> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.lsreality.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Radio basics

> Power on, select a permitted channel, and understand handheld, mobile, audio, and scanning behavior.

LSR Radio lets you talk and listen on the channels available to your character.
A **zone** groups channels; a **channel** is the talkgroup you select for radio traffic.
Your available zones, channels, and radio models depend on your current access.

## Get on the radio

1. Make sure you have the required handheld radio item, or access to a vehicle mobile radio.
2. Press **F5**, or enter `/lsrradio`, to open the radio face.
3. Use **PWR** to turn on the displayed unit. Allow boot, hunting, and registration to finish.
4. Open **Zone** and select a permitted zone. Selecting a zone tunes its first available channel.
5. Open **Chan** and select the channel you need. Check the displayed zone and channel before talking.
6. Hold **Left Alt** for push-to-talk. Wait for the talk-permit tone before speaking, then release to listen.

> [!NOTE]
>
> On a fresh session, the radio starts powered off. Powering it on starts untuned and disconnected from channel traffic; it does not automatically tune your last channel. Saved browsing positions are not an active selection. Choose a zone or channel yourself.

An untuned home display can show `----` and `NO TG`.
Power-on and signal bars alone do not mean you have joined a channel.
If no system or permitted channels are available to you, opening the display or pressing PTT will not grant access.
Check your character's duty, issued radio access, and required item before trying again.

## Read the display

* **HUNTING** or **REGISTERING**: the radio is finding and joining radio service.
* **AFFILIATING**: your selected channel is being joined; wait before keying up.
* **RX**: the radio is receiving traffic.
* **TX**: you have a transmit grant. Release PTT when finished.
* **BUSY** or a busy tone: release PTT and try again after the channel clears.
* **OUT OF RANGE**: move to better coverage and allow the radio to recover.
* **INHIBITED**: radio use is blocked; changing keys or volume will not remove that restriction.

Buildings, tunnels, terrain, and your location can affect coverage and voice quality.
If you cannot hear or transmit, use [Troubleshooting](https://docs.lsreality.com/troubleshooting.md).

## Handheld and vehicle mobile

Handheld and mobile radios have **separate power controls**.
The displayed face normally changes to the mobile when you enter a vehicle where mobile access is available.
Use `/radiodisplay` to switch between the available handheld and mobile faces while inside the vehicle.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Switching the display is not a power switch and does not change the active channel session. A carried, powered handheld can still receive and transmit in a vehicle with the mobile turned off, even while the mobile face looks off.

**PWR** operates the unit whose face you are viewing.
For explicit control, open `/radiosettings`, choose **Radio**, and use **Handheld** or **Mobile** under **Power**.
Turning the mobile off does not turn the handheld off, and turning the handheld off does not turn an active mobile off.
These units share the current channel selection; switching faces does not give you a second independently tuned channel.
Closing the radio interface only closes the controls; it does not power the radio off.

## Audio and personal settings

Open `/radiosettings` for the full settings panel.

* **Audio**: adjust volume, choose the radio microphone, and change the transmit animation. Legacy transmission-recording controls may also appear.
* **Radio**: edit your display name, manage scanning, choose Always Show Radio, and control each unit's power.
* **Softkeys**: assign home-screen actions. The handheld shows three slots; the mobile also shows a fourth.
* **Layout**: move or resize the radio and adjust the channel list's presentation.
* **Tapes**: browse or replay in-game tapes only when your community provides a working, enabled tape backend.

In-game tapes are disabled by default. The presence of **Record Transmissions** or **Tapes** does not guarantee capture or playable audio. These optional legacy controls are separate from [desktop local recordings](https://docs.lsreality.com/recordings.md), which you enable inside the desktop app.

The initial volume is **72 out of 100** when no saved volume overrides it.
Use `/callsign` to open the name editor; see [Controls](https://docs.lsreality.com/controls.md) for commands and key remapping.

## Scanning without changing your transmit channel

Scanning starts **off**, with **no channels included**, unless your character already has saved scan preferences.
Adding channels and enabling scanning are separate actions:

1. Open **Chan** and highlight a permitted receive channel.
2. Use **Scan+** to include it, or **Scan-** to remove it. Included rows are marked **\[S]**.
3. Turn on **Enable scanning** in settings, or press **F7**.

An assigned home-screen **Scan** softkey adds or removes the currently selected channel; it does not toggle scanning mode.
Enabling scanning with an empty list does not add channels automatically.
Scanning monitors your included, permitted channels; PTT still targets your selected channel, not whichever scanned channel you hear.
Turning scanning off keeps the list. **Reset Scan** clears this character's saved list and turns scanning off.
Scan preferences are saved locally per character. Dispatch patches can also connect traffic independently of scanning.

## After an interruption

A radio resource restart while you remain connected can restore previously powered units and the selected zone/channel if they are still available and permitted.
Mobile recovery requires the same vehicle when its identity is available; recovery is not guaranteed if the unit or access is unavailable.
An untuned radio remains untuned. Reconnecting or a full server restart does not restore powered operation: power on and select again.
Always check power, coverage, and the displayed channel after recovery before transmitting.

## Continue

Read [Emergency and messages](https://docs.lsreality.com/emergency-and-messages.md), explore [Stream Deck](https://docs.lsreality.com/stream-deck.md), or return to the [User guide](https://docs.lsreality.com/index.md).


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.