diff --git a/enocean/protocol/eep.py b/enocean/protocol/eep.py
index 86b01e8..9edde0b 100644
--- a/enocean/protocol/eep.py
+++ b/enocean/protocol/eep.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
 import logging
 
+import enocean.utils
+
 logger = logging.getLogger('enocean.protocol.eep')
 
 path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
@@ -20,10 +22,6 @@ def __init__(self):
             logger.warn('Cannot load protocol file!')
             pass
 
-    def _get_hex(self, nmb):
-        ''' Get hex-representation of number '''
-        return '0x%02X' % (nmb)
-
     def _get_raw(self, source, bitarray):
         ''' Get raw data as integer, based on offset and size '''
         offset = int(source['offset'])
@@ -125,17 +123,17 @@ def find_profile(self, rorg, func, type, direction=None):
             logger.warn('EEP.xml not loaded!')
             return None
 
-        rorg = self.soup.find('telegram', {'rorg': self._get_hex(rorg)})
+        rorg = self.soup.find('telegram', {'rorg': '0x%s' % enocean.utils._to_hex_string(rorg)})
         if not rorg:
             logger.warn('Cannot find rorg in EEP!')
             return None
 
-        func = rorg.find('profiles', {'func': self._get_hex(func)})
+        func = rorg.find('profiles', {'func': '0x%s' % enocean.utils._to_hex_string(func)})
         if not func:
             logger.warn('Cannot find func in EEP!')
             return None
 
-        profile = func.find('profile', {'type': self._get_hex(type)})
+        profile = func.find('profile', {'type': '0x%s' % enocean.utils._to_hex_string(type)})
         if not profile:
             logger.warn('Cannot find type in EEP!')
             return None
diff --git a/enocean/protocol/packet.py b/enocean/protocol/packet.py
index e3b963a..e0c2bc6 100644
--- a/enocean/protocol/packet.py
+++ b/enocean/protocol/packet.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function, unicode_literals, division
 import logging
 
+import enocean.utils
 from enocean.protocol import crc8
 from enocean.protocol.eep import EEP
 from enocean.protocol.constants import PACKET, RORG, PARSE_RESULT, DB0, DB2, DB3
@@ -45,45 +46,20 @@ def __unicode__(self):
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return self.type == other.type and self.rorg == other.rorg and self.data == other.data and self.optional == other.optional
 
-    def _get_bit(self, byte, bit):
-        ''' Get bit value from byte '''
-        return (byte >> bit) & 0x01
-
-    def _combine_hex(self, data):
-        ''' Combine list of integer values to one big integer '''
-        output = 0x00
-        for i, d in enumerate(reversed(data)):
-            output |= (d << i * 8)
-        return output
-
-    def _to_bitarray(self, data, width=8):
-        ''' Convert data (list of integers, bytearray or integer) to bitarray '''
-        if isinstance(data, list) or isinstance(data, bytearray):
-            data = self._combine_hex(data)
-        return [True if digit == '1' else False for digit in bin(data)[2:].zfill(width)]
-
-    def _from_bitarray(self, data):
-        ''' Convert bit array back to integer '''
-        return int(''.join(['1' if x else '0' for x in data]), 2)
-
-    def _to_hex_string(self, data):
-        ''' Convert list of integers to a hex string, separated by ":" '''
-        return ':'.join([('%02X' % o) for o in data])
-
     def _data_to_bitdata(self):
         ''' Updates the bit_data member based on data member.'''
         if self.rorg == RORG.RPS or self.rorg == RORG.BS1:
-            self.bit_data = self._to_bitarray(self.data[1], 8)
+            self.bit_data = enocean.utils._to_bitarray(self.data[1], 8)
         if self.rorg == RORG.BS4:
-            self.bit_data = self._to_bitarray(self.data[1:5], 32)
+            self.bit_data = enocean.utils._to_bitarray(self.data[1:5], 32)
 
     def _bitdata_to_data(self):
         ''' Updates the data member based on bit_data member.'''
         if self.rorg in [RORG.RPS, RORG.BS1]:
-            self.data[1] = self._from_bitarray(self.bit_data)
+            self.data[1] = enocean.utils._from_bitarray(self.bit_data)
         if self.rorg == RORG.BS4:
             for byte in range(4):
-                self.data[byte+1] = self._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[byte*8:(byte+1)*8])
+                self.data[byte+1] = enocean.utils._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[byte*8:(byte+1)*8])
 
     @staticmethod
     def parse_msg(buf):
@@ -101,7 +77,7 @@ def parse_msg(buf):
 
         # Valid buffer starts from 0x55
         # Convert to list, as index -method isn't defined for bytearray
-        buf = buf[list(buf).index(0x55):]
+        buf = [ord(x) if not isinstance(x, int) else x for x in buf[list(buf).index(0x55):]]
         try:
             data_len = (buf[1] << 8) | buf[2]
             opt_len = buf[3]
@@ -211,11 +187,11 @@ def parse(self):
             self.status = self.data[-1]
         if self.rorg == RORG.VLD:
             self.status = self.optional[-1]
-        self.bit_status = self._to_bitarray(self.status)
+        self.bit_status = enocean.utils._to_bitarray(self.status)
 
         if self.rorg in [RORG.RPS, RORG.BS1, RORG.BS4]:
             # These message types should have repeater count in the last for bits of status.
-            self.repeater_count = self._from_bitarray(self.bit_status[4:])
+            self.repeater_count = enocean.utils._from_bitarray(self.bit_status[4:])
         return self.parsed
 
     def select_eep(self, func, type, direction=None):
@@ -242,7 +218,7 @@ def set_eep(self, data):
         self._data_to_bitdata()
         # data is a dict with EEP description keys
         self.bit_data, self.bit_status = self.eep.set_values(self._profile, self.bit_data, self.bit_status, data)
-        self.status = self._from_bitarray(self.bit_status)
+        self.status = enocean.utils._from_bitarray(self.bit_status)
         # update data based on bit_data
         self._bitdata_to_data()
 
@@ -258,11 +234,9 @@ def build(self):
 
 
 class RadioPacket(Packet):
-    destination = 0
-    destination_hex = ''
+    destination = [0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF]
     dBm = 0
-    sender = 0
-    sender_hex = ''
+    sender = [0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF]
     learn = True
     contains_eep = False
 
@@ -277,12 +251,26 @@ def create(rorg, func, type, direction=None,
                learn=False, **kwargs):
         return Packet.create(PACKET.RADIO, rorg, func, type, direction, destination, sender, learn, **kwargs)
 
+    @property
+    def sender_int(self):
+        return enocean.utils._combine_hex(self.sender)
+
+    @property
+    def sender_hex(self):
+        return enocean.utils._to_hex_string(self.sender)
+
+    @property
+    def destination_int(self):
+        return enocean.utils._combine_hex(self.destination)
+
+    @property
+    def destination_hex(self):
+        return enocean.utils._to_hex_string(self.destination)
+
     def parse(self):
-        self.destination = self._combine_hex(self.optional[1:5])
-        self.destination_hex = self._to_hex_string(self.optional[1:5])
+        self.destination = self.optional[1:5]
         self.dBm = -self.optional[5]
-        self.sender = self._combine_hex(self.data[-5:-1])
-        self.sender_hex = self._to_hex_string(self.data[-5:-1])
+        self.sender = self.data[-5:-1]
         # Default to learn == True, as some devices don't have a learn button
         self.learn = True
 
@@ -298,9 +286,9 @@ def parse(self):
                 self.contains_eep = self.bit_data[DB0.BIT_7]
                 if self.contains_eep:
                     # Get rorg_func and rorg_type from an unidirectional learn packet
-                    self.rorg_func = self._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[DB3.BIT_7:DB3.BIT_1])
-                    self.rorg_type = self._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[DB3.BIT_1:DB2.BIT_2])
-                    self.rorg_manufacturer = self._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[DB2.BIT_2:DB0.BIT_7])
+                    self.rorg_func = enocean.utils._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[DB3.BIT_7:DB3.BIT_1])
+                    self.rorg_type = enocean.utils._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[DB3.BIT_1:DB2.BIT_2])
+                    self.rorg_manufacturer = enocean.utils._from_bitarray(self.bit_data[DB2.BIT_2:DB0.BIT_7])
                     logger.debug('learn received, EEP detected, RORG: 0x%02X, FUNC: 0x%02X, TYPE: 0x%02X, Manufacturer: 0x%02X' % (self.rorg, self.rorg_func, self.rorg_type, self.rorg_manufacturer))
 
         return super(RadioPacket, self).parse()
diff --git a/enocean/utils.py b/enocean/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3dff665
--- /dev/null
+++ b/enocean/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import print_function, unicode_literals, division
+
+
+def _get_bit(byte, bit):
+    ''' Get bit value from byte '''
+    return (byte >> bit) & 0x01
+
+
+def _combine_hex(data):
+    ''' Combine list of integer values to one big integer '''
+    output = 0x00
+    for i, d in enumerate(reversed(data)):
+        output |= (d << i * 8)
+    return output
+
+
+def _to_bitarray(data, width=8):
+    ''' Convert data (list of integers, bytearray or integer) to bitarray '''
+    if isinstance(data, list) or isinstance(data, bytearray):
+        data = _combine_hex(data)
+    return [True if digit == '1' else False for digit in bin(data)[2:].zfill(width)]
+
+
+def _from_bitarray(data):
+    ''' Convert bit array back to integer '''
+    return int(''.join(['1' if x else '0' for x in data]), 2)
+
+
+def _to_hex_string(data):
+    ''' Convert list of integers to a hex string, separated by ":" '''
+    if isinstance(data, int):
+        return '%02X' % data
+    return ':'.join([('%02X' % o) for o in data])
diff --git a/tests/test_eep.py b/tests/test_eep.py
index b12b6ed..191c60e 100644
--- a/tests/test_eep.py
+++ b/tests/test_eep.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ def test_temperature():
     assert p.rorg_type is 0x05
     assert p.status == 0x00
     assert p.repeater_count == 0
+    assert p.sender == [0x01, 0x81, 0xB7, 0x44]
+    assert p.sender_hex == '01:81:B7:44'
 
 
 def test_magnetic_switch():