Some areas of the world receive overlapping coverage from two Blockstream satellites. You can use our coverage map to see if more than one satellite covers your location.
If your area is covered by two satellites, you can connect your Blockstream Satellite Pro Kit to both satellites in order to provide additional redundancy for your Bitcoin node and up to double the block transfer speed of your Bitcoin node.
Set Up Your Dual-Satellite Pro Kit
Setting up a dual-satellite node is very similar to setting up a single-satellite node. You can follow the standard Pro Kit guide with the following key differences:
1. Prepare the Pro Kit Components
You will need two of each of the below components in order to install and connect the second satellite antenna:
- 2x LNBs: You will need one compatible LNB for each satellite. For example, if you have coverage from both a C-band and a Ku-band satellite, you could use both of the LNBs included in the kit. Or if you have coverage from two Ku-band satellites, you could use a Flat-Panel Satellite Antenna (integrated LNB) and the Ku-band LNB included with the Pro Kit.
- 2x Satellite antennas
- 2x Long coaxial RG6 cables
- 2x F-to-F flat coax cable extenders
2. Assemble the LNB
Assemble two LNBs—one for each satellite.
3. Set Up the Pro Kit Receiver
Connect an additional long coaxial cable to the RF2 port on your receiver.
4. Install the Blockstream Satellite Utility
Complete the installation process as described by the guide. The default configuration will apply to the antenna connected to the RF1 port.
After completing the set up according to the standard guide, take the following additional steps:
1.
Start the configuration process for the antenna connected to the RF2 port.
blocksat-cli --cfg RF2 cfg
Note: During the configuration process,
RF2can be replaced with any name you want to assign to your RF2 satellite interface.
2.
The utility will ask for information on your components. Provide the specifications of your RF2 satellite setup.
3.
The utility will add the RF2 configuration to the configuration file to your computer.
Tip: From here on, your RF1 satellite interface will respond to commands using
blocksat-cliand your RF2 satellite interface will respond to commands usingblocksat-cli --cfg RF2.
5. Configure Your Receiver
Follow the instructions provided by the guide. This will configure your receiver to process data from the satellite antenna connected to the RF1 port.
Then complete the same steps for your RF2 satellite antenna. Replace blocksat-cli instructions with blocksat-cli --cfg RF2 instructions. This will configure your receiver to process data from the antenna connected to the RF2 port.
6. Install and Align the Satellite Antennas
Complete the steps in the satellite antenna installation guide and the satellite antenna alignment guide for both antennas.
7. Install the Bitcoin Satellite Client
Follow the instructions in the guide to install the Bitcoin Satellite client. Then complete step 3 in this guide again, replacing blocksat-cli btcwith blocksat-cli --cfg RF2 btc --concat. This will link your RF1 and RF2 configurations.
Your Pro Kit is now receiving and processing data from two satellites!