Hi amgen,

I had the time to really examine and modify the sample programs on MEL's site. There are some gems in there well worth learning from. Here is a program worth looking at:
http://www.melabs.com/resources/samples.htm#18Fpbp the program serA452.bas
If you look at it you will find this does exactly what your were talking about. It works like a dream. With simple documented changes it can have a buffer up to 127 characters. Even the ASM is easy to follow.

Worth spending a bit of time on it.

Bob