diff --git a/pywsjtx/extra/latlong_to_grid_square.py b/pywsjtx/extra/latlong_to_grid_square.py
index 8fbff8c..4cc482f 100644
--- a/pywsjtx/extra/latlong_to_grid_square.py
+++ b/pywsjtx/extra/latlong_to_grid_square.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 class GPSException(Exception):
     def __init__(self,*args):
-        Exception.__init__(*args)
+        super(GPSException, self).__init__(*args)
 
 # From K6WRU via stackexchange : see https://ham.stackexchange.com/questions/221/how-can-one-convert-from-lat-long-to-grid-square/244#244
 # Convert latitude and longitude to Maidenhead grid locators.
diff --git a/samples/dump_wsjtx_packets.py b/samples/dump_wsjtx_packets.py
index 4feb0d5..ee53a9d 100644
--- a/samples/dump_wsjtx_packets.py
+++ b/samples/dump_wsjtx_packets.py
@@ -3,7 +3,13 @@ import sys
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
 import pywsjtx.extra.simple_server
 
-s = pywsjtx.extra.simple_server.SimpleServer('127.0.0.1','2237',timeout=2.0)
+#IP_ADDRESS = '224.1.1.1'
+#PORT = 5007
+
+IP_ADDRESS = '127.0.0.1'
+PORT = 2237
+
+s = pywsjtx.extra.simple_server.SimpleServer(IP_ADDRESS, PORT, timeout=2.0)
 
 while True:
 
diff --git a/samples/grid_from_gps.py b/samples/grid_from_gps.py
index 41ebb3d..3a856fb 100644
--- a/samples/grid_from_gps.py
+++ b/samples/grid_from_gps.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class NMEALocation(object):
             else:
                 self.valid = False
 
-            if  self.grid != grid:
+            if grid != "" and self.grid != grid:
                 logging.debug("NMEALocation - grid mismatch old: {} new: {}".format(self.grid,grid))
                 self.grid = grid
                 if (self.grid_changed_callback):
@@ -93,9 +93,12 @@ class SerialGPS(object):
             # dispatch the line
             # note that bytes are used for readline, vs strings after the decode to utf-8
             if line.startswith(b'$'):
-                str_line = line.decode("utf-8")
-                for p in self.line_handlers:
-                    p(str_line)
+                try:
+                    str_line = line.decode("utf-8")
+                    for p in self.line_handlers:
+                        p(str_line)
+                except UnicodeDecodeError as ex:
+                    logging.debug("serial_worker: {} - line: {}".format(ex,[hex(c) for c in line]))
 
     @classmethod
     def example_line_handler(cls, text):
@@ -143,7 +146,7 @@ while True:
             if gps_grid != "" and the_packet.de_grid != gps_grid:
                 print("Sending Grid Change to wsjtx-x, old grid:{} new grid: {}".format(the_packet.de_grid, gps_grid))
                 grid_change_packet = pywsjtx.LocationChangePacket.Builder(wsjtx_id, "GRID:"+gps_grid)
-                print(pywsjtx.PacketUtil.hexdump(grid_change_packet))
+                logging.debug(pywsjtx.PacketUtil.hexdump(grid_change_packet))
                 s.send_packet(the_packet.addr_port, grid_change_packet)
                 # for fun, change the TX5 message to our grid square, so we don't have to call CQ again
                 # this only works if the length of the free text message is less than 13 characters.