A vehicle radio includes a memory including normal mode memory locations and local mode memory locations. User preset buttons are each associated with a normal mode memory location, and local preset buttons are each associated with a local mode memory location. A radio controller selectively operates in local mode, wherein the radio controller scans frequencies being received and stores some of the received frequencies as local mode frequencies in the local mode memory locations of the preset memory. In local mode, the controller enables both: selection of any one of the user presets; and selection of any one of the local presets. Optionally, the local memory locations can first be filled by PTY preference, with unfilled locations filled by closest PTY or signal strength. A frequency stored in a local mode memory location can be copied to a normal mode memory location.