A spoke radio device, comprising: radio circuitry configured to engage in wireless communications, the wireless communications including establishing a link with a hub radio device using generic channel access credentials to support acquisition of specific channel access credentials from a spectrum management server; and a control circuit that executes logical instructions to configure the spoke radio device to: generate and send a detailed channel list request to the hub radio device, the detailed channel list including plural data items selected from a data item to identify the spoke radio device, a data item to specify a current location of the spoke radio device, a data item to identify information regarding an owner or operator of the spoke radio device, and a data item to identify one or more operational characteristics of the spoke radio device; process a channel list response containing the specific channel access credentials and received in response to the detailed channel list request, including selecting an available channel specified in the channel list response for use in wireless communications; generate and send a renewal request to the hub radio device to maintain valid use of the selected channel, characterised by the renewal request containing fewer data items than the detailed channel list request; wherein the logical instructions further configure the spoke radio device to process a renewal reply received from the hub radio device, the renewal reply being: an acknowledgment reply that does not contain channel availability data if the selected channel is still available for use by the spoke radio device, in which case the spoke radio device continues wireless communications using the selected channel; else a channel list response specifying new specific channel access credentials, in which case the spoke radio device makes a new channel selection. radio circuitry configured to engage in wireless communications, the wireless communications including establishing a link with a hub radio device using generic channel access credentials to support acquisition of specific channel access credentials from a spectrum management server; and a control circuit that executes logical instructions to configure the spoke radio device to: generate and send a detailed channel list request to the hub radio device, the detailed channel list including plural data items selected from a data item to identify the spoke radio device, a data item to specify a current location of the spoke radio device, a data item to identify information regarding an owner or operator of the spoke radio device, and a data item to identify one or more operational characteristics of the spoke radio device; process a channel list response containing the specific channel access credentials and received in response to the detailed channel list request, including selecting an available channel specified in the channel list response for use in wireless communications; generate and send a renewal request to the hub radio device to maintain valid use of the selected channel, characterised by the renewal request containing fewer data items than the detailed channel list request; wherein the logical instructions further configure the spoke radio device to process a renewal reply received from the hub radio device, the renewal reply being: an acknowledgment reply that does not contain channel availability data if the selected channel is still available for use by the spoke radio device, in which case the spoke radio device continues wireless communications using the selected channel; else a channel list response specifying new specific channel access credentials, in which case the spoke radio device makes a new channel selection. generate and send a detailed channel list request to the hub radio device, the detailed channel list including plural data items selected from a data item to identify the spoke radio device, a data item to specify a current location of the spoke radio device, a data item to identify information regarding an owner or operator of the spoke radio device, and a data item to identify one or more operational characteristics of the spoke radio device; process a channel list response containing the specific channel access credentials and received in response to the detailed channel list request, including selecting an available channel specified in the channel list response for use in wireless communications; generate and send a renewal request to the hub radio device to maintain valid use of the selected channel, characterised by the renewal request containing fewer data items than the detailed channel list request; wherein the logical instructions further configure the spoke radio device to process a renewal reply received from the hub radio device, the renewal reply being: an acknowledgment reply that does not contain channel availability data if the selected channel is still available for use by the spoke radio device, in which case the spoke radio device continues wireless communications using the selected channel; else a channel list response specifying new specific channel access credentials, in which case the spoke radio device makes a new channel selection. an acknowledgment reply that does not contain channel availability data if the selected channel is still available for use by the spoke radio device, in which case the spoke radio device continues wireless communications using the selected channel; else a channel list response specifying new specific channel access credentials, in which case the spoke radio device makes a new channel selection.