diff --git a/EDMarketConnector.py b/EDMarketConnector.py
index c711f398..30dae527 100755
--- a/EDMarketConnector.py
+++ b/EDMarketConnector.py
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class AppWindow:
             else:
                 if __debug__:	# Recording
                     with open('%s%s.%s.json' % (data['lastSystem']['name'], data['commander'].get('docked') and '.'+data['lastStarport']['name'] or '', strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H.%M.%S', localtime())), 'wt') as h:
-                        h.write(json.dumps(data, indent=2, sort_keys=True))
+                        h.write(json.dumps(data, ensure_ascii=False, indent=2, sort_keys=True).encode('utf-8'))
 
                 self.cmdr['text'] = data.get('commander') and data.get('commander').get('name') or ''
                 self.system['text'] = data.get('lastSystem') and data.get('lastSystem').get('name') or ''
diff --git a/eddn.py b/eddn.py
index 5d174d59..5733b47e 100644
--- a/eddn.py
+++ b/eddn.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from config import applongname, appversion, config
 import companion
 import outfitting
 
+### upload = 'http://localhost:8081/upload/'	# testing
 upload = 'http://eddn-gateway.elite-markets.net:8080/upload/'
 
 timeout= 10	# requests timeout
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ def send(cmdr, msg):
     msg['header'] = {
         'softwareName'    : '%s [%s]' % (applongname, platform=='darwin' and "Mac OS" or system()),
         'softwareVersion' : appversion,
-        'uploaderID'      : config.getint('anonymous') and hashlib.md5(cmdr.encode('utf-8')).hexdigest() or cmdr,
+        'uploaderID'      : config.getint('anonymous') and hashlib.md5(cmdr.encode('utf-8')).hexdigest() or cmdr.encode('utf-8'),
     }
     msg['message']['timestamp'] = time.strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ', time.gmtime(config.getint('querytime') or int(time.time())))