How to get the Traffic Announcements working

Riksta · 09-02-2012, 07:40 PM

This one is driving me mental, I keep reading through all the settings and there's stuff for traffic announcements which would be really useful for me driving to and from work in peak hour.

The only thing is, I turn them on, I turn the volume on them up, I do everything right, and nada, not a thing, and bammo I'm stuck in roadworks due to a burst water main.

Almost at my wits end with the system, how do I get the flaming thing to work so I can receive these so called announcements?

REDDYZ · 09-02-2012, 08:12 PM

Do we have such special broadcast in Australia??

Riksta · 09-02-2012, 08:13 PM

I would hope so since they put the feature in our car. Knowing Ford they'd cut every cost (ie remove it from the car) if it wasn't going to be useful!

REDDYZ · 09-02-2012, 08:19 PM

Ture but not if it cost them to remove an extra feature. Especially in this case they have to use a different stereo/radio altogether.

Woeful · 09-02-2012, 08:22 PM

Sorry to say your gonna have to move to the Eastern states. Theres no broadcast here in Adelaide.

Riksta · 09-02-2012, 11:48 PM

Well that kinda sucks. Might write a letter to Ford Australia about that just to see what kind of response I get :P

Anyone know if there are plans to broadcast?

REDDYZ · 10-02-2012, 07:35 AM

Yes, in future there will be one broadcasting. Just have to wait.

Mad_Pom · 10-02-2012, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riksta

This one is driving me mental, I keep reading through all the settings and there's stuff for traffic announcements which would be really useful for me driving to and from work in peak hour.

The only thing is, I turn them on, I turn the volume on them up, I do everything right, and nada, not a thing, and bammo I'm stuck in roadworks due to a burst water main.

Almost at my wits end with the system, how do I get the flaming thing to work so I can receive these so called announcements?

The issue is not with Ford, but the Radio broadcasters. In the UK each of the radio stations broadcast RDS data - you will notice some radio stations provide you with station name and track playing. In the UK it also labels news broadcasts and traffic announcements. The key difference is though that radio stations share this data between themselves, particulary with groups of stations that have national and regional stations like the BBC. You could be listerning to national radio 1 travelling on the motor way and if you have travel switched on and a local radio station in your are is braodcasting travel info, then radio would automatically tune to the radio station for the travel news and then switch you back to Radio 1.

I think the issue in Australia is that with all of the stations being commercial, why would they want to send you to a competitors radio station in the middle of ads, which is where they get their revenue.

The radio is RDS traffic info enabled, but Australian radio stations choose not to provide the service.

NZ XR6 · 10-02-2012, 08:18 PM

No RDS in NZ either. But of course we don't have traffic problems in Auckland...

AlanD · 16-02-2012, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZ XR6

No RDS in NZ either. But of course we don't have traffic problems in Auckland...

Hi NZ,

Is that so

?

Last March we drove from Paihia (Bay of Islands for us this side of the ditch) to Rotorua when holidaying. Think it took about 6.5 hours driving time and an 1.5 hours of that was transiting Auckland. What's that in distance? 420 km of which 40 is through Auckland? So 23% of the time for 10% of the distance. But still a hell of a lot better than the Monash "freeway", Citylink, Westgate Bridge, Princes Freeway and the Western Ring Road to get across Melbourne. I simply refuse to use that after 7:00 am. There is a sort of Window after 10:00 am but almost half the day is gone by then.

Wish we had problems like Auckland has. Great country and we plan on visiting some more in the future. Mt Taranaki is a splendid sight as you round the headland onto the cost north of New Plymouth.

On the subject of RDS. Can we be sure it is enabled even. Our car was supposed to have a bluetooth facility, but it hasn't, not that I've missed it because there is one in the Tom Tom if I want it.

You were speaking in jest......

Cheers

Mackspower · 16-02-2012, 07:30 PM

It's an interesting topic . . . and let me give a quick example. My wifes G6 Falcon receives and displays: Radio Station ID (Name of Station), The current song playing title (scrolling), Other radio text like "News broadcast" (scrolling) etc. By comparison, my MC Mondeo Titanium is only capable of displaying the Radio Station ID. I'm going to dig a bit deeper into RDS. It's definitely broadcast in Sydney metro on most FM stations.

NZ XR6 · 16-02-2012, 08:36 PM

Alan, 1.5 hours is pretty good to get across Auckland during the day. Not sure what you mean by "Auckland" though - it's actually 53 km from the metropolitan boundary in the north to the south and you'd never do it in less than 45 minutes during the day.

Parts of the motorway can become very slow at times, certainly very similar to your major cities. Yes, I was speaking in jest...

Riksta · 12-03-2012, 06:19 PM

OK so here's another strange one to consider - my mate has a G6E Turbo and he reckons the other day while he was driving a traffic announcement happened in his car - and he's not the kind to make this stuff up.

Yet still the Mondeo receives nothing.

apstar · 12-03-2012, 08:42 PM

Happened to me today while driving past Wollongong the displays flashed NEWS while scanning the channels in that area

apstar

burnz · 12-03-2012, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apstar

Happened to me today while driving past Wollongong the displays flashed NEWS while scanning the channels in that area

apstar

i didn't know that the gong has RDS...
but i know the entire sydney basin has full RDS.

CSWTH1 · 26-03-2012, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mackspower

It's an interesting topic . . . and let me give a quick example. My wifes G6 Falcon receives and displays: Radio Station ID (Name of Station), The current song playing title (scrolling), Other radio text like "News broadcast" (scrolling) etc. By comparison, my MC Mondeo Titanium is only capable of displaying the Radio Station ID. I'm going to dig a bit deeper into RDS. It's definitely broadcast in Sydney metro on most FM stations.

Hi Iam in Adelaide and as I was looking at trying to get the traffic updates which have never happened, I found that on Life FM (108.7 I think) it displayed the name of the song and some interesting bits of data from that station, mine is a mondeo zetec

apstar · 26-03-2012, 12:47 PM

After dropping off family member at Sydney airport after entering M5 tunnel the radio picked up their transmission about safety in the event of a breakdown I assume they are flooding the AM & FM frequencies works quite well very clear receptition

apstar

msford · 26-03-2012, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apstar

After dropping off family member at Sydney airport after entering M5 tunnel the radio picked up their transmission about safety in the event of a breakdown I assume they are flooding the AM & FM frequencies works quite well very clear receptition

apstar

If I recall correctly, that's because you aren't picking up the radio station's signal directly. The tunnel is re-broadcasting it via their internal network (sorry, don't know exact technical description). That's why it is crystal clear and also why their safety messages come on everyone's radio (assuming they have it switched on). That's about the only good thing about the M5 'parking lot'

apstar · 26-03-2012, 11:25 PM

No I was listering to 2CH then after I entered the tunnel I got their message then my station returned! I think they use a leaky wire antenna system

apstar

from Sydney Motor ways:

Quote:

What if I am caught in traffic?
Turn on your radio - emergency broadcasts may be transmitted and will cut into your normal station.

**Mechan1k** · 26-03-2012, 11:29 PM

The Sydney tunnels flood all channels and "everyone" listening to radio get the broadcast for traffic. Have received it before in my previous AU ute and in the BF as well.

Riksta · 27-03-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSWTH1

Hi Iam in Adelaide and as I was looking at trying to get the traffic updates which have never happened, I found that on Life FM (108.7 I think) it displayed the name of the song and some interesting bits of data from that station, mine is a mondeo zetec

Its not a station I'd normally listen to (I'm normally on Cruise1323 or Mix 102.3) - but I flicked over for 10 minutes the other day and didn't get any other info other than the station name.

Also, after the service I noticed on the head unit the little logo for traffic announcements being turned on was off - so I hit the "TA" button to turn it on (because hey, you never know when you're gonna pick up an announcement!) and it flicked my unit from iPod to 102.3FM - luckily they were playing an awesome song at the time!