Country Codes

SPB 485 (Revision 1996)
Allocation of country / area identification
codes for use in RDS (CENELEC EN 50067)

Acknowledgments
This document was compiled by Dietmar Kopitz of the EBU Technical Department at Geneva. The author is particularly grateful to Messrs. Bev Marks (Broadcast Engineer, U.K.), Hans Duckeck (Consultant, Germany), Jerry LeBow (Sage, USA), Terry Beale (Delco, USA), Om P. Khushu (ABU, Malaysia), Terry Smith (TAG, Australia), Zhang Zhijian (Ministry Radio, Film and TV, Beijing, China) and A. Zoudov (ITU, Geneva, Switzerland) for the help and advice provided in the preparation of these listings.

Note If you have any queries regarding this topic you can contact the RDS Forum Office directly.

Allocation of Country/Area identification codes for use in RDS

1. Scope

The continued development of RDS worldwide makes it necessary to allocate PI country/area identification symbols throughout the world. The PI code is used in each RDS group, always in the first block of A and B type groups; for B type groups the PI code is repeated in the third block. The RDS specification CENELEC EN 50067 gives all details of the PI code usage.

The country/area code is a HEX code symbol which occupies the first 4 bits of the PI code. Only 16 different symbols exist and are repetitively assigned to countries in such a way that broadcasts of the one country/area sharing the same symbol cannot be received in the other country/area. However, a unique identification of any country/area sharing the country/area symbol with other countries/areas is possible, if the optional Extended country code (ECC) has been implemented in addition.

2. PI code structure

The Programme identification code consists of 16 bits. Bits 1 to 4 is the country/area symbol (HEX code) as defined in Section 4. Code assignments 5 to 16 should be assigned by relevant authorities in each country or area, for example in such a way that bits 5 to 8 describe the programme type in terms of area coverage and bits 9 to 16 are a programme reference number.

Codes shall always be assigned in such a way that automatic search tuning to other transmitters radiating the same programme can locate the same Programme identification code, i.e. all 16 bits shall be identical.

3. Extended country codes

Extended country codes (ECC) may optionally be transmitted in Type 1A groups ( the last eight bits in Block 3 of Variant 0) to render the country/area identification in bits 1 to 4 of the PI code unique.

4. Allocation of country/area symbols

4.1 Allocation of symbols for countries in ITU Region 1

4.1.1 European Broadcasting Area

4.1.2 African Broadcasting Area

4.1.3 Former Soviet Union

4.2 Allocations of symbols for countries in ITU Region 2

4.2 Allocations of symbols for countries in ITU Region 3

Issue Date 27 July 1998
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