Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] FM SCA

[Magne Mæhre]

>>>>>>>>>>>> Eric Blossom wrote (2002-02-24 02:23:42):
> 
> What's RDS?  

RDS is the Radio Data System.  It's a data sub-carrier (on 57kHz IIRC)
with a set of services.  A couple of these are:

* Telling your radio what station you're listening to (so you can get
  the station ID up in your display)

* Telling your radio which other transmitters in the area transmitting
  the same program.  This is nice if you're in a car, so you don't have
  to re-tune.  For instance, I can tune in to one national broadcaster,
  and drive through the entire country (3000 km) without touching the
  radio.

* Information about what type of program you're listening to.  Typically
  you can then tell your receiver to "get me some jazz station".

* Automatic break-in to whatever you're listening to when there is a
  traffic announcement. 

* DGPS.  In Norway, correction data is transmitted with RDS on every
  transmitter that broadcasts one of the national programs.

* Nuclear hazard warnings.  In Sweden, there is (was?) a system that
  if one of the nuclear power plants had an accident, the neighbours
  were alerted by a special RDS message.

  ....and I'm sure there are several more uses..

RDS is an EBU standard (European Broadcasting Union).

--Magne