diff --git a/fixhdr/LibTrace.py b/fixhdr/LibTrace.py
index 49cbda32f1c27cdc4880908f58c6fcaffdc3e91e..bfb488364873d129047e18f0deeb8d44aa174a5a 100755
--- a/fixhdr/LibTrace.py
+++ b/fixhdr/LibTrace.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class futils:
     """
 
     def __init__(self, infile):
-        self.infile = open(infile, 'rb')
+        self.infile = open(infile, 'r+b')
 
     def close(self):
         self.infile.close()
@@ -561,16 +561,19 @@ class Mseed(futils):
             SeqNum = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][0], 6)  # SeqNum
             DQual = hdrlist[0][1]  # DataQual
             Res = hdrlist[0][2]  # Reserved
-            try:
-                Stat = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][3], 5).encode()  # Stat
-                Loc = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][4], 2).encode()  # Loc
-                Chan = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][5], 3).encode()  # Chan
-                Net = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][6], 2).encode()  # Net
-            except AttributeError:
-                Stat = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][3], 5)  # Stat
-                Loc = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][4], 2)  # Loc
-                Chan = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][5], 3)  # Chan
-                Net = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][6], 2)  # Net
+
+            Stat = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][3], 5)  # Stat
+            Loc = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][4], 2)  # Loc
+            Chan = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][5], 3)  # Chan
+            Net = self.Pad(hdrlist[0][6], 2)  # Net
+            if isinstance(Stat, str):
+                Stat = Stat.encode()
+            if isinstance(Loc, str):
+                Loc = Loc.encode()
+            if isinstance(Chan, str):
+                Chan = Chan.encode()
+            if isinstance(Net, str):
+                Net = Net.encode()
 
             # time info
             # fmtstr1 = fmtorderstr + "HHBBBBH"
@@ -603,8 +606,8 @@ class Mseed(futils):
             self.infilewrite(pack_hdr)
 
             return 48
-        except Exception:
-            print("error writing fixed header")
+        except Exception as e:
+            print("error writing fixed header - {}".format(e))
             return 0
 
 #########################################################