Batboard

with programming the 2 x 14 lines

are you able to program the zone on line 1 and the channel name on line 2?

or how is it setup in RSS?

The bottom part of the display is only setup for the soft-key options (RSS programable!), while the top part can be setup differently. In display options there are options for setting the "zone" characters, and the actual text length. A 1 by 13 or 2 by 12 and 3 by 11 and 4 by 10.

Z1LAPD TALKRND
^ ^
2 By 12 Configuration

ZONE1LAPD TALK
^ ^
5 By 9 Configuration

Back up your codeplug, becuase the RSS messes with the text if you start changing the display options after you name each channel. I started in the 2 by 12 mode, then tried the 5 by 9 mode, when going back to the 2 by 12, the text on all memory channels were "chopped" off by 3 characters - all memory channels will need to have the names re-done if your code plug isn't backed up.

Of all the radios I own, my Astros are by far my favorite radios:
VX-7R
VX-5R
VX-1R
FT-90
Syntor X9000
Vertex 3000
AStro UHF
Astro VHF
Saber 1 UHF

Starting to really like that VX-7R tho

As a side note, those who used LAB 3.04 reported that you can change the justication to either left or right for the display. In normal RSS it shows up, but you cannot change the justifaction from left to right.

Hrmm, thats very interesting - did not know that can be done with lab. I like the zone info on the left side (default), but I'm sure there are certain instances where left or right justification would be warrented.

From what I understand, zone is always on the left, but if you want some space between the zone and channel information, that would do it nicely. For instance:

Left Just
Z1POLICE ONE
12345678901234

Right Just
Z1 POLICE ONE
12345678901234

Mainly it just saves you from trying to figure out how many spaces you need to insert without having to type everything over again in the label fields in RSS

does it have to display the zone or can it all be description

You can have fourteen character channel names. I would advise against it because you can get lost real fast. I get lost with my one letter zone and thirteen character channel name setup. For example "ADMND HD 688" means zone A, Diamond Head 146.880 repeater. Or "AOCDA W146.550" means zone A Oahu Civil Defense Agency West 146.550. One of the civil defense simplex plan frequencies. Not sure how many channels you have. I basically setup the repaeaters in Hawaii and put in all the 2 meter repeater pairs in 15 khz steps. Also, I have lots of receive only channels like fire, weather, etc.. But yes, you can have all description.

well I plan on

WSPatrol F-1
WSPatrol F-2

and so on, I know what banks are what as far as channels but i figure all told I will have a total of 10 zones

first 7 zones are recieve only anyway. I love high end scanners

What I did for some of my zones on both radios was to set them up per town...

I have 3 char zone and 11 for the channel (to match the systems 9000 head)... So...

I have ENF for the fire department so without spaces you see..

ENFIELD FIRE 1
ENFIELD FIRE 2
ENFIELD PD 1
etc etc

Other than my town, the channels start with the first three letters of the town. For all the other zones that have misc channels, I will just put two letters in, and leave the thrid blank to create a space.

I prefer to program my zones for ONE or NO characters, and the channels for 13 or 14.

This still allows you to indicate the zone in the channel itself, and aso allows you to use all 14 characters for a relatively complex
channel name if needed. As in "A147.735 WA1AZ" as the
name of the channel alone. The A in front tells me it's in the
first zone.

Elroy