diff --git a/__init__.py b/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..bcafc15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+export FLASK_APP=hr50api.py
+flask run --host=0.0.0.0
diff --git a/hr50api.py b/hr50api.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b84c2fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hr50api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+from flask import Flask, jsonify, request
+import sys
+import getopt
+import time
+import serial
+
+app = Flask(__name__)
+
+serial_port = '/dev/ttyUSB0'
+baud = 19200
+
+bands = {
+        '6': '0',
+        '10': '1',
+        '12': '2',
+        '15': '3',
+        '17': '4',
+        '20': '5',
+        '30': '6',
+        '40': '7',
+        '60': '8',
+        '80': '9',
+        '160': '10'
+        }
+
+vlcd = {
+        'STA': '-',
+        'PTT': '-',
+        'BND': '-',
+        'VLT': '-',
+        'PEP': '-',
+        'AVG': '-',
+        'SWR': '-',
+        'TMP': '-'
+        }
+
+keying_methods = {
+        "off" : "0",
+        "ptt" : "1",
+        "cor" : "2",
+        "qrp" : "3"
+        }
+
+def get_serial(port, baud):
+    try:
+        ser = serial.Serial(port, baud, timeout=2)
+        return ser
+    except serial.serialutil.SerialException as e:
+        print("The following error has occured while opening the serial connecti                                                                                                                                                             on to {} with {} baud:".format(port, baud))
+        print(e)
+        sys.exit(2)
+
+# sends a command and an optional parameter to the
+# Hardrock-50 via the serial interface
+def send_command(cmd, param):
+    ser = get_serial(serial_port, baud)
+    res = None
+    try:
+        command = cmd + param + ';'
+        ser.write(str.encode(command))
+        res = ser.readline().decode("utf-8").rstrip()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print("The following error has occured while sending the command {} to t                                                                                                                                                             he HR50:".format(port, baud))
+        print(e)
+    ser.close()
+    return res
+
+# Executed two commands vie the serial interface,
+# parsed the result ad polulates a dict with the
+# collected information
+def get_info():
+    ser = get_serial(serial_port, baud)
+    try:
+        ser.write(b'HRRX;')
+        time.sleep(0.5)
+        res = ser.readline().decode("utf-8").rstrip().replace(';', '').split(',')
+    except Exception as e:
+        print("The following error has occured while sending the command {} to the HR50:".format(port, baud))
+        print(e)
+        ser.close()
+        return None
+    if res and len(res) > 3:
+        vlcd['STA'] = res[0]
+        vlcd['PTT'] = res[1]
+        vlcd['BND'] = res[2]
+        vlcd['TMP'] = res[3]
+        vlcd['VLT'] = res[4]
+        ser.write(b'HRMX;')
+        time.sleep(0.5)
+        res = ser.readline().decode("utf-8").rstrip().split()
+        ser.close()
+        vlcd['PEP'] = res[1][1:]
+        vlcd['AVG'] = res[2][1:]
+        if  res[3][1:] != "0":
+            vlcd['SWR'] = res[3][1:2] + "." + res[3][2:3]
+    else:
+        vlcd['PTT'] = "ERR"
+
+
+@app.route('/status')
+def get_status():
+    get_info() 
+    return jsonify(vlcd)
+
+
+@app.route('/tune', methods=['POST'])
+def set_tune():
+    return '', 204
+