POD256 | Bitcoin Mining, Freedom Tech, and Awesome Tangents

Summary:In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of Bitcoin mining and decentralization with our special guest, Bob McElrath. We kick off the conversation with a lively discussion about cold plunges and their invigorating effects, setting the tone for an engaging and informative session.Bob shares an intriguing story about a tradition at the South Pole involving a naked run to tag the pole on the coldest day of the year, which leads us into a deeper conversation about theoretical physics and the IceCube experiment. This experiment, conducted at the South Pole, uses a cubic kilometer of ice to detect high-energy particles from space, providing a unique perspective on scientific research in extreme conditions.We then shift gears to focus on Bitcoin and Bob's journey from theoretical physics to Bitcoin mining. Bob explains the concept of Braidpool, a decentralized mining pool designed to reduce variance and improve the efficiency of Bitcoin mining. He discusses the technical aspects of Braidpool, including its use of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) and the Frost algorithm.Bob also addresses the challenges of decentralized mining, such as the need for faster block times and the importance of reducing latency. He explains how Braidpool aims to solve these issues by allowing miners to create their own block templates and select transactions, thereby decentralizing the process and reducing the risk of censorship.Throughout the episode, we explore the potential impact of covenants and other technical innovations on Braidpool's design and functionality. Bob provides insights into the future of Bitcoin mining, the role of professional risk takers in managing variance, and the importance of decentralized exchanges.We wrap up the episode with a discussion on the state of the Bitcoin network, including current block height, difficulty adjustments, and hash rate trends. Bob also shares his thoughts on the future of decentralized mining and the potential for Braidpool to revolutionize the industry.Join us for this deep dive into the world of Bitcoin mining and decentralized technology, and learn how innovations like Braidpool are shaping the future of the industry.Support POD256 with your hashrate:Simply follow these four easy steps!

Summary:Welcome to Pod 256, a weekly Bitcoin podcast focused on Bitcoin mining, energy, and proof of work. This episode is hosted by @bitkite and @econoalchemist, with special guests @skot9000 and @boerst. The discussion kicks off with @boerst sharing his journey into Bitcoin mining, starting from his IT background and his first foray into mining during the 2013-2014 ASIC craze. He talks about his experiences with various mining hardware and his transition from the hardware side to understanding the monetary aspects of Bitcoin around 2020.@boerst also introduces his project, stratum.work, a website that visualizes mining pool data, making it easier to understand and analyze. He explains the technical details behind the site, including how it connects to mining pools and visualizes data in real-time. The conversation delves into the importance of decentralization in mining pools and the potential risks of centralization, such as reorg risks and censorship resistance.The hosts and guests discuss the current state of the Bitcoin network, including hash rate trends and the upcoming difficulty adjustment. They also touch on the implications of political support for Bitcoin mining in the U.S. and the potential impact on the industry.@boerst shares his thoughts on Stratum V2 and its potential to decentralize transaction selection in mining. The episode wraps up with a lively discussion about personal preferences, including favorite pizza toppings and foods they dislike. The hosts also mention an upcoming tactical day event with the Bitcoin veterans group, highlighting the strong community aspect of Bitcoin enthusiasts.Overall, this episode provides a deep dive into the technical and community aspects of Bitcoin mining, with valuable insights from experienced miners and developers.Support POD256 with your hashrate:Simply follow these four easy steps!

Summary:The episode delves into various aspects of Bitcoin mining, energy consumption, and the proof of work concept. We explore the entry of AI companies into the mining sector, innovative container designs, the significance of hash rates, and exciting upcoming events in the industry. Additionally, we shed light on the challenges faced and the strategic plans in place for the expansion of our mining operations.Wilson Mining takes center stage as we discuss the launch of a new mining pool, emphasizing our dissatisfaction with existing pools and their commitment to offering low fees. Our conversation extends to topics like chip temperature efficiency, ambient intake temperature considerations, and even our favorite summertime beverages.Unveiling the hurdles encountered in Bitcoin mining within rural settings, we address the struggles of recruiting skilled help and operators, underscoring the critical need for reliable equipment. Amidst the technical discussions, we share personal anecdotes ranging from car troubles to our affinity for Toyota vehicles.Support POD256 with your hashrate:Simply follow these four easy steps!

Date: May 22, 2024State of the Network:Block Height: 844622 - Rod/Eco to updateAccording to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 83.1 Trillion and set to increase roughly 1% at the conclusion of epoch 418 which should be on Thursday the 23rd.Over at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly $12.21/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since October.Moving over to mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 591Eh, down from the all time high of 639Eh on April 27th.Taking a look at insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 80k sats/Ph/day and Hashprice is $56/Ph/DayThe halving is due in: 1,407 days according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halvingShout out to our miners: “bikesandbitcoinhowlongcanthesenamesbeistheguestreallygoingtoreadthiswholethingicantbelieveits”, “bikesandbitcoin”, “bikesandbitcointangent(youhavetosayitloud,though)”, “reedsminersarenotforprofit”,”dotthedraht”, “bitaxewannabejustans17pro”, and “blizzabler”. And shout out to our Public Pool miners: “Boerst” and “FOSS||GTFO”. Special Thanks to Barnminer for generously donating a portion of sales from his grass fed beef jerky during the whole month of April. You can support an awesome bitcoiner, get great quality beef jerky, and support POD256 by visiting: https://barnjerky.hashrootsinc.io/Samourai Wallet Defense Donations: https://p2prights.org/Special Guest: Luke Dashjr, Chairman & CTO - OCEANLuke Dashjr on Twitter: https://x.com/LukeDashjrOCEAN on Twitter: https://x.com/OCEAN_miningOCEAN’s website: https://ocean.xyz/Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkiteEconoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemistRod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: May 15, 2024Special Thanks to Barnminer for generously donating a portion of sales from his grass fed beef jerky during the whole month of April. You can support an awesome bitcoiner and get great quality beef jerky by visiting: https://barnjerky.hashrootsinc.io/Stream Sats, Point Hash:Pick any Lincoin URL:     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333Then use "pod256.YourAlias" as the worker nameSpecial Guests:skot9000: https://x.com/skot9000Barnminer: https://x.com/btctwatterpantsNeil RoninMiner: https://x.com/RoninMinerBitaxe Resources:Bitaxe Bitcoin ASIC Miner: https://bitaxe.orgBitaxe GitHub: https://github.com/skot/bitaxeRod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkiteEconoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemistRod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: April 18, 2024State of the Network: Block Height: 839818According to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 86.3 Trillion and set to decrease roughly 1.8%% at the conclusion of epoch 416 which should be on Wednesday the 24thOver at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly $12.21/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since OctoberLooking at mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 629Eh, setting a new ATH going into the halvingHeading over to insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 160k sats/PH/day and Hashprice is $102/Ph/DayDays until the Halving: 1 day according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halvingSpecial Thanks to Barnminer for generously donating a portion of sales from his grass fed beef jerky during the whole month of April. You can support an awesome bitcoiner, get great quality beef jerky, and support POD256 by visiting: https://barnjerky.hashrootsinc.io/Stream Sats, Point Hash:Pick any Lincoin URL:     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333Then use "pod256.YourAlias" as the worker nameShout out to: “boerst” & “FOSS || GTFO” from Public Pool.“Bitaxewannabejustans17pro”, “dotthedraht”, “bikesandbitcoinhowlongcanthesenamesbeistheguestreallygoingtoreadthiswholethingicantbelieveits”, “reedsminersarenotforprofit”, “bikesandbitcoin”, and “hodl_pins_dot_com_by_yooper_and_son_iykyk” from Lincoin.News:Braiins deploying Lightning payouts: https://twitter.com/BraiinsMining/status/1780975851737072085@skot9000 says, “REJECT MINING CENTRALIZATION”: https://twitter.com/skot9000/status/1780799683830411426@mononautical claims, “A single custodian now controls the coinbase addresses of at least 9 pools, representing 47% of total hashrate.”: https://twitter.com/mononautical/status/1777686545715089605@0xB10C’s supporting tweet thread: https://twitter.com/0xB10C/status/1780611768081121700Home Miner of The Week:@SoftwarmLLC shows off the install of “one half of a split unit that utilizes a temperature controller to dump heat as required”https://twitter.com/SoftwarmLLC/status/1780107019254698271Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkiteEconoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemistRod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: April 3, 2024State of the Network: Block Height: 837580According to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 83.1 Trillion and set to increase roughly 2% at the conclusion of epoch 415 which should be on April 10th.Over at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly $13.73/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since October.Looking at mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 603Eh on the 14-day moving average, slightly below the all time high of 612Eh on March 19th.Heading over to insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 160k sats/Ph/day and Hashprice is roughly $103/Ph/day.Days until the Halving: 16 days according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halvingSpecial Thanks to Barnminer for generously donating a portion of sales from his grass fed beef jerky during the whole month of April. You can support an awesome bitcoiner, get great quality beef jerky, and support POD256 by visiting: https://barnjerky.hashrootsinc.io/Stream Sats, Point Hash:Pick any Lincoin URL:     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333Then use "pod256.YourAlias" as the worker nameShout out to all the miners pointing us hashrate this last week, from Lincoin: “africaone”, “hodl_pins_dot_com_by_yooper_and_son_iykyk”, “pod256.bitaxewannabejustans17pro”, “reedsminersarenotforprofit”, and “bikesandbitcoin”. And from Public Pool: “FOSS||GTFO”News:https://x.com/mononautical/status/1775143932642644194https://x.com/AdventureDr/status/1775338544632049718https://x.com/OGBTC/status/1773741227092910492https://x.com/_drewarmstrong_/status/1775549824374366520https://x.com/MitchKlee_/status/1775562342597611853Special Guest: skot, Instigator - Bitaxe:Skot on Twitter: https://twitter.com/skot9000Bitaxe website: https://bitaxe.org/Open Source Miners United on Twitter: https://twitter.com/osmu_globalHome Miner of The Week:Barnminer (@btctwatterpants) with a review of the @ePICBlockchain UMC V-5 Whatsminer CB provided by @altair_techhttps://x.com/btctwatterpants/status/1774910984873795671Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkiteEconoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemistRod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: March 27, 2024State of the Network: Block Height: 836541According to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 83.9 Trillion and set to decrease roughly 1.5% at the conclusion of epoch 414.Over at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly $13.73/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since October.Looking at mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 594Eh, still slightly below the all time high of 612Eh.Heading over to insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 150 sats/TH/day.Days until the Halving: 23 days according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halvingStream Sats, Point Hash:Pick any Lincoin URL:     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333Then use "pod256.YourAlias" as the worker nameShout out to: “reedsminersarenotforprofit”, “bikesandbitcoin”, “bitaxewannabejustans17pro”, “hodl_pins_dot_com_by_yooper_and_son_iykyk”, “miningsummit”, and “africaone” for supporting the podcast with their hashrate over the last week.No Holds Barred w/ Special Guest: Montana Dukes, CEO - EHT Capital:Montana Dukes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/btcdukesHome Miner of the Week:@boerst with an Antminer S19/S21 modded to run on 120V using Pivotal Pleb Tech’s APW12 120V mod:https://twitter.com/boerst/status/1771524371342860477Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkiteEconoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemistRod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: March 20, 2024State of the Network: Block Height: 835558According to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 83.9 Trillion and set to decrease roughly 0.3% at the conclusion of epoch 414 which should be on or around March 28th.Over at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly $13.73/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since October.Looking at mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 612Eh, setting a new all time high.Heading over to insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 150 sats/TH/day.Days until the Halving: 29 days according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halvingStream Sats, Point Hash:Pick any Lincoin URL:     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333Then use "pod256.YourAlias" as the worker nameShout out to: “bikesandbitcoin”, “reedsminersarenotforprofit”, “hodl_pins_dot_com_by_yooper_and_son_iykyk”, “africaone”, and “bitaxewannabejustans17pro” for supporting the podcast with their hashrate over the last week.No Holds Barred w/ Special Guest: Zack Bomsta, Founder - Pivotal Pleb Tech & UnBound:Zack Bomsta on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zbomstazPivotal Pleb Tech website: https://pivotalpleb.com/Pivotal Pleb Tech on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PivotalPlebTechUnBound on Twitter: https://twitter.com/UnBound256UnBound prototype heater: https://twitter.com/Electro_Thermal/status/1768004186774335735Questions from Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemist/status/1770286422974427543From SKOT: I heard a rumor you’re making a Loki board that can dynamically control the voltage output of an APW3++? How did you do it? When can I get one? How are you so badass? https://twitter.com/skot9000/status/1770307311816286523From Tyler Stevens: What does Zack think about the future of mining for heat to decentralize hash rate? Repurposing and modifying industrial hardware is awesome. Plebs are on the forefront here - But how does this scale to a grandmother who just wants cheaper utility bills? Open source firmware seems like a must? Target output temperatures? Open source ASICS? Chips and boards designed for higher operating temperatures…. Curious about his thoughts on fully integrated systems. Off the shelf products to help decentralized hash scale. What steps and development needs to happen, and in what order? https://twitter.com/tylerkstevens/status/1770292573195694180From likewhoa: Are there voltage requirements to run at this setup? i.e would there have to be some sort of underclocking involved and is it possible to overclock as well? https://twitter.com/likewh1a/status/1770290048333697279From Ben: Can it be hacked to run on DC power? (I.e. from a Powerwall battery or solar?) https://twitter.com/Lewified/status/1770293247899783485From James: The concern I would have is the increased current draw as a result of dropping voltage. Unless you are going to severely underclock the boards, current (amps) will double since you are halving the voltage. This means a larger wire gauge is required. At 240V you can use #12 wire. https://twitter.com/Scygone/status/1770292434473218139Home Miner of the Week:@Pmaxsd with a beautiful casing protecting 7.2TH of #Flex4Axe mining: https://twitter.com/Pmaxsd/status/1769778093017673903Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkiteEconoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemistRod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256

Date: March 13, 2024State of the Network: Block Height: 834555According to our friends at newhedge.io: Bitcoin difficulty is 79.3 Trillion and set to increase roughly 5.8% at the conclusion of epoch 413 which should be Pie Day!Over at Hashrate Index: https://data.hashrateindex.com/asic-index-data: Miners under 25J/Th are selling for roughly 13.73/Th at the moment, which has been relatively flat since October.Looking at mempool.space: Hashrate is currently estimated to be 591Eh on the 14-day Moving Average, setting a new all time high.Heading over to insights.braiins.com: Hashvalue is currently 160sats/TH/day.Days until the Halving: 36 days according to https://www.coinwarz.com/mining/bitcoin/halvingStream Sats, Point Hash:Pick any Lincoin URL:     a) stratum+tcp://NA.lincoin.com:3333     b) stratum+tcp://EU.lincoin.com:3333     c) stratum+tcp://LatAm.lincoin.com:3333     d) stratum+tcp://CIS.lincoin.com:3333     e) stratum+tcp://Asia.lincoin.com:3333     f) stratum+tcp://OC.lincoin.com:3333     g) stratum+tcp://Africa.lincoin.com:3333Then use "pod256.YourAlias" as the worker nameShout out to: “bikesandbitcoin”, “reedsminersarenotforprofit”, “hodl_pins_dot_com_by_yooper_and_son_iykyk”, “africaone”, “bitaxewannabejustans17pro”, and “bitaxe_to_the_mooon” for supporting the podcast with their hashrate over the last week.News:Reformed Energy, a Waste-to-Energy Company, Secures Strategic Investment from Riot Platforms:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reformed-energy-a-waste-to-energy-company-secures-strategic-investment-from-riot-platforms-302085659.html?tc=eml_cleartimehttps://x.com/willhash4coins/status/1767568145122828597Biden’s 30% tax would ‘destroy’ Bitcoin mining in the US, industry says:https://www.dlnews.com/articles/regulation/bidens-dame-tax-could-destroy-bitcoin-mining-in-us/Cathedra announces its proposed merger with Kungsleden Inc.:https://twitter.com/CathedraBitcoin/status/1767613187904450687Roman Sterlingov - Bad blockchain forensics convict the user of a Bitcoin mixer — as its operator:https://cointelegraph.com/news/bad-blockchain-forensics-convict-roman-sterlingovOXT Research Piece on the pseudoscience that led to Sterlingov’s conviction:https://www.oxtresearch.com/pseudo/Home Miner of the Week:@HodlTarantula with 500kW of off-grid mining deployed: https://x.com/HodlTarantula/status/1766625165822046377Rod @bitkite on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitkiteEconoalchemist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/econoalchemistRod @bitkite on nostr: npub1atn7mlwt08erz4ap47gef92xfey65a4z9ed9vec53u5kc9v94pusl6h4x3Econoalchemist on nostr: npub10m6lrv2kaf08a8um0plhj5dj6yqlw7qxzeag6393z352zrs0e5nsr2tff3Bitcoin Park on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_POD256 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pod256