page_title: Radio Data System
section_title: Example RDS usage
hierarchical_section_title: Radio Data System / Example RDS usage
caption_attribution_description: Typical radio showing the RDS PS tag 104 BOMBA fmm MBEYA
context_page_description: Radio Data System is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts. RDS standardizes several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and program information.
  The standard began as a project of the European Broadcasting Union, but has since become an international standard of the International Electrotechnical Commission.
  Radio Broadcast Data System is the official name used for the U.S. version of RDS. The two standards are only slightly different.
  Both carry data at 1,187.5 bits per second on a 57 kHz subcarrier, so there are exactly 48 cycles of subcarrier during every data bit. The RBDS/RDS subcarrier was set to the third harmonic of the 19 kHz FM stereo pilot tone to minimize interference and intermodulation between the data signal, the stereo pilot and the 38 kHz DSB-SC stereo difference signal.
  The data can be sent with error correction, but using error correction is not mandatory. RDS defines many features including how private or other undefined features can be "packaged" in unused program groups.
context_section_description: The following three images illustrate how RDS can be used on an FM radio station; the latter two were taken when the radio was tuned to Nottingham radio station Trent FM.  All the images are of the display on the Sony XDR-S1 DAB/FM/MW/LW portable radio.
caption: Typical radio display showing the PS name (programme service) field.
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