Need to use Serial.available before start reading bytes in:
if (Serial.available()>2){ // 3 bytes ready?
if (Serial.read() == "$"){ // start byte to get in sync
// read 2 more bytes, do whatever
}
// no $, wait for more data
}
I went to RPI, The Engineers. Let's Go Red! 1985 NCAA Mens Ice Hockey Champions, we won our intramural ice hockey championship the same season.