Topic: Blockstream's Bitcoin Satelite WWW w/ OuterNet USB Reciever. (Read 20191 times)

Nice setup OP. Did you see eutelsat-113 (over South America) went kaput. Satellite is dead.

Added below to the main page on this thread, for those of you set for new messages. Anyway, this is the 'toy' selling as pre-order now.

My thanks for Last of the V8's for pointing this out on this thread. I had no 'frigging' idea!

======================================================================================
Revised 9/20/2020 New Unit in Pre-Order with New Links below. Also supposedly the older unit below will also work with patches/upgrades
======================================================================================












Info on units and prices for both Pro and Reg versions below.

Blockstream Satellite Basic Kit: A consumer-grade satellite receiver, ready to connect a Bitcoin node at home. Requires a computer running Linux, e.g. a Raspberry Pi, to process the received broadcasts. Pre-sale: $279 / RRP: $299

Blockstream Satellite Pro Kit: Rack-mountable professional hardware that supports all the features of the Basic Kit, with additional dual-satellite capability for more reliable and faster data transfers, and multicasting (more on this below). Provides Bitcoin data to multiple devices on the same network. Pre-sale: $749 / RRP: $799

Blockstream Satellite Flat Panel Antenna: A flat-panel antenna array with integrated LNB offers a stylish alternative to a satellite TV dish. Users in the Asia-Pacific region should contact support to check compatibility before purchasing. Pre-sale: $179 / RRP: $199

https://blockstream.com/2020/05/04/en-announcing-blockstream-satellite-2/

A review here on the setup and how well it all works. https://blog.bitmex.com/bitcoin-satellite/

as of 9.21.2020

enjoy

Brad

Heh, tempted, but I have not even put up the original Blockstream Thread unit! Too many 'toys' too little time!

Here is some more links in the following message for pictures and prices and such. I also updated the main page for the new unit.

From what I understand from this thread the 'old' unit of 2018 when this thread was made will also be upgraded and useable as well. So that is 'dandy'

My thanks for Last of the V8's for pointing this out on this thread. I had no 'frigging' idea!

Brad

https://blog.bitmex.com/bitcoin-satellite/

Blockstream has a 'spendy' satellite solution.

I assume OuterNet that I highlighted here would still work just fine, as well as any other 'homebrew' versions.

here are the interesting links on such and speed increases

https://blockstream.com/satellite/

https://store.blockstream.com/product-category/satellite_kits/

https://cryptoslate.com/blockstreams-satellite-just-made-downloading-bitcoin-without-the-internet-easier-and-25x-faster/


What the heck, something to play with during the Pandemic and all. It's only money right?

brad

If it works anything like Satellite T.V. the speeds to YOU should be pretty damn fast. The speeds up to the satellite are likely modem speeds at best?

unsure. But from what I 'think' I remember from way back when.

Brad

Let's say one wants to sync the blockchain from scratch. What kind of download speeds are we talking about?

Thanks for reviving my old thread! I still have this setup...I've never put it up..as with many projects no time. I guess when the 'Zombie Apocalypse' happens I'll have to do this!

Anyway, maybe someday. Good to know someone is having fun with such. Let us know how the whole blockchain from space thing for Bitcoin works as well.

Too many projects, too little time.

Brad

This weekend I installed my dish, spent a while failing to point it properly, and tonight finally succeeded getting a signal from the Galaxy 18 satellite feed!  By far the hardest part for me was just getting the thing pointed properly to get my first signal in blocksat-rx-gui.  Some helpful tips:

- I've read it's best to start with the elevation setting as it tends to be the more critical and finicky axis of alignment for such satellites.  I made sure to get the j-mount pole as level as humanly possible so that the elevation gauge on the dish's mount would be of use.  It helped to actually put the dish on the j-mount first, and then level.  I initially tried leveling the mount by itself, but then mounting the dish to that ended up pulled things off-level a tiny bit.  In hindsight, I suppose I could have also set the elevation using my level that has an adjustable angle dial, and computed the dish's proper elevation angle from it's specified offset angle.  The dish mount's built-in gauge worked just fine for me (make sure to use the edge of the metal and not the nut on the bolt as your gauge indicator).

- For setting azimuth (left/right heading of the dish), I initially tried doing a rough alignment with my smartphone's compass, despite knowing it isn't super accurate and is prone to interference from all sorts of things.  Surely a quality old-school compass would be better, though still affected by EM sources and magnetic materials...  I'm a bit of an amateur astronomer, so I realized I could just use the stars and a good star charting app, assuming I had a clear night.  I opened up my SkySafari app and looked for a bright star on or just east my target azimuth meridian.  There wasn't a suitable star I could make out in my light-polluted Chicago skies, so I instead looked for a bright star further to the east of my target azimuth meridian and simply waited for good ol' Earth to rotate into alignment with it (about 30 minutes later).  I then stood directly underneath my dish so that I could sight right down the LNB arm to aim the dish in the star's direction (azimuth-wise only, of course), and voila, my first signal in blocksat-rx-gui.  Obviously if you have a roof-mount or little space below your dish, this technique may be difficult, but mine is mounted about 5 feet up on the side of my house, which made it super easy.

+1 Merit

this is awesome! now Bitcoin is independent from WWW in case you will distribute your local mesh txs via an Internet connectivity at a later time.

https://gotennamesh.com

https://hackernoon.com/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-6061d3c93e7

seems upgraded with the recent announcement

https://blockstream.com/2019/05/11/gotenna-satellite-api-integration/

I've put up a rough draft of my initial setup at an old disused website that apparently I've been paying to keep the domain name for...for about a decade...

I made about every mistake you can make...so I have some embarrassing but helpful tips on what to do (and not to do): https://www.drgoss.org

For each of my two dishes:

76cm dish $45
MK1 PLL LNB  $8 (note! EU and Asia need different LNBs!)
Coax from dish to inside-- depends on length, mine was free because I scavenged it-- you can get 50ft of RG6 for $15.
SWIM power injector $7
F to SMA connector $2
TCXO R820T2 SDR $24
USB extender cable $4
Figure a couple dollars in misc hardware, bolts, etc.

Then a suitable computer, you can get something used for $0 to $200 or so, or something new for less than $400.

Many of the parts can be found for free or nearly free depending on your scrounging abilities, proximity to hamfests, and willingness to trade time for money.  (e.g. it's very easy to find 45cm dishes for free at least in the US. Coax and injectors can also be found for free or close to it.  The LNB you'll have to buy-- as blockstream's signal requires an unusually stable LNB, but it won't break the bank.).

If you really have no similar hardware and no experience with this sort of thing you might want to double your estimated price, simply because you'll lose parts, find things that don't fit, need tools, etc.  I used a short piece of RG6 coax while aiming the dishes in order to avoid complications from the long cable run while pointing... My dish is mounted to the wall with lag bolts, if you don't have an impact driver (or at least ratchet, socket, and a lot of patience) you'll probably want to get one. To install it up there on the wall I needed a ladder which I obviously already had, etc. My tool chest is as tall as I am, so there is a certain amount of cost that I didn't experience that you might.

WOW the King!

Here is a cost breakdown from a similar setup-

Here is the parts list - https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AHH4EF7QUWTH4SHESSIXHM6H2IHQ/32NTXVS0Y48VI

without the stand it is only 105 usd , and lower if you have coax or an old dish


and here is a second parts list and buildup https://hackernoon.com/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-6061d3c93e7

Fantastic post and quite didactic. The photos are clear and it is easy to understand how to build this project. You have put some costs, but do you have any estimates of how much it cost for everything?

And is there any estimate of how many people have built and are keeping this project active in their homes or businesses?

Well now that btc/crypto and home/data hall mining for the little guy is dead...maybe...I'll have some time to get this up as well...very, very nice setup..will copy some of it

cool post

brad

I thought I'd share some pictures of my receiver setup.

I have two dishes, one to pickup the blockstream single on G18, and another to pickup the signal on Eu113-- most of the US are covered by both of these signals.

Once some upgrades are made to the sending side use of both dishes will allow half the delay when sending blocks (and, obviously, more reliability against obstructions or equipment failures)-- pretty handy in places that happen to be covered by multiple signals. At the moment I'm just using one at a time, though both work.

The dishes I'm using are 76cm Winegard DS2076.  I paid $45 each for them on Ebay.  If I hadn't found such a good deal on this I probably would have used 90cm geosat pros (which are about $100).  For my location the 76cm is adequate, though I've had some outages during bad weather-- heavy rain attenuates the 12GHz signal a LOT.

I understand blockstream is going to be making some signal changes that should improve reliablity, and also some modem changes that will make it easier to get pointing really peaked out.  The current tools give a really noisy SNR measurement which swings over a few dB in the space of seconds even when you aren't changing anything, this makes it really hard to dial in the pointing and get a really perfect alignment.   E.g. my polarization could be off by as much as 30deg and I wouldn't have any idea, because the changes just weren't visible on the background noise.

For feed horns and downconversion I'm using MK1 PLL LNBs on the dishes which were an astonishingly low price of $8 on amazon.  These are the appropriate devices for the americas signals, and they seem surprisingly good. Europe and Asia need different LNBs.

The dishes are connected back to my equipment room with a ~250 foot coax run using some fairly low loss cable that I reclaimed from a CATV temporary lateral that was abandoned on the under the grass after the put a permanent install up on the polls.  The reported SNR looks the same both with and without the cable, so I guess it's not too long.  YMMV esp with less heavy duty coax or with LNBs that have less gain or lower voltage power inserters: I kinda expected these to be too long.

Then I'm using Direct TV "swim" power inserters. These cost $7.   They are a little bulky but the only real complaint I have is that they're 120VAC only-- all my computer gear is 240v for efficiency reasons, so these being an odd ball out is a bit of a pain. But I am probably the only US user who is weird enough for this to be a problem.

Finally, I'm using the recommended $24 nesdr USB RTL dongles as the SDRs.  Not much to say about these things. They're inexpensive and they work.  I contemplated using a nicer SDR (I have a couple to choose from...) but I figure my bug reports are more useful if I use common hardware.  I use USB extension cables to hook the SDRs up to the host (otherwise the SDR is a fragile wart on the back of the computer).

These feed an older 3.4GHz quad core E3-1230 1u box that runs the fibre-enabled Bitcoind.

I've encountered a couple bugs which blockstream has been fixing as I've found 'em. In particular the pull-req to store out of order blocks is essential.  I've had a couple internet outages where the sat signals have successfully kept my Bitcoinds receiving blocks. Success!

The biggest issue that I had with the install is that multiple times I used a laptop for initial pointing that was too slow. And the blockstream modem software really doesn't give you a usable warning if the computer is too slow. When the computer is too slow. It _looks_ like its working, but that there is no signal.   My small laptop that was easy to haul up onto a ladder was just too slow, and even when I switched to a faster one it was too slow while not plugged into AC power (so it was fine on the ground but when unplugged to drag it up onto the ladder it started returning junk).  I wasted _hours_ due to this one problem.  Since pointing is a little tricky, esp if you haven't done it a bunch of times it isn't surprising if it takes you a bit, which just makes it take longer to realize that the lack of success is due to a slow system.

Beyond my issue with the slow computers making me falsely believe my aiming was wrong, the setup was really easy. (Though, I do have a non-trivial amount of experience with radio, SDRs, and Bitcoin (obviously)).

I've not gotten around to getting mine up (bad OP) due to time..and I keep forgetting about this project with other projects not done.

I think it cost me $99 bucks for the kit. FYI.

anyway, maybe someday, I'll get my butt in gear...

brad

this Satelite thing is amazing!

Some guys are broadcasting messages on the Blockstream satellites


Obviously with https://blockstream.com/satellite-queue/

Blockchain development firm Blockstream has expanded its satellite service and is now broadcasting the Bitcoin (BTC) blockchain to all of Earth’s major land masses, Forbes reported Dec. 17...

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/blockstream-launches-5th-satellite-streaming-bitcoin-blockchain-from-space

This is very interesting project I have some skills with the Xband (10ghz) band and microwave links so this might be something I can actually throw some value towards.

I might give this a shot on the Telstar 11N Sat.

Re-posted this at the end of the thread here...with some updated links.

============================================

This is a copy of the intro page. Enjoy.

Revised 12/20/2018 with new links below!

Satellite Service. Wow!

Comments, by those with better tech knowledge on this kinda thing, please.

Edit: I have one of the below USB Receivers. I think it was $100 bucks. Got it to play with months ago. Guess it is time to fire this hobby USB Satellite Reciever
Up!

Note 12/20/2018: My unit is still in the box, with the BTC crash in 2018, not had a lot of time with 'panic'ing' to delve into this. Hopefully, the links below
help with those in the weeds on these kinds of units.

----------------------------------------------------

whew! new links 12/20/2018

https://blockstream.com/2017/08/15/announcing-blockstream-satellite.html

https://othernet.is/

https://forums.othernet.is/

https://www.cryptoglobe.com/latest/2018/12/bitcoin-broken-free-from-isps-by-blockstream-satellite-connection-new-api/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to Saint-loop on Bitcointalk here https://bitcointalksearch.org/user/saint-loup-975910for the below additional links.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://hackernoon.com/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-6061d3c93e7

https://medium.com/@notgrubles/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-part-2-software-installation-a94a0b85d089

https://hackernoon.com/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-part-3-dish-alignment-1306b4c21326

-----------------------------------------------------

The original picture of the kit I got at the start of this thread below.



revised 12/20/2018.

No, the link is dead

I assume my links are still good on the top of this thread and you can still contact those guys for a kit. I also assume they probably have a solution to this...it may be 'in the can'

and ready to go for all I know. Check out the OuterNet threads and forums.

brad

@Searing Thanks for the update


I found that (from "notgrubles")


https://hackernoon.com/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-6061d3c93e7

https://medium.com/@notgrubles/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-part-2-software-installation-a94a0b85d089

https://hackernoon.com/building-your-own-bitcoin-satellite-node-part-3-dish-alignment-1306b4c21326

no there is this, however ..unsure if it works on this unit...but I suppose it must


https://www.cryptoglobe.com/latest/2018/12/bitcoin-broken-free-from-isps-by-blockstream-satellite-connection-new-api/

mine is still in the box

I keep hoping to get to it..but keep hoping someone else gets to it first and can hold my hand

anyway, a neat toy, IF/WHEN I ever get around to playing with it

BTC crashing 80% and all I've been dumping equipment (and coin) all year like a 9-year-old girl (including screaming and sobbing) ..thus all projects otther than getting my

BTC house in a row and protecting most of my BTC stash ...has been a moot effort.

later

brad

Hello have you tested it finally?

Is there another thread with testimonials please?
Thank you

You can send raw transactions by fax or mail, even by sms (2G) with applis.

Not sure....still a cool device ...(in case of Zombie Apocalypse or you live in Hawaii)

 

Was this project been placed on the back burner, whilst most attention is given to the Lightning Network now? The last attention given to this was in August of 2017. https://github.com/Blockstream/satellite/commits/master 

Did the resignation of Gregory Maxwell have anything to do with this? < Could have been his pet project? > It is still a good project and no matter why this has been temporarily put on hold, it would still be very innovative for the future. 

Cubesats is a viable option but the difficult part is getting them into orbit. There is more competition now in the space industry and the economical entry barrier is lower that is very good from a network decentralization perspective

Anyone get one of these puppies up (or something similar?)

Mine is still in the box ...

(fine frigging OP I am for this thread..jeez...still in the box)

Sold out now. Dongle-only: https://www.amazon.com/RTL-SDR-Blog-RTL2832U-Software-Defined/dp/B0129EBDS2

it is not a problem, that people don't get it. But unnecessary to post it. 
And what is the reason, that people ask, how far "we" are from using this service also as upstrem? 
Can these people outline, what was their contribution?
Have they payed people to develop uplink software? Have they invested in hardware to create an uplink channel? Have they tried to reflect, what it needs, to get un uplink up and running? Have they even read the documentation and intention of this blockchain distribution channel?
The answer must be "no".

And yes, with a very little bit of imagination one could think about creatng a tx and bring it to a service like blockchain.info, which uploads to the blockchain. An SMS, a letter, a file, and other options come to mind.
Come on people, go beyond your barriers and limitations, and proof, that the complaints here are only preps for your next extension in the wonderful crypto world.

I also don't quite get what the point is. I mean, it's better than nothing, but if you can only receive and not broadcast a transaction to the network (without regular internet) then, the people stuck in China for example, whose are going to get all bitcoin sites and nodes banned (and they seem serious, since they will look for Tor and VPN too) will not be able to transact their bitcoins even if they are receiving the blockchain thanks to the satellite.

I guess this is for the people that has really bad internet connection and can't receive the blockchain, but they have enough to send the transaction.

I wish we could also send transactions to the satellite and then spread it to the blockchain. How far are we from that? Because if we achieve that, we win. Even people in North Korea could transact.

i don't see, why is this necessary ?
i mean, it will only send data, so we will receive unconfirmed tx and confirmed blocks. (maybe superquick)

we cant send anything to the satellite directly. so at the end of the day, we will need internet , to do transactions. to send transactions.,

i am not sure, to whom it will be useful.
imho it will be continuous  stream of txs, and few of the main servers which will act as nodes in bitcoin network, will send data to that satellite. which will get distributed .

instead its better to be connected to internet and act as a node, so you can get data and even send data. of
unconfirmed tx and confirmed blocks.

just my thinking, please correct me if i am wrong.

---------------------------

edit1 :

just realized, the reason for not having bitcoin client on my home machine is because slow internet speed.

so for initial setup i can hook up dish setup, and get whole blockchain. but how will satellite send old data to only me ?

may be they can implement something like channels., on specific channels., old data is sent in loop.
while on another channel ,new tx data is sent.

How does this go with decentralization?
Will the satellite emit random nodes?
Who will control all that?

Who said that it was supposed to be useful to the poor? You don't need to be poor to have a bad internet connection.

Understood finally. Been scouring through their website for useful information on the ''one way link".. I get it now.

Although I can not understand how a satellite that requires expensive dish to connect would be useful to the poor.

Well has anyone managed either with parts and an old dish or with the stuff I mention...get this blockstream download to sing and dance a tune?

video?

details?

etc?

I have that same dongle, and I got it for ~$20 I think. It's on amazon, and comes with two antennas, some adapters, and the dongle itself. That website is also really helpful for setting up different things with it. I tried and got some AM Radio, the National Weather Service, police radios, and a few other things. It's a neat trinket: http://a.co/dFsVWBz

I'd love to see Bitcoin launch a few cubesats via Elons SpaceX and get some nodes orbiting the globe... someday that will happen.   

thanks for the link

https://twitter.com/notgrubles

Well has anyone set anything up yet to see if you can download this blockstream blockchain via satellite setup of any flavor?

I should do such but have no frigging time as of late

The README from the git repository should tell you pretty much everything you need to know:

https://github.com/Blockstream/satellite

You'd need the OuterNet devices in pic above in thread. Cost probably as much
just to buy the OuterNet package and if the bigger dish is better use it. See their forum links
in thread above, ask there.

Every body in 3rd world seems to have cell phone. Or community share. See Venezuela.

They are a lot cheaper than here.

So if I have an old satellite cable dish I could theoretically use it to receive blocks from the satellite?

If yes, is there any tutorials you guys are aware of to set that up?

it is satellite feed download for all of the internet...I got this months ago...saw the blockstream satellite announcement and they said satellite USB reciever..which is what this is and said

hey..I got that

so, should probably after 5 months or so look at it

people use this to at least watch CNN or weather or some such with their RV's etc ...download and look kinda thing.....if you have to get on  a website

or have info back ...well they use the cell phone for that I guess

anyway, was like 100 bucks when I got mine...so I assume it can be used for the purposes of this thread also

Since it is set up as a receiver only, can I use it to surf on any website on the internet or it is only used for blockchain or bitcoin transaction? Or can I use it to download but I cannot use it to upload data? Totally no idea here how the sattelite internet works.

Well the next step then for true global reach is to develop a way to be able to send and receive data from the satellites with realistic gear. That would be a way to not depend on the internet at all. Some sort of device that allows you to do some basic transactions, ideally modular so you can smuggle parts in totalitarian countries like Best Korea.

Imagine how cool it would be to be transacting inside that country, now that would be disruption.

It's already happening. It was already working and happening when it was announced. It isn't just hype; there are instructions for how to set up your own stuff now since it is already broadcasting now. People have already set up receivers and are receiving blocks.

The satellite is best for places where you have a low bandwidth and poor internet connection. That type of internet connection is too poor to support running a full node, but is fine for sending transactions as transactions are small. The satellite then allows you to receive blocks through something other than a poor internet connection.

Well, the outernet USB satellite receiver you see on the 1st post...I got that as a 100 buck toy a few months back and never played with it

so such exists .... you supposedly can use this to download a bunch of stuff like facebook etc and cache it and update news weather etc

good for an RV etc....

but again to put data back up to the internet you'd need a cell phone or cell phone hot spot or some such

just saying..the unit is 'supposed' to suck stuff down in mass amounts to look at offline

thus even if slow speed inet the other way....that only has to be thru a cell phone and fast enough to update your wallet and take your moving BTC about

it is probably a big step forward ..where even older flip phones are still in use

AS to the hype...it depends...if the bandwidth was 'donated' by Richard Branston (virgin) or some such (he is into satellites) this very well could be the real deal

I guess I'm gonna have to get my act together and get on the outernet forum and get this thing up and try it (no time I have no frigging time)

That is why I have one of these OuterNet units and it has sat on the shelf for 4 months plus

too much work/projects/toys etc

Many people thinking this will never happen and it is all just hype. I must admit it is hard to believe such technology would come this early for Bitcoin. Heck, many countries do not even have widespread internet but they will be able to transact Bitcoin. haha

I think you could just use a DirectTV satellite dish. There are tons of those on buildings around where I live, and a lot of them probably aren't in use.

It is currently receive only because transmitting to the satellite requires a lot of power and extra stuff that most people won't be able to get. The satellite is best for those who have a poor internet connection; they can't download the blockchain because it is too big, but they can still broadcast transactions as those are tiny. The satellite allows those people to also be able to get the blockchain (well part of it, only new blocks right now)

But what if you are in North Korea?  I was wondering if it would be possible to make the first transaction ever in Best Korea now that there are satellites broadcasting the blockchain.

But you say these devices only receive data. If so then how do you broadcast your transaction back into the blockchain if internet is blocked on the entire country and there are no wifi signals or anything? Let alone the fact that there aren't even computers or cellphones.

You would need a tourist to smuggle you a phone with wallet software installed, but even then, what do you exactly do with it?

I wonder who will be the first to manage to broadcast a bitcoin transaction in North Korea, that would be epic.

Recieve only. But for wallet use w/cell phone likely cheap and untraceable in a corrupt
Country with cell phone prepaid. Comes to mind anyway.

I have no knowledge about satellite technology, but my concern is, are those devices capable of transmitting data or for receiving only? Much better if its design in two way link.

Well supposedly this is for Satellite stuff. But then again you could be correct. I have a
Link to the outernet forum in above posts. Someone could ask somebody with one to point
it at the proper Satellite from the blockstream thread. Also in above posts

If you do need a bigger dish they are common and used on eBay. I saw how to use
the OuterNet via those instead. I still think this unit is likely to work on the USA Satellite in
the above links with only the small Reciever plate.

I'm told that you will need a satellite dish and not just a small receiver like the one you pictured as the signal is quite weak. But if that works for you, great!

I would be interested in seeing how this works also.  Would be cool to see a tutorial on how to assemble and make this rig work.

Thanks for the links.  I will have to check them out. 

Saved for further tech links.

Blockstream Satellite Service (Free!)

https://blockstream.com/2017/08/15/announcing-blockstream-satellite.html

OuterNet Discussion Forum. (Free!)

https://forums.outernet.is

OuterNet USB Satellite Reciever Kit ($125 Approximately)

https://store.outernet.is

Satellite Service. Wow!

https://blockstream.com/2017/08/15/announcing-blockstream-satellite.html

I assume you can hit this with your smartphone?

Comments, by those with better tech knowledge on this kinda thing please.

Edit: I have one of the below USB Recievers. I think it was $100 bucks. Got
it to play with months ago. Guess it is time to fire this hobby USB Satellite Reciever
Up!

https://store.outernet.is