Using the Radio Data System

This factsheet explains the different facilities of the Radio Data System (RDS) to enable you to make the
best use of your RDS equipped radio. RDS allows radio stations to transmit data to a suitably equipped
radio that will make it easier to use. It can also provide additional information about the programmes being
transmitted. RDS information is transmitted with all BBC radio stations that broadcast on the FM band,
and with most commercial FM radio stations, although the facilities provided can vary. Several European
countries also use RDS, and radios purchased in the United Kingdom will work in those countries.

These are the most common facilities available on RDS radios.

1) Station Name (PS-Programme Service) you, or interrupt a cassette tape or compact disc that is
All RDS radios, whether they are car radios, hi-fi currently playing. At the end of the announcement the
tuners or portable sets, are supplied with an eight radio returns to its former state by switching back to
character display that will show the name of the the cassette or CD, or reducing the volume as required.
selected radio station. For example, when tuned to For this to work, the travel announcement function
BBC Radio 1, the display will show 'BBC 1 FM', and must be switched on. RDS radios may have a button
when tuned to say, BBC Radio Shropshire, will show labelled TP, Travel or Info which does this. The radio
'BBC SHRP'. When you program your favourite will then only allow you to tune to a station which is
stations into the push buttons on the radio, it is not just capable of sending the relevant RDS travel
the frequency that is stored, but also the station's announcement information.
identification. If you have set 'BBC 2 FM' to be on
button number two, then pressing this button will If the signal of the selected radio station becomes
always give you Radio 2 wherever you are in the weak, the radio should re-tune itself to another station
country. Automatic Tuning (AF-Alternative that has the RDS travel information. If such a station
Frequency) An RDS radio receives information about cannot be found some radios will make a 'bleep' sound
the frequencies of nearby transmitters. This enables to inform you of this.
the radio to choose the strongest FM signal for the
selected station, and the listener should never need to 4) Enhanced Other Networks (EON)
re-tune the radio. This is particularly useful for car The latest RDS sets - those with the Enhanced Other
drivers who no longer have to re-tune when driving Network (EON) facility - can switch from a BBC
between different transmitter coverage areas. Network station (eg BBC Radio 2) to a BBC Local
Radio travel bulletin, and then back to the national
2) Regional Links (REG On/Off) station at the end of the announcement.
Many local radio stations only have a couple of For example, while driving in the Midlands, an EON
different frequencies, and their coverage area is RDS car radio is tuned to BBC Radio 4, and the Travel
limited. Some local stations are linked together function is switched on. The driver may be listening to
according to their region, so that if the signal from a Radio 4 or to a cassette, or they could have the volume
local radio station becomes weak, the RDS radio can turned down. When a nearby local radio station, such
switch to another local station in the same region. If as Radio Leicester, are about to make a travel
you wish the radio to stay tuned to the same local announcement, an RDS signal transmitted on Radio 4
station regardless of the signal strength or quality, then tells the radio to tune to Radio Leicester for the
you should turn the Regional facility on. Not all RDS announcement. The radio will already know the
radios include this function. frequency of Radio Leicester in that area. The radio
will first check that it can receive Radio Leicester
satisfactorily and, if so, will switch from Radio 4, turn
3) Travel Announcements (TA and TP) up the volume, or interrupt the playback of the cassette
When a local radio station broadcasts a traffic report, for the duration of the announcement. At the end of the
the RDS radio is informed. This information can be announcement the radio returns to its previous state
used to provide the listener with travel information ready for the next announcement.
without them having to listen to that particular radio
station all of the time. When the travel announcement With EON, an RDS radio is told about the frequencies
is broadcast the radio can either turn up the volume for of other radio stations in the area, both local and
national. If you change stations, the radio will know RDS radio, then the radio is told about all local radio
immediately which frequencies to try first. The BBC stations that are within the coverage area of the main
recommends the use of RDS radios which have the national transmitter. It might not be possible for the
EON capability. radio to receive that particular local radio station at this
location, and the breaks occur because the radio is
5) Programme Type (PTY) testing the signal from that local radio station's
The BBC gives codes to individual programmes transmitter and does not switch over because it
according to their type. Some RDS radios allow you to discovers the signal is poor. If the breaks become
select the type of programme required, and will search annoying, turn off the travel announcement function.
for a station broadcasting that type of programme.
Fifteen programme types have been defined: News, Q: During a travel announcement the volume of the
Current Affairs, Information, Sport, Education, Drama, radio is too loud/quiet and I can't adjust it.
Science, Culture, Varied Speech (quizzes/comedy), A: Many RDS radios take control of the volume during
Pop Music, Rock Music, Easy Listening, Light a travel announcement, in case the listener has chosen
Classical, Serious Classics and Other Music types. On to travel in silence or with the volume reduced. This
some radios the News Programme Type can be used pre-set volume can usually be adjusted by a
in a similar way to the travel announcement functions combination of front panel controls. On some car
to switch between programmes when news is radios you need to remove the radio from the car and
broadcast, or to interrupt a cassette or CD. use a small screwdriver to adjust a control on top or
underneath. Consult the manual regarding this.
6) Radio Text (RT) Back to RDS menu
The broadcasters can send short messages to receivers
using RDS. For example, the name of the current
programme, the title of a record or a 'phone-in number. Some Common Abbreviations Found on
This feature is available on some home receivers. RDS Radios

7) Time and Date (CT-Clock Time) TP, TA, TI Travel Announcement feature
Part of the RDS data is used to transmit the current APF, APS Automatic programme find/scan
time and date. A clock on an RDS radio never has to DX, LO, Local Change radio sensitivity
be adjusted, and will automatically set itself for summer AF Alternative Frequency selection
and winter time changes. It will also take account of FM, U, V Select FM band
leap years and, if travelling in a foreign country, will MW, AM, M, L Select medium and/or long wave
adjust between different time zones. Not all RDS PTY Select Programme Type
radios support this function. CT Display Clock

Common Questions and Problems

Q: How do I find out the frequency of the station I am

More information about radio reception can be obtained from:
listening to?
A: With an RDS radio you should not need to know the BBC Reception Advice
frequency, but if you are curious, try switching the Television Centre
London W12 7RJ
RDS functions off. On some radios you can do this by 0870 0100 123 (UK only - national rate call)
pushing the RDS button, or if the station has been set http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception
Ceefax page 698
on a push button, press that button again - often the
frequency appears for the first few seconds before the
name is displayed.

Q: Why do I get brief interruptions to the radio

reception?
A: The radio might be examining other frequencies
because the present one is becoming weak. If this
persists, there may not be any others that it can use. If
this becomes annoying the RDS functions can usually
be switched off by the Alternative Frequency (AF)
function, or on some radios by an RDS button. If the
Travel Announcement function is selected on an EON