Radio Data System (RDS)

My reception isn’t the best here. The Hawkesbury gold online stream is pretty good quality, I wonder FM quality has improved? Seems like the audio has improve. Anecdotal only. I do enjoy MJs show! Great music and his quirky observations of today’s crazy world are great.

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Finally! But good they’ve finally got on board

Surely 94.3/97.9 would be a no-brainer for an AF setup too - you could drive from Langwarrin to Longford without changing station.

On that, does TR FM have an AF setup going between 99.5/99.9? Again it would seem very logical to do it

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Absolutely, a perfect situation for AF.

I’m not sure, I’m just out of their reception area.

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Even if the audio at the time is mono there should be 38k present if there’s a pilot? Just summed mono content in the ‘stereo space’. Unless ofcourse there is dead air but the mono 0-16k would be down as well.

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Newer shot of Triple M - I assume this looks more normal?

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Yep, full MPX Spectrum right there
L+R
19khz Pilot
L-R
RDS

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Thanks @gordo92, only one data service? Not a second subcarrier at 76kHz?

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Nah I don’t believe so… if there was it must be damn weak, maybe a very weak 4th harmonic from the pilot tone

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96.1 5SEF Mt.Gambier has changed their PS to: hit96.1
Has CT (Clock Time)

The station is also IDing as: “The Limestone Coast’s Hit 96 point 1”

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One more question - how can I rule out a station as not doing RDS?

Two screenshots of what is okayish sounding reception of Inner FM - which isn’t listed as having RDS, and RDSSpy doesn’t see anything - but it has come up with a random letter and PI code in the bar. And if I’m looking at the right thing, seems to have something happening near 57khz.


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@moe SDR# does have an issue with creating garbage RDS characters in all of its own RDS fields, i.e. PI, PS & RT - even when there is definitely no RDS subcarrier & RDS data flow (groups codes) being transmitted.

That said, looking at the MPX Spectrum you’ve provided there certainly looks to be a characteristic 57kHz RDS subcarrier there, which whilst low, should maybe decode something with RDS Spy I would have thought.

FM DXers always like to know a station’s PI code from a transmitter because that code gets transmitted most often in the RDS groups & therefore it’s always the first bit of data to get decoded (good for dxing) or decoded successfully (although in noisy conditions it can show an incorrect number).

I think even in the most basic of RDS setups the RDS group 0A & a PI code is transmitted. That said, maybe a RDS subcarrier can be transmitted without data (I don’t see why not), I just haven’t seen it. Perhaps the broadcast techs here in this forum can answer that question being more familiar with RDS encoders & FM TX with inbuilt RDS encoders.

Perhaps with tropospheric ducting or aircraft scatter you might lift the signal enough to get a decode later? I was just looking at the RDS List & I don’t see Inner FM listed there. Would be interesting to determine if they are transmitting RDS data.

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I can confirm that 102.7 Power FM Merriwa does have RDS. Tuning to 102.7 actually causes the ‘i98 preset’ to light up on the preset list (as if tuned to it) and “i98fm” was momentarily displayed. From that we can assume that the 102.7 RDS is simply repeated offair from 98.1, probably with the PI code of 2981 common with i98.

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Going Off-Topic, the funny thing is, 98.1 Power FM carries the same log as Wave FM, which is the very station that is competing with i98FM in Wollongong, which of course broadcasts on 98.1!

So basically, you have the Wave FM log on i98’s frequency in the Upper Hunter region! :laughing:

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It would be fun and games on the Putty Road, where both i98 and Power FM duke it out. The sole time I travelled the road (Feb 2017, I think), i98 was dominant all the way to Garland Valley. Not sure if there was a bit of tropo at work here.

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And with the Power FM brand attached, whom both Wave and i98 compete with to a degree in parts of the Illawarra.

It’s a small radio world sometimes.

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Mixx FM 88.9 Hamilton, Vic has RT of: Wash your hands frequently
No PTY.
The CT is providing the wrong date (earlier in June from memory).

Also noted from Hamilton, Vic that:
87.6 Kix Country has a stereo pilot
102.1 Vision Christian Radio also has a stereo pilot

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Same as Swan Hill 107.7 when I was there a few weeks ago.

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Following up on my earlier post re. Power FM Hunter’s RDS. Note the “tricked” preset bottom left.

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This comes as a surprise but Triple Z in Lismore now has RDS!!

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O… M… G !
That IS good news! And not before time.
Just station name?

I suppose song info is too much to ask for (given their “flagship” FM hub station in Newcastle stil doesn’t have that).

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