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RDS300/RDS500/RDS1000 User Manual 3.10
18.
TMC
– The Traffic Message Channel is used for sending real time information on traffic
conditions and road hazards to cars equipped with the appropriate receivers.
19.
EWS
– The Emergency Warning System, broadcast in RDS group 9.
20.
IH
- In House – reserved for the broadcaster’s internal use. RDS Group 6.
21.
Free Format Groups
- Another type of Open Data Application.
22.
Standard Paging
– Message transmission
23.
EPP Paging
– Message transmission system that supports the Enhanced Paging Protocol.
24.
A.R.I. On/Off
– a command only used on certain European national radio networks. Not
supported by the RDS1000.
1.4.
WHAT ABOUT U.S.?
In the United States, with a very few exceptions, broadcasters do not want to cause their listeners’
receivers to change frequency. And most automotive receivers on the road in the U.S. have only the
most rudimentary RBDS capabilities. So in America, broadcasters are primarily concerned with using
RBDS to transmit limited types of data: the PI, PTY, and PTYN codes, the M/S, TP and TA flags,
perhaps Clock Time, ODA or (increasingly) TMC. But the most prevalent use of RBDS is the
transmission of dynamic PS and RT, which actually display alphanumeric information on the front
panel of the listeners’ radios.
1.5.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT PS AND RT
PS (Program Service name) and RT (Radio Text) are very similar. The displays on most radios are
limited to eight characters, but the powerful scrolling features of KVARTA encoders allow display of
PS and RT text of up to sixty-four characters, moving the text across the screen of the receiver, either
a few characters at a time or by entire words. Most automotive receivers display only (or mostly) PS
text, home receivers tend to primarily display Radio Text. The two can be programmed to display
separate streams of text, but most broadcasters choose to have them both display identical
information, to make sure all receivers are displaying the same thing. It should also be noted that the
moving or ‘scrolling’ type of display of PS has been banned in some countries as a potential
distraction to drivers. Some municipalities and/or states in the US have considered such a ban as
well. Distractions notwithstanding, scrolling PS is a powerful, flexible way to display information to
the listener. Stations commonly interface their encoders with their automation systems to
automatically show the name of the artist and title of the current song. When not broadcasting
music, the scrolling PS can display the name of the station, the current host or program, or the name
of a special guest. Stations have even used their scrolling PS to give their listeners traffic information
or the latest news headlines. Other potential uses lie in contesting or even advertisements. The uses
are nearly limitless, and the encoders from KVARTA gives you the power and flexibility to exploit
those uses, both now and well into the future. More details in paragraph 4 and Appendix B.
