diff --git a/headers/baseconn.h b/headers/baseconn.h
index 5be052e..467eafe 100644
--- a/headers/baseconn.h
+++ b/headers/baseconn.h
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ private:
 
     QString readBuffer;
 
-    QSemaphore remoteSessions;
-
     int nextConnectionId;
 
     struct waitingRequest {
@@ -76,6 +74,8 @@ signals:
 
     void gotUnexpectedReply(QString reply);
 
+    void gotUpdate(QVariant data);
+
     void connectionsChanged();
 
     void connectionSlotReleased();
diff --git a/headers/climbingrace.h b/headers/climbingrace.h
index c64d49c..f85e932 100644
--- a/headers/climbingrace.h
+++ b/headers/climbingrace.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ private slots:
     void refreshMode();
     void refreshTimerText();
 
-    bool refreshRemoteTimers();
+    bool refreshRemoteTimers(QVariantList timers);
 
 signals:
     void nextStartActionChanged(int nextStartAction);
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ public slots:
     Q_INVOKABLE int stopRace(int type);
     Q_INVOKABLE int resetRace();
 
+    // base station sync
     void syncWithBaseStation();
+    void handleBaseStationUpdate(QVariant data);
 
     // functions for qml
     Q_INVOKABLE int getState();
diff --git a/sources/baseconn.cpp b/sources/baseconn.cpp
index b948530..3bb8a16 100644
--- a/sources/baseconn.cpp
+++ b/sources/baseconn.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ bool BaseConn::init() {
     connect(this->socket, &QTcpSocket::readyRead, this, &BaseConn::readyRead);
     this->connection_progress = 50;
 
+    this->setState("connected");
+
+    // init remote session
+    QJsonArray updateSubs = {"onRaceStateChanged", "onTimersChanged"};
+    QJsonObject sessionParams = {{"updateSubs", updateSubs}};
+
+    if(this->sendCommand(1, sessionParams)["status"] != 200) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -115,10 +125,7 @@ void BaseConn::socketStateChanged(QAbstractSocket::SocketState socketState) {
     }
     case QAbstractSocket::ConnectedState:
     {
-        if(this->init()) {
-            this->setState("connected");
-        }
-        else {
+        if(!this->init()) {
             this->closeConnection();
         }
 
@@ -274,11 +281,16 @@ void BaseConn::socketReplyRecieved(QString reply) {
     QJsonDocument jsonReply = QJsonDocument::fromJson(reply.toUtf8());
     QJsonObject replyObj = jsonReply.object();
 
-    //qDebug() << "got: " << reply;
-
     if(!replyObj.isEmpty()){
         id = replyObj.value("id").toInt();
 
+        if(id == -1) {
+            // this message is an update!!
+            emit this->gotUpdate(replyObj.toVariantMap());
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // this message is the reply to a command!
         for(int i = 0; i < this->waitingRequests.length(); i++){
             if(this->waitingRequests[i].id == id){
                 this->waitingRequests[i].reply = replyObj;
diff --git a/sources/climbingrace.cpp b/sources/climbingrace.cpp
index ba58039..62685dc 100644
--- a/sources/climbingrace.cpp
+++ b/sources/climbingrace.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ ClimbingRace::ClimbingRace(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
     connect(this->baseConn, &BaseConn::stateChanged, this, &ClimbingRace::baseStationStateChanged);
     connect(this->baseConn, &BaseConn::stateChanged, this, &ClimbingRace::refreshMode);
     connect(this->baseConn, &BaseConn::connectionsChanged, this, &ClimbingRace::baseStationConnectionsChanged);
+    connect(this->baseConn, &BaseConn::gotUpdate, this, &ClimbingRace::handleBaseStationUpdate);
 
     this->speedTimers.append( new SpeedTimer(this) );
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ ClimbingRace::ClimbingRace(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
     nextStartActionTimer->setSingleShot(true);
 
     this->baseStationSyncTimer = new QTimer(this);
-    this->baseStationSyncTimer->setInterval(100);
+    this->baseStationSyncTimer->setInterval(1000);
     this->baseStationSyncTimer->setSingleShot(true);
     this->baseStationSyncTimer->connect(this->baseStationSyncTimer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &ClimbingRace::syncWithBaseStation);
     this->baseStationSyncTimer->start();
@@ -213,7 +214,17 @@ void ClimbingRace::syncWithBaseStation() {
     case 1:
     {
         // case STARTING
-        this->refreshRemoteTimers();
+
+        // refresh remote timers
+        tmpReply = this->baseConn->sendCommand(2007);
+
+        if(tmpReply["status"].toInt() != 200){
+            //handle error!!
+            qDebug() << "+ --- getting timers from basestation failed";
+        }
+        else {
+            this->refreshRemoteTimers(tmpReply["data"].toList());
+        }
 
         tmpReply = this->baseConn->sendCommand(2005);
         if(tmpReply["status"] != 200){
@@ -232,7 +243,15 @@ void ClimbingRace::syncWithBaseStation() {
     default:
     {
 
-        this->refreshRemoteTimers();
+        tmpReply = this->baseConn->sendCommand(2007);
+
+        if(tmpReply["status"].toInt() != 200){
+            //handle error!!
+            qDebug() << "+ --- getting timers from basestation failed";
+        }
+        else {
+            this->refreshRemoteTimers(tmpReply["data"].toList());
+        }
 
         break;
     }
@@ -241,6 +260,65 @@ void ClimbingRace::syncWithBaseStation() {
     this->baseStationSyncTimer->start();
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief ClimbingRace::handleBaseStationUpdate
+ *
+ * Function to handle a update, sent by the base station, which indicates
+ * that some remote value (like a state) has changed
+ *
+ * @param data
+ */
+void ClimbingRace::handleBaseStationUpdate(QVariant data) {
+    qDebug() << "got update: " << data;
+    int header = data.toMap()["header"].toInt();
+    switch (header) {
+    case 9000:
+    {
+        // the remote race state has changed
+        this->setState( raceState( data.toMap()["data"].toInt() ) );
+        break;
+    }
+    case 9001:
+    {
+        // the remote timers have changed
+        this->refreshRemoteTimers(data.toMap()["data"].toList());
+        break;
+    }
+
+    }
+}
+
+bool ClimbingRace::refreshRemoteTimers(QVariantList timers) {
+
+        if(timers.length() != speedTimers.length()){
+            // local timers are out of sync
+
+            // delete all current timers
+            foreach(SpeedTimer * locTimer, this->speedTimers){
+                delete locTimer;
+            }
+
+            speedTimers.clear();
+
+            foreach(QVariant remTimer, timers){
+                // create a local timer for each remote timer
+                this->speedTimers.append(new SpeedTimer(this));
+            }
+        }
+
+        foreach(QVariant remTimer, timers){
+            int currId = remTimer.toMap()["id"].toInt();
+            speedTimers[currId]->startTime = this->date->currentMSecsSinceEpoch() - remTimer.toMap()["currTime"].toDouble();
+            speedTimers[currId]->stoppedTime = remTimer.toMap()["currTime"].toDouble();
+            speedTimers[currId]->reactionTime = remTimer.toMap()["reactTime"].toDouble();
+
+            speedTimers[currId]->setState(SpeedTimer::timerState(remTimer.toMap()["state"].toInt()));
+        }
+
+        return true;
+
+}
+
 // ------------------------
 // --- helper functions ---
 // ------------------------
@@ -435,48 +513,6 @@ void ClimbingRace::refreshTimerText() {
     this->timerTextRefreshTimer->start();
 }
 
-bool ClimbingRace::refreshRemoteTimers() {
-    // get current time
-    QVariantMap tmpReply = this->baseConn->sendCommand(2007);
-
-    if(tmpReply["status"].toInt() != 200){
-        //handle error!!
-        qDebug() << "+ --- getting timers from basestation failed";
-        this->baseStationSyncTimer->start();
-        return false;
-    }
-    else {
-        QVariantList timers = tmpReply["data"].toList();
-
-        if(timers.length() != speedTimers.length()){
-            // local timers are out of sync
-
-            // delete all current timers
-            foreach(SpeedTimer * locTimer, this->speedTimers){
-                delete locTimer;
-            }
-
-            speedTimers.clear();
-
-            foreach(QVariant remTimer, timers){
-                // create a local timer for each remote timer
-                this->speedTimers.append(new SpeedTimer(this));
-            }
-        }
-
-        foreach(QVariant remTimer, timers){
-            int currId = remTimer.toMap()["id"].toInt();
-            speedTimers[currId]->startTime = this->date->currentMSecsSinceEpoch() - remTimer.toMap()["currTime"].toDouble();
-            speedTimers[currId]->stoppedTime = remTimer.toMap()["currTime"].toDouble();
-            speedTimers[currId]->reactionTime = remTimer.toMap()["reactTime"].toDouble();
-
-            speedTimers[currId]->setState(SpeedTimer::timerState(remTimer.toMap()["state"].toInt()));
-        }
-
-        return true;
-    }
-}
-
 // - athlete management -
 
 QVariant ClimbingRace::getAthletes() {