diff --git a/ppa_upload.sh b/ppa_upload.sh
index dcd19a8..854fae8 100755
--- a/ppa_upload.sh
+++ b/ppa_upload.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ rm -rf debian/arexx-robotarm-examples/
 rm -rf debian/arexx-robotarm-racsqt/
 rm -rf debian/arexx-robotarm-examples/
 rm -rf debian/arexx-robot-arm/
+rm -rf debian/arexx-robotarm-ros/
 rm debian/*.log
 rm debian/*.debhelper
 rm debian/*.substvars
diff --git a/ros/uc_arm/ArexxArmHardware.h b/ros/uc_arm/ArexxArmHardware.h
index 0103917..0c03aa6 100644
--- a/ros/uc_arm/ArexxArmHardware.h
+++ b/ros/uc_arm/ArexxArmHardware.h
@@ -20,14 +20,19 @@ class ArexxArmHardware
     { return baud_; }
 
     void init()
-    { startStopwatch1(); }
+    {
+        startStopwatch1();
+        clearReceptionBuffer();
+    }
 
     int read()
     {
-        if(0 == getBufferLength)
+        if(0 == getBufferLength())
             return -1;
 
-        return readChar();
+        const char    cc = readChar();
+        const uint8_t uc = (uint8_t)(cc);
+        return uc;
 	}
 
     void write(uint8_t* data, int length)
diff --git a/ros/uc_arm/nodes/MySerialClient.py b/ros/uc_arm/nodes/MySerialClient.py
index 3b548b5..2c8cb42 100755
--- a/ros/uc_arm/nodes/MySerialClient.py
+++ b/ros/uc_arm/nodes/MySerialClient.py
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ def __init__(self, port=None, baud=57600, timeout=5.0):
             self.port = Serial(port, baud, timeout=self.timeout*0.5)
 
         # reset the robot arm
+        rospy.loginfo("Resetting the arexx robot arm")
         self.port.setRTS(True)
         time.sleep(0.3) 
         self.port.setRTS(False)
@@ -250,6 +251,7 @@ def __init__(self, port=None, baud=57600, timeout=5.0):
     def requestTopics(self):
         """ Determine topics to subscribe/publish. """
         self.port.flushInput()
+        rospy.loginfo("requesting topics")
         # request topic sync
         self.port.write("\xff\xff\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff")