Methods and apparatus for communicating subscriber control packets in a trunked radio system

A method performed by a base station of a trunking site within a trunked radio system, the method comprising:

• transmitting a predetermined subscriber control packet over a subscriber control channel at a first transmission time that is determined based on a transmission schedule, wherein the predetermined subscriber control packet includes a frame sync, a network ID, and a first payload with information indicating that a subscriber radio should monitor the subscriber control channel or one or more alternative control channels at the trunking site for a wait time period.

A method performed by a subscriber radio that communicates over a subscriber control channel with one or more base stations of a trunking site within a trunked radio system, the method comprising:

• receiving a first subscriber control packet from the trunking site on the subscriber control channel, wherein the first subscriber control packet includes a frame sync, a network ID, and a payload field with information indicating a delay period for the subscriber radio to wait before making an attempt to register with a different trunking site;
• and
• determining how to make the attempt to register with the different trunking site based on the information indicating the delay period.