RDS or the Radio Data System is used by most FM stations in the UK and Europe. In the US, it is called the Radio Broadcast Data System, which is similar to RDS, but with slight differences. RDS allows a small amount of text and data to be transmitted and this can be processed by radios with a built-in RDS decoder. These radio receivers transmit information such as station name, programme type and radio text.
RDS became necessary because of the increasing difficulty of tuning a radio to a desired programme, as there are so many programmes in the VHF/FM ranges. With RDS, listeners can see the programme service name and also the transmitter frequency on the screen provided in RDS radios. Handheld RDS radios are also available, while most car audios have RDS as standard.
RDS travel news is popular among car owners in the UK. If you are tuned in to a particular station, and that station starts a travel report, RDS alerts the listener either by interrupting the current programme or by lowering its volume and increasing the volume of the travel report. This is really useful to drivers who listen to radio while on the move, as they can stay updated with local road conditions and other travel-related news.
Using the RDS feature, a listener can also get data about forthcoming programmes from the same station. The listener can then have his or her radio functioning in an automatic switch mode between travel information and their preferred programme.
RDS-TMC is also available and this stands for Radio Data System: Traffic Message Channel. RDS-TMC transmits traffic information to FM radios and can be picked up by in-car receivers meant for the specific purpose. Some GPS devices are also designed to receive RDS-TMC.
With the development of RDS, radio listening has greatly improved, allowing listeners to hear what they want to as well as receiving vital updates.
Buy on Dealtime:
