS?

It actually does (RDS indicator lights up) but doesn’t broadcast any data, not even the station name. It’s been like this for several years.

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Thanks, it’s most frustrating, was hoping for proper RDS on 94.5 would eventuate, but appears not.

RDS gone from ABC classic and Triple J Hobart

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