In a two-way radio frequency communications system having at least one repeater, a plurality of channels, and a plurality of subscriber units, a method comprising, at a first repeater: identifying a first channel that is selected to serve as a rest channel for the system, wherein a channel that is currently serving as the rest channel for the system is monitored by subscriber units that are idle in the system; determining that the first channel selected to serve as the rest channel is hosted by the first repeater; periodically transmitting an identity of the first channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel, on the first channel and at least one of (i) on another channel hosted by the repeater and (ii) to a second repeater in the system; determining that a subscriber unit is attempting to initiate a call on the first channel, and responsively: selecting a second channel to serve as the rest channel, wherein the second channel replaces the first channel to serve as the rest channel at the start of the call; ceasing periodically transmitting the identity of the first channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel on at least the first channel; and transmitting the identity of the second channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel, on at least the first channel, such that other subscriber units not interested in the call can move to the second channel; and one of periodically during the call and at a time when the call ends, transmitting an identity of a particular channel that is currently serving as the rest channel in the system at the time of the transmitting of the identity of the particular channel. identifying a first channel that is selected to serve as a rest channel for the system, wherein a channel that is currently serving as the rest channel for the system is monitored by subscriber units that are idle in the system; determining that the first channel selected to serve as the rest channel is hosted by the first repeater; periodically transmitting an identity of the first channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel, on the first channel and at least one of (i) on another channel hosted by the repeater and (ii) to a second repeater in the system; determining that a subscriber unit is attempting to initiate a call on the first channel, and responsively: selecting a second channel to serve as the rest channel, wherein the second channel replaces the first channel to serve as the rest channel at the start of the call; ceasing periodically transmitting the identity of the first channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel on at least the first channel; and transmitting the identity of the second channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel, on at least the first channel, such that other subscriber units not interested in the call can move to the second channel; and selecting a second channel to serve as the rest channel, wherein the second channel replaces the first channel to serve as the rest channel at the start of the call; ceasing periodically transmitting the identity of the first channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel on at least the first channel; and transmitting the identity of the second channel as the channel that is currently serving as the rest channel, on at least the first channel, such that other subscriber units not interested in the call can move to the second channel; and one of periodically during the call and at a time when the call ends, transmitting an identity of a particular channel that is currently serving as the rest channel in the system at the time of the transmitting of the identity of the particular channel.