diff --git a/site_ansto/counterdriv.c b/site_ansto/counterdriv.c
index eedfed9c..59effb81 100644
--- a/site_ansto/counterdriv.c
+++ b/site_ansto/counterdriv.c
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
 #include <countdriv.h>
 #include "anstoutil.h"
 
+#define FAILURE 0
+#define SUCCESS 1
+
 /*@-incondefs@*/
 /*@observer@*//*@dependent@*/  Tcl_Interp *InterpGetTcl(SicsInterp *pSics);
 /*@observer@*//*@dependent@*/ pCounterDriver CreateCounterDriver(char *name, char *type);
@@ -61,10 +64,74 @@ typedef struct __COUNTDRIV {
 
 typedef struct {
   prs232 controller;
+  int state;
+  int errorCode;
   char *host;
   int iPort;
   float dummy_threshold;
-} BeamMon;
+  struct { int length; char body[8192]; } buffer;
+} BeamMon, *pBeamMon;
+
+/** \brief Writes a line to the Monitor
+ * used for sending commands.
+ *
+ * \param *cntrData provides access to a monitor's data
+ * \param *text pointer to NULL terminated text to send.
+ * \return
+ * - SUCCESS
+ * - FAILURE
+ */
+static int MonWrite(pBeamMon self, char* text) {
+  int len;
+  int status;
+
+  len = strlen(text);
+
+  /*@+matchanyintegral@ let size_t from strlen match int */
+  status = writeRS232(self->controller, text, len);
+  /*@-matchanyintegral@*/
+  if (status != 1) {
+    self->errorCode = status;
+    return FAILURE;
+  }
+  return SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static int MonHandleInput(pBeamMon self, int timeout) {
+  int iRet, len;
+  int iLen = 0;
+  int jLen = 0;
+  char reply[1024];
+  char* pTerm;
+  while (availableRS232(self->controller)) {
+    len = sizeof(reply);
+    iRet = readRS232(self->controller, reply, &len);
+    if (iRet < 0) {
+      return iRet;
+    }
+    iLen = 0;
+    while (iLen < len) {
+      char* pTerm = strstr(&reply[iLen], "\r\n");
+      if (pTerm)
+        jLen = &pTerm[2] - &reply[iLen];
+      else
+        jLen = len - iLen;
+      strncpy(&self->buffer.body[self->buffer.length],
+          &reply[iLen],
+          jLen);
+      self->buffer.length += jLen;
+      self->buffer.body[self->buffer.length] = '\0';
+      iLen += jLen;
+      if (pTerm)
+      {
+        /* TODO handle the line */
+        fputs(self->buffer.body, stderr);
+        self->buffer.length = 0;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return 1;
+}
 
 /** \brief Returns the counter status,
  * implements the GetStatus method in the MotorDriver interface.
@@ -82,7 +149,20 @@ static int MonGetStatus(CounterDriver *cntrData, float *fControl) {
   BeamMon *self = NULL;
 
   self = (BeamMon *) cntrData->pData;
-  return HWIdle;
+  MonHandleInput(self, 0);
+  switch (self->state) {
+    case HWIdle:
+      return HWIdle;
+    case HWNoBeam:
+      return HWNoBeam;
+    case HWPause:
+      return HWPause;
+    case HWBusy:
+      return HWBusy;
+    case HWFault:
+    default:
+      return HWFault;
+  }     
 }   
 
 /** \brief Starts counting in the current mode and with the current preset
@@ -211,7 +291,13 @@ static int MonSend(CounterDriver *cntrData, char *pText, char *pReply, int iRepl
   return SUCCESS;
 }
 
-static void KillMon(pCounterDriver self) {
+static void KillMon(pCounterDriver cntrData) {
+  pBeamMon self = NULL;
+  self = (pBeamMon) cntrData->pData;
+  if (self) {
+    if (self->host)
+      free(self->host);
+  }
 }
 
 /*@only@*/ prs232 createRS232(char *host, int iPort);
@@ -237,7 +323,7 @@ static void KillMon(pCounterDriver self) {
   if ( initRS232(controller) != 1) {
     snprintf(pError, ERRLEN,
         "ERROR: failed to connect to %s at port %d",
-        controller->pHost, controller->iPort);
+        host, port);
     SCWrite(pCon,pError,eError);
     KillRS232(controller);
     return NULL;
@@ -252,8 +338,6 @@ static void KillMon(pCounterDriver self) {
   BeamMon *newCtr = NULL;
   pCounterDriver pCntDriv = NULL;
   char *pPtr = NULL;
-  char buffer[132];
-  int port;
   Tcl_Interp *interp;
 
   interp = InterpGetTcl(pServ->pSics);
@@ -286,6 +370,10 @@ static void KillMon(pCounterDriver self) {
   pCntDriv->Get = MonGet;
 
   pCntDriv->iNoOfMonitors = 1;
+
+  memset(newCtr, 0, sizeof(BeamMon));
+  newCtr->state = HWIdle;
+
   /*@-mustfreeonly@ pData = NULL after CreateCounterDriver is called */
   pCntDriv->pData = newCtr;
   /*@+mustfreeonly@*/
@@ -295,13 +383,13 @@ static void KillMon(pCounterDriver self) {
     KillMon(pCntDriv);
     return NULL;
   }
-  sscanf(pPtr,"%d",&port);
+  sscanf(pPtr,"%d", &newCtr->iPort);
   if ((pPtr=getParam(pCon, interp, params,"host",1)) == NULL) {
     KillMon(pCntDriv);
     return NULL;
   }
-  strncpy(buffer,pPtr, 131);
-  newCtr->controller = MonConnect(pCon, buffer, port);
+  newCtr->host = strdup(pPtr);
+  newCtr->controller = MonConnect(pCon, newCtr->host, newCtr->iPort);
 
   newCtr->dummy_threshold = 1.7e6;
   return pCntDriv;