diff --git a/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py b/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py
index f2a2f3bcf5d08dfa62ea02c781cba037288ec6eb..0afe29c58703cc3869e23c4cb5962c65e58b3deb 100644
--- a/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py
+++ b/geomagio/edge/RawInputClient.py
@@ -133,10 +133,10 @@ class RawInputClient():
         the correct length.  We only expect observatory to ever be of an
         incorrect length.
         """
-        return str.encode(network +
+        return str(network +
                 observatory.ljust(5) +
                 channel +
-                location)
+                location).encode()
 
     def forceout(self):
         """ force edge to recognize data