public bool sendMessage(CanPacket cm)
 {
     if (serial_conn.IsOpen)
     {
         byte[] b = new byte[PACKET_LENGTH];
         b[0] = UART_START_BYTE;
         Array.Copy(cm.getBytes(), 0, b, 1, PACKET_LENGTH-2);
         b[PACKET_LENGTH-1] = UART_END_BYTE;
         serial_conn.Write(b, 0, PACKET_LENGTH);
         return true;
     }
     return false;
 }