   Sync.abort = 0;
   if (Serial.available()) {
     if (sync_get_word("SYNC;") == OK) {
-      Serial.println("SYNC START");
-    } else {
-      sync_abort("SYNC; expected");
-      return;
-    }
+      Serial.println("SYNC");
+    } else return;
 
     uint8_t hours = sync_get_int();
     uint8_t minutes = sync_get_int();

int16_t sync_get_int() {
  uint8_t readpos = 0;
  uint8_t c;
  do {
    c = sync_blocking_read();
    if (c == SYNC_DELIMITER) break;

}

void sync_abort(char *msg) {
  Serial.print("ABORT:");
  Serial.println(msg);
}

int8_t sync_blocking_read() {
  int8_t c;
  millis_t startt = millis();

  do {
    c = Serial.read();
    if (millis() - startt > SYNC_SERIAL_TIMEOUT*1000) {
      sync_abort("read timed out");
      Sync.abort = 1;
      break;
    }
