{"id":58852,"date":"2024-02-06T07:48:31","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T11:48:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=58852"},"modified":"2024-02-06T07:48:31","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T11:48:31","slug":"guest-post-bobs-conundrum-with-the-radio-data-system-rds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/guest-post-bobs-conundrum-with-the-radio-data-system-rds\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Bob’s conundrum with the Radio Data System (RDS)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post<\/em>\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Bob Colegrove<\/a>, who shares the following guest post:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

A Conundrum with the Radio Data System (RDS),
\nor Why I Set the Clock Manually<\/h1>\n

By Bob Colegrove<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There\u2019s an old story about a man who owned two watches.\u00a0 One watch ran but lost a minute every hour.\u00a0 The other watch didn\u2019t work at all.\u00a0 He always wore the watch that didn\u2019t work, because as he said, \u201cAt least it will have the correct time twice a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

First off, a couple of caveats.\u00a0 This is not a definitive description of the Radio Data System (RDS).\u00a0 I leave that to much more knowledgeable sources.\u00a0 One detailed description is at https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Radio_Data_System<\/a>.\u00a0 Second, my experience described here is confined to the Eton Elite Executive and the XHDATA\/SIHUADON D-808.\u00a0 Other radios may operate differently.<\/p>\n

I have surrounded myself with several multiband travel radios over the past year and enjoy them very much \u2013 each for different reasons.\u00a0 Besides listening, I like to push buttons to see what happens.\u00a0 The manuals?\u00a0 At best they occasionally provide a clue.\u00a0 I read them, eventually filling in the blanks on my own.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

XHDATA\/SIHUADON D-808<\/p><\/div>\n

Basic RDS<\/h2>\n

What is RDS? RDS is a system which enables an FM station to transmit various fields of information such as date, time, call letters, frequency, and program information in text form.\u00a0 The call letters are useful, but if you have a digital radio, you already know the frequency.\u00a0 The name of the song and artist are particularly helpful if the DJ won\u2019t tell you.\u00a0 As for the date and time, well, I\u2019ll get to that.<\/p>\n

RDS is an international standard and Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) is the official name used for the U.S. version.\u00a0 So why don\u2019t we in the States just call it RBDS?\u00a0 Probably because our radios aren\u2019t made here.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Eton Elite Executive<\/p><\/div>\n

The XHDATA and Eton allow the user to display four of the several fields comprising the RDS standard.\u00a0 They each step through the same sequence, indicating a similar or possibly the same demodulator chip.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

PS and RT seem to be freeform fields with stations providing whatever information they want to share.\u00a0 Often the call letters and frequency are contained here, along with program content.\u00a0 Clock Time (CT) is not displayed per se<\/i>, but is used to set the radio time, and is included as part of the DATA field.\u00a0 DATA is important; it has four elements, which should provide the listener with an indication of the call, day, date, and time being received by the radio.\u00a0 The international RDS standard omits the call letters.<\/p>\n

The RDS information transmitted by any given station may not contain all the fields identified above, including the time.\u00a0 For example, stepping through the fields you may encounter \u201cNO PTY,\u201d \u201cNO PS,\u201d \u201cNO RT,\u201d or \u201cNO DATA.\u201d Consequently, you may tune in to a station broadcasting RDS and wait a long time for the radio clock to synchronize, which it never does.\u00a0 The display of any content in the DATA field is probably the best clue whether CT is being transmitted.<\/p>\n

It is interesting that the Eton is programmed for the US RBDS system, whereas the XDATA follows the international RDS system.\u00a0 For the international system on the D-808:<\/p>\n