[no subject]

When I first started out as an apprentice, I was given a Power832 to take
home and get the hang of programming and see what everything does and all
that kinda stuff.  It only took half an hour or so to get it programmed and
working properly then, and it only takes 2 - 3 minutes to program one now.

The best option, however, may be to get a small local company to come by and
program everything for you.  That way you'll know it's done properly.  If
they won't do it without signing you up for monitoring you've found the
wrong company.  Plus that way you'll have someone you know to call if you
need some work done on it in the future.  I wouldn't expect to pay more than
$100 for this, probably closer to half that.

And as far as your keypad goes, it would be very easy to change to something
better.  The 5501z is the standard choice for most, but some like the added
functionality of the 5500z.  And of course there's all the other options
that Roland already mentioned.

If you do choose to program it yourself, I would recommend printing out the
programming worksheets and writing everything down first before making any
changes.  If you get stuck on anything, just ask and this group can
definitely help you get through the programming.

- Chris