diff --git a/meshtastic/remote_hardware.py b/meshtastic/remote_hardware.py
index 877b641..18d8a2b 100644
--- a/meshtastic/remote_hardware.py
+++ b/meshtastic/remote_hardware.py
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@
 from . import portnums_pb2, remote_hardware_pb2
 from pubsub import pub
 
+
 def onGPIOreceive(packet, interface):
     """Callback for received GPIO responses
-    
+
     FIXME figure out how to do closures with methods in python"""
     pb = remote_hardware_pb2.HardwareMessage()
     pb.ParseFromString(packet["decoded"]["data"]["payload"])
     print(f"Received RemoteHardware typ={pb.typ}, gpio_value={pb.gpio_value}")
 
+
 class RemoteHardwareClient:
     """
     This is the client code to control/monitor simple hardware built into the 
@@ -24,8 +26,17 @@ class RemoteHardwareClient:
         iface is the already open MeshInterface instance
         """
         self.iface = iface
+        ch = iface.localNode.getChannelByName("gpio")
+        if not ch:
+            raise Exception(
+                "No gpio channel found, please create before using this (secured) service")
+        self.channelIndex = ch.index
 
-        pub.subscribe(onGPIOreceive, "meshtastic.receive.data.REMOTE_HARDWARE_APP")
+        pub.subscribe(
+            onGPIOreceive, "meshtastic.receive.data.REMOTE_HARDWARE_APP")
+
+    def _sendHardware(self, nodeid, r):
+        return self.iface.sendData(r, nodeid, portnums_pb2.REMOTE_HARDWARE_APP, wantAck=True, channelIndex=self.channelIndex)
 
     def writeGPIOs(self, nodeid, mask, vals):
         """
@@ -36,18 +47,18 @@ class RemoteHardwareClient:
         r.typ = remote_hardware_pb2.HardwareMessage.Type.WRITE_GPIOS
         r.gpio_mask = mask
         r.gpio_value = vals
-        return self.iface.sendData(r, nodeid, portnums_pb2.REMOTE_HARDWARE_APP, wantAck = True)
+        return self._sendHardware(nodeid, r)
 
     def readGPIOs(self, nodeid, mask):
         """Read the specified bits from GPIO inputs on the device"""
         r = remote_hardware_pb2.HardwareMessage()
         r.typ = remote_hardware_pb2.HardwareMessage.Type.READ_GPIOS
         r.gpio_mask = mask
-        return self.iface.sendData(r, nodeid, portnums_pb2.REMOTE_HARDWARE_APP, wantAck = True)
+        return self._sendHardware(nodeid, r)
 
     def watchGPIOs(self, nodeid, mask):
         """Watch the specified bits from GPIO inputs on the device for changes"""
         r = remote_hardware_pb2.HardwareMessage()
         r.typ = remote_hardware_pb2.HardwareMessage.Type.WATCH_GPIOS
         r.gpio_mask = mask
-        return self.iface.sendData(r, nodeid, portnums_pb2.REMOTE_HARDWARE_APP, wantAck = True)        
+        return self._sendHardware(nodeid, r)