diff --git a/modem/data_frame_factory.py b/modem/data_frame_factory.py
index fe5d92f2..bb5f72d2 100644
--- a/modem/data_frame_factory.py
+++ b/modem/data_frame_factory.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class DataFrameFactory:
         self._load_broadcast_templates()
         self._load_ping_templates()
         self._load_fec_templates()
+        self._load_arq_templates()
 
     def _load_broadcast_templates(self):
         # cq frame
@@ -87,6 +88,21 @@ class DataFrameFactory:
             "mycallsign": 6
         }
 
+    def _load_arq_templates(self):
+
+        # same structure for narrow and wide types
+        arq_dc_open_ack = {
+            "frame_length": self.LENGTH_SIG0_FRAME,
+            "dxcallsign_crc": 3,
+            "mycallsign_crc": 3,
+            "mycallsign": 6,
+            "session_id": 1,
+        }
+
+        # arq connect frames
+        self.template_list[FR_TYPE.ARQ_DC_OPEN_ACK_N.value] = arq_dc_open_ack
+        self.template_list[FR_TYPE.ARQ_DC_OPEN_ACK_W.value] = arq_dc_open_ack
+
     def construct(self, frametype, content):
         frame_template = self.template_list[frametype.value]
         frame_length = frame_template["frame_length"]
@@ -121,14 +137,8 @@ class DataFrameFactory:
                 data = frame[buffer_position: buffer_position + item_length]
 
                 # Process the data based on the key
-                if key == "mycallsign":
-                    # we are overriding the tempaltes mycallsign, because it will become
-                    # the dxcallsign when receiving
-                    extracted_data["dxcallsign"] = helpers.bytes_to_callsign(data)
-                elif key == "dxcallsign":
-                    # we are overriding the tempaltes dxcallsign, because it will become
-                    # the mycallsign when receiving
-                    extracted_data["mycallsign"] = helpers.bytes_to_callsign(data)
+                if key in ["mycallsign", "dxcallsign"]:
+                    extracted_data[key] = helpers.bytes_to_callsign(data).decode()
 
                 elif key == "gridsquare":
                     extracted_data[key] = helpers.decode_grid(data)
@@ -200,6 +210,7 @@ class DataFrameFactory:
 
         }
         return self.construct(FR_TYPE.FEC_WAKEUP, payload)
+    
     def build_fec(self, mode, payload):
         mode_int = codec2.freedv_get_mode_value_by_name(mode)
         payload_per_frame = codec2.get_bytes_per_frame(mode_int) - 2
@@ -213,3 +224,21 @@ class DataFrameFactory:
         test_frame = bytearray(126)
         test_frame[:1] = bytes([FR_TYPE.TEST_FRAME.value])
         return test_frame
+
+    def build_arq_connect(self, isWideband, dxcallsign, session_id):
+        
+        payload = {
+            "dxcallsign_crc": helpers.get_crc_24(dxcallsign),
+            "mycallsign_crc": helpers.get_crc_24(self.myfullcall),
+            "mycallsign": helpers.callsign_to_bytes(self.myfullcall),
+            "session_id": session_id.to_bytes(1, 'big'),
+        }
+
+        if isWideband:
+            type = FR_TYPE.ARQ_DC_OPEN_ACK_W
+        else:
+            type = FR_TYPE.ARQ_DC_OPEN_ACK_N
+
+        return self.construct(type, payload)
+
+
diff --git a/modem/data_handler_broadcasts.py b/modem/data_handler_broadcasts.py
index e77ca44c..c77709ef 100644
--- a/modem/data_handler_broadcasts.py
+++ b/modem/data_handler_broadcasts.py
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ class BROADCAST(DATA):
         # here we add the received station to the heard stations buffer
         beacon_callsign = helpers.bytes_to_callsign(bytes(data_in[1:7]))
         self.dxgrid = bytes(helpers.decode_grid(data_in[7:11]), "UTF-8")
+
         self.event_manager.send_custom_event(
             freedata="modem-message",
             beacon="received",
diff --git a/tests/test_data_frame_factory.py b/tests/test_data_frame_factory.py
index d3cf38de..4729fefb 100755
--- a/tests/test_data_frame_factory.py
+++ b/tests/test_data_frame_factory.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ sys.path.append('modem')
 import unittest
 from config import CONFIG
 import data_frame_factory
+import helpers
 
 class TestDataFrameFactory(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -17,13 +18,25 @@ class TestDataFrameFactory(unittest.TestCase):
         beacon_frame = self.factory.build_beacon()
         beacon_data = self.factory.deconstruct(beacon_frame)
         self.assertEqual(beacon_data['mycallsign'], self.factory.myfullcall.upper())
-        self.assertEqual(beacon_data['mygridsquare'], self.factory.mygrid.upper())
+        self.assertEqual(beacon_data['gridsquare'], self.factory.mygrid.upper())
 
     def testPing(self):
         dxcall = "DJ2LS-3"
         ping_frame = self.factory.build_ping(dxcall)
         ping_data = self.factory.deconstruct(ping_frame)
         self.assertEqual(ping_data['mycallsign'], self.factory.myfullcall)
+        self.assertEqual(ping_data['dxcallsign_crc'], helpers.get_crc_24(dxcall))
+
+    def testARQConnectWide(self):
+        dxcall = "DJ2LS-4"
+        session_id = 123
+        frame = self.factory.build_arq_connect(True, dxcall, session_id)
+        frame_data = self.factory.deconstruct(frame)
+
+        self.assertEqual(frame_data['mycallsign'], self.factory.myfullcall)
+
+        frame_session_id = int.from_bytes(frame_data['session_id'], 'big')
+        self.assertEqual(frame_session_id , session_id)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()