Abstract: A digital mobile radio transceiver allows even the most unsophisticated user to simply and easily obtain emergency communications. The transceiver is programmed with "personality" data specifying one or more "systems", each "system" specifying one or more "groups" of or individual radio transceivers. Systems are selected by operating a first selector switch, and groups are selected by operating a second selector switch. The transceiver simultaneously displays the "group" and "system" which have been selected. One or more group identification codes uniquely designate an emergency communications handler (e.g., an emergency dispatch operator). The group designated by the transceiver group selector switch position "9" of each system programmed into the radio transceiver corresponds to this emergency group identification code. Moreover, the "system" designated by system selector switch "11" has only one "group"--the emergency group identification code corresponding to the group selector position "9".