diff --git a/lib/air_modes_preamble.cc b/lib/air_modes_preamble.cc
index 612d581..b575ff2 100644
--- a/lib/air_modes_preamble.cc
+++ b/lib/air_modes_preamble.cc
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ int air_modes_preamble::general_work(int noutput_items,
 			if(!valid_preamble) continue;
 
 			//be sure we've got enough room in the input buffer to copy out a whole packet
-			if(ninputs-i < d_check_width) {
+			if(ninputs-i < 240*d_samples_per_chip) {
 				consume_each(std::max(i-1,0));
 				if(0) std::cout << "Preamble consumed " << std::max(i-1,0) << ", returned 0 (no room)" << std::endl;
 				return 0;
diff --git a/lib/air_modes_slicer.cc b/lib/air_modes_slicer.cc
index 82e4385..1b7dbbb 100644
--- a/lib/air_modes_slicer.cc
+++ b/lib/air_modes_slicer.cc
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ void air_modes_slicer::set_rate(int channel_rate)
 	d_chip_rate = 2000000; //2Mchips per second
 	d_samples_per_chip = 2;//FIXME this is constant now channel_rate / d_chip_rate;
 	d_samples_per_symbol = d_samples_per_chip * 2;
-	d_check_width = 240 * d_samples_per_symbol; //how far you will have to look ahead
-	set_output_multiple(d_check_width); //how do you specify buffer size for sinks?
+	d_check_width = 120 * d_samples_per_symbol; //how far you will have to look ahead
+	set_output_multiple(d_check_width*2); //how do you specify buffer size for sinks?
 }
 
 //this slicer is courtesy of Lincoln Labs. supposedly it is more resistant to mode A/C FRUIT.
diff --git a/python/radio.py b/python/radio.py
index 79d9eec..08e66e2 100644
--- a/python/radio.py
+++ b/python/radio.py
@@ -80,18 +80,18 @@ class modes_radio (gr.top_block, pubsub):
     self.rx_path = air_modes.rx_path(rate, options.threshold, self._queue, options.pmf)
 
     #now subscribe to set various options via pubsub
-    self.subscribe("FREQ", self.set_freq)
-    self.subscribe("GAIN", self.set_gain)
-    self.subscribe("RATE", self.set_rate)
-    self.subscribe("RATE", self.rx_path.set_rate)
-    self.subscribe("THRESHOLD", self.rx_path.set_threshold)
-    self.subscribe("PMF", self.rx_path.set_pmf)
+    #self.subscribe("freq", self.set_freq)
+    #self.subscribe("gain", self.set_gain)
+    #self.subscribe("rate", self.set_rate)
+    #self.subscribe("rate", self.rx_path.set_rate)
+    #self.subscribe("threshold", self.rx_path.set_threshold)
+    #self.subscribe("pmf", self.rx_path.set_pmf)
 
-    self.publish("FREQ", self.get_freq)
-    self.publish("GAIN", self.get_gain)
-    self.publish("RATE", self.get_rate)
-    self.publish("THRESHOLD", self.rx_path.get_threshold)
-    self.publish("PMF", self.rx_path.get_pmf)
+    #self.publish("freq", self.get_freq)
+    #self.publish("gain", self.get_gain)
+    #self.publish("rate", self.get_rate)
+    #self.publish("threshold", self.rx_path.get_threshold)
+    #self.publish("pmf", self.rx_path.get_pmf)
 
     if use_resampler:
         self.lpfiltcoeffs = gr.firdes.low_pass(1, 5*3.2e6, 1.6e6, 300e3)