Zones
Browse and search the zones programmed into the loaded codeplug.
Zones are how a radio groups its channels — by agency, by band, by function, or by mutual aid partner. This screen lists every zone in the codeplug in the order the radio holds them, with the number of channels in each, so it is the natural place to start when you know roughly where a channel lives but not its exact name. Tapping a zone opens just that zone's channels.
Overview
| Element | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Header | The screen title, Zones |
| Row label | The zone's position, then the zone name in bold |
| Row value | How many channels the zone holds, shown as 12 ch |
| Menu button | Opens the single option, Search |
| Search field | Hidden until you choose Search; filters the list as you type |
| Search button | Appears beside the field once you start typing |
| Cancel (search) | Clears the text, hides the search field, and restores the full list |
| Back | Returns to the Communications hub |
| What you should know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Order | Zones are listed in the order the codeplug holds them, which matches the radio's zone knob |
| Position number | The number in front of the name is the zone's position |
| Channel count | Read straight from the codeplug, so a zone showing 0 ch really is empty |
| Name cleanup | Stray bracket characters in a codeplug's zone names are stripped out so names read cleanly |
| Read-only | Nothing on this screen changes the radio or the codeplug |
note
Each row is the zone's position followed by its name, with the channel count after a dash — for example 3. 4 AERO - 12 ch.
Getting Here
- From the Home screen, open References.
- Select Communications.
- Choose a codeplug on the Radio Info screen to open the Communications hub.
- Tap Zones.
Searching for a Zone
The search field starts hidden on this screen, so open it from the menu first.
- Tap the menu button in the top corner.
- Tap Search. The field appears and the keyboard opens.
- Type part of the zone name.
- The list filters as you type.
- Matching ignores capitals and matches anywhere in the name.
- Clear the field, or tap Cancel, to restore the full list.
- Tapping Search in the menu again while the field is open closes it and clears your text.
tip
Search on the words a crew would actually say — "aero", "mutual", "tac", a district name. The number shown in front of each zone is its position on the radio and is not what the search looks at, so typing a number is unreliable; scroll to it instead.
Opening a Zone's Channels
- Tap the zone you want.
- The channel list opens, titled with the zone's name.
- Only that zone's channels are listed, each with its position, name, type, and either a talkgroup number or a receive frequency.
- Tap any channel to open its full details.
info
The channel list you land on has its search field already open, so you can filter inside a large zone straight away.
Choosing Between Zones and Channels
| Your situation | Use |
|---|---|
| "It's somewhere in the mutual aid zone" | Zones, then browse that zone |
| "I need channel TAC 3, wherever it is" | Channels on the hub, which lists every channel name once |
| "How many channels are in this zone?" | Zones — the count is on the row |
| "Which zones is this channel in?" | Channels, then expand the channel |
Loading, Empty, and Error States
| State | What you see |
|---|---|
| Loading | A loading indicator while the zone list is fetched or read |
| No zones | An empty list — the codeplug holds no zones |
| Search with no matches | An empty list until you clear the search |
| Request failed | An alert with the message returned by the server |
| Codeplug not downloaded, no connection | "This codeplug isn't available offline." |
Working a Large Codeplug
Some codeplugs hold a hundred zones or more, so a little method saves scrolling.
- Search by the word a crew uses, not the formal name — "aero", "tac", "fire", a district or city name.
- Read the channel count before you open a zone. A zone with two channels is rarely the one you want when you are looking for a busy operational zone.
- Use the unique channel list instead when you know the channel name — it searches the whole codeplug at once.
- Note the zone position once you find it. That number is what you turn to on the radio, and it saves repeating the search.
| What the row tells you | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Position number | The count you dial on the radio |
| Zone name | What the radio displays, and what people say on the air |
| Channel count | How much is inside, and whether the zone is worth opening |
What This Screen Does Not Do
| You might expect | Reality |
|---|---|
| Channel names on the zone row | Only the count is shown; open the zone for its channels |
| Sorting or reordering | Zones keep the codeplug's own order |
| Filtering by channel count or type | None; search matches the zone name |
| Any editing | Read-only, like the rest of Communications |
| Favorites or recents | None; search or scroll each time |
| A total channel count for the codeplug | That is on the codeplug's card on Radio Info |
note
Zone order and zone numbering come straight from the codeplug, so they match the radio the codeplug was built for. A different radio type will have its own zone layout even within the same agency.
How This Connects
- Where zones come from. Zones belong to the codeplug you opened on Radio Info. With a connection the zone list is fetched for that codeplug when the screen opens; with no connection it is read from the downloaded copy on your device, in the same order.
- Zones lead to channels. Tapping a zone opens the per-zone list described in Channels, and from there a channel's full programming in Zone & Channel Details.
- The same channel can be in several zones. Codeplugs often repeat a channel across zones. The zone route shows you one copy at a time; the unique channel list on Channels shows every zone a name appears in.
- Zone numbers are operational. The position in front of each name is what someone means when they say "zone three", and it appears again as Zone in a channel's details, written as the zone number and name together.
- Used with incidents. When an incident's comms plan names a zone and channel, this screen is where you confirm the zone exists on the radio you are carrying — see Incident Comms Tab.
- Offline and reconnect. Zones read fully offline for any downloaded codeplug. When the connection returns, go back to the hub and reopen Zones to pick up the current version.
Troubleshooting
| If this happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| Typing a zone number finds nothing | Search matches the zone name, not the position number. Search by name or scroll to it. |
| The zone list is empty | The codeplug holds no zones, or a search is still filtering. Tap Cancel on the search first. |
A zone shows 0 ch | That zone genuinely has no channels in this codeplug. |
| A zone name looks truncated or odd | Codeplug names are trimmed of stray bracket characters. Open the zone to confirm it is the one you want. |
| You cannot find the search field | It starts hidden. Tap the menu button and choose Search. |
| The list will not go back to showing everything | Tap Cancel beside the search field, or choose Search from the menu again to clear it. |
| "This codeplug isn't available offline." | Open this codeplug once while connected so it downloads, then it can be read offline. |
| The zone order does not match the radio | Check the header on the hub — you may be reading a different codeplug than the radio you are holding. |
Related Pages
⬅️ Previous: Channels | Next: Zone & Channel Details ➡️