diff --git a/locationdata.py b/locationdata.py
index 3b521f2..ed9df2e 100644
--- a/locationdata.py
+++ b/locationdata.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import maidenhead as mh # pip install maidenhead
 import requests # pip install requests
 import bs4 as bs # pip install beautifulsoup4
 
+URL_TIMEOUT = 10 # wait time for URL requests
+
 def where_am_i(lat=0, lon=0):
     whereIam = ""
     if float(lat) == 0 and float(lon) == 0:
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ def get_tide(lat=0, lon=0):
     if float(lat) == 0 and float(lon) == 0:
         return "no location data: does your device have GPS?"
     station_lookup_url = "https://api.tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/mdapi/prod/webapi/tidepredstations.json?lat=" + str(lat) + "&lon=" + str(lon) + "&radius=50"
-    station_data = requests.get(station_lookup_url, timeout=10)
+    station_data = requests.get(station_lookup_url, timeout=URL_TIMEOUT)
     if(station_data.ok):
         station_json = station_data.json()
         #get first station id in 50 mile radius
@@ -35,8 +37,8 @@ def get_tide(lat=0, lon=0):
     else:
         return "error fetching station data"
 
-    station_url="https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id="+station_id
-    station_data = requests.get(station_url, timeout=10)
+    station_url = "https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=" + station_id
+    station_data = requests.get(station_url, URL_TIMEOUT=10)
     if(station_data.ok):
         #extract table class="table table-condensed"
         soup = bs.BeautifulSoup(station_data.text, 'html.parser')
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ def get_weather(lat=0, lon=0):
     if float(lat) == 0 and float(lon) == 0:
         return "no location data: does your device have GPS?"
     weather_url = "https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?FcstType=text&lat=" + str(lat) + "&lon=" + str(lon)
-    weather_data = requests.get(weather_url, timeout=10)
+    weather_data = requests.get(weather_url, URL_TIMEOUT=10)
     if(weather_data.ok):
         soup = bs.BeautifulSoup(weather_data.text, 'html.parser')
         table = soup.find('div', id="detailed-forecast-body")
diff --git a/mesh-bot.py b/mesh-bot.py
index 8ba92fa..9c0e85f 100755
--- a/mesh-bot.py
+++ b/mesh-bot.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ except Exception as e:
     print(f"System: Critical Error script abort. {e}")
     exit()
 
-def auto_response(message,snr,rssi,hop,message_from_id):
+def auto_response(message, snr, rssi, hop, message_from_id):
     #Auto response to messages
     if "ping" in message.lower():
         #Check if the user added @foo to the message
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ def get_node_location(number):
         print (f"{log_timestamp()} System: No nodes found")
         return position
         
-def send_message(message,ch,nodeid):
+def send_message(message, ch, nodeid):
     #if message over 160 characters, split it into multiple messages
     if len(message) > 160:
         #message_list = [message[i:i+160] for i in range(0, len(message), 160)]
diff --git a/pong-bot.py b/pong-bot.py
index d4c1faa..4dbc672 100755
--- a/pong-bot.py
+++ b/pong-bot.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ except Exception as e:
     print(f"System: Critical Error script abort. {e}")
     exit()
 
-def auto_response(message,snr,rssi,hop):
+def auto_response(message, snr, rssi, hop):
     #Auto response to messages
     if "ping" in message.lower():
         #Check if the user added @foo to the message
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def get_node_list():
         node_list.append("Nothing heard")
         return node_list
         
-def send_message(message,ch,nodeid):
+def send_message(message, ch, nodeid):
     if nodeid == 0:
         #Send to channel
         interface.sendText(text=message,channelIndex=ch)
diff --git a/solarconditions.py b/solarconditions.py
index 0cb53ac..a521f30 100644
--- a/solarconditions.py
+++ b/solarconditions.py
@@ -8,12 +8,15 @@ from datetime import datetime
 import ephem # pip install pyephem
 from datetime import timedelta
 
+# default location for solar conditions if none is provided
 LATITUDE = 48.50
 LONGITUDE = -123.0
 
+URL_TIMEOUT = 10 # wait time for URL requests
+
 def hf_band_conditions():
     hf_cond = ""
-    band_cond = requests.get("https://www.hamqsl.com/solarxml.php", timeout=5)
+    band_cond = requests.get("https://www.hamqsl.com/solarxml.php", timeout=URL_TIMEOUT)
     if(band_cond.ok):
         solarxml = xml.dom.minidom.parseString(band_cond.text)
         for i in solarxml.getElementsByTagName("band"):
@@ -26,7 +29,7 @@ def hf_band_conditions():
 def solar_conditions():
     solar_cond = ""
     # get the solar conditions from the xml at "https://www.hamqsl.com/solarxml.php"
-    solar_cond = requests.get("https://www.hamqsl.com/solarxml.php", timeout=5)
+    solar_cond = requests.get("https://www.hamqsl.com/solarxml.php", timeout=URL_TIMEOUT)
     if(solar_cond.ok):
         solar_xml = xml.dom.minidom.parseString(solar_cond.text)
         for i in solar_xml.getElementsByTagName("solardata"):
@@ -43,7 +46,7 @@ def solar_conditions():
 
 def drap_xray_conditions():
     drap_cond = ""
-    drap_cond = requests.get("https://services.swpc.noaa.gov/text/drap_global_frequencies.txt", timeout=5)
+    drap_cond = requests.get("https://services.swpc.noaa.gov/text/drap_global_frequencies.txt", timeout=URL_TIMEOUT)
     if(drap_cond.ok):
         drap_list = drap_cond.text.split('\n')
         x_filter = '#  X-RAY Message :'