One exemplary process records audio data by establishing communications between a recording device and a transceiver and commanding the transceiver to tune to a specified or current channel, as determined from the last time communications between the recording device and the transceiver was established. A user interface screen is displayed and if available a cache of available radio channel numbers is loaded and names presented on the user interface screen. During a start up interval the exemplary embodiment periodically queries the transceiver for a name, number, genre and currently playing artist and song for every channel available radio channel. Subsequent to the start up interval the system records the current program to a memory store in a specified file format. The system queries the transceiver for channel, artist and song information by alternating between a currently playing channel, and other available channels to update a listing of channels while monitoring changes to the currently playing channel at more frequent intervals.