The people's miner
A frequently asked questions
Bobcat Miner 300 uses an enhanced 4dbi antenna, this provides more coverage than most of our competitors on the market. It uses a 64GB eMMC flash instead of an external SD card. The flash is welded on the motherboard to avoid loose connection, and also has a longer life expectancy of up to 10 years because it allows 3000 write cycles, compared to 500 write cycles allowed by an SD card. Bobcat Miner 300 also uses a quad-core ARM processor, which consumes ultra-low voltage, running on no more than 0.12kWh per day.
Bobcat supports both Ethernet and Wifi.
No. The miner’s transmit power is lower than cell phones.
Bobcat miner 300 and its stock antenna are indoor rated. Currently we don’t offer outdoor enclosures.
Bobcatminer provides a power adapter with input voltage of DC12V. It cannot be powered via USB/COM port.
No. Detail specs can be found here.
First-time setup and location assert fees are waived.
Detailed specs here. Connector images here. You can also go to the antenna channel on Discord inside the Helium community to find out more information on alternative antenna options, installation tips, and coverage, etc.
Yes you can upgrade the antenna, though we strongly suggest you first try our enhanced 4dbi antenna that provides wider network coverage, meaning better Proof of Coverage. However, if you do decide to change an antenna, please check the product images, and antenna specs on the website with connector images: https://www.bobcatminer.com/product-page.
Yes. All of our stock antennas are 4dBi. The length of the antenna is proportional to the wavelength of the frequency band. The frequency wavelength of 470 mHz is roughly twice that of 915 mHz, so proportionally, the CN 470 stock antenna is longer than the US/EU stock antenna.
It takes several minutes for the transaction to be recorded by the blockchain. The payment status will update from pending to paid usually within 10 minutes. You should also check your spam folder if you did not receive a payment confirmation email.
You must pay the order within the hour of it being generated. It will expire after 1 hour. If you have paid for an expired order, you will not get a payment confirmation. Email customer@bobcatminer.com with subject line [Paid an Expired Order], include order number, transaction ID, and screenshots of payment.
Orders are processed and shipped on a first come first served basis. The sooner you place an order, the faster you will receive your device and start mining! Currently we are estimating 8-12 weeks lead time from when an order is placed. This estimate was first provided in early March and remains unchanged as of now (3/21).
Nope, The Helium Hotspot uses Long-Fi and uses your existing internet connection broadcast a radio signal, connecting low-power devices in your area….devices such as dog-collars, environmental sensors etc. that only need to transmit and share small bits of information (like a location or temperature). It does not replace internet or cellular service for regular devices like computers and smartphones.
We’ve designed the app to be pretty intuitive when on-boarding a new Hotspot, but sometimes a little additional information can help clear up any lingering questions about what to do next. Here are the basic steps when installing your Hotspot:
Step 1: Download the app. If you already have, it’s recommended to check if there are any updates available.
iOS (iOS 13 and above) https://apps.apple.com/app/id1450463605
Android (Android OS 8 and above): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.helium.wallet
Step 2: Sign in or Create Account.
Don’t forget to write down your 12 word seed phrase, and keep them safe!! These can not be recovered if they are lost.
Step 3: Plug in the Hotspot:
Pretty easy, right? Plugging it into the outlet automatically powers it up. You’ll see the light do the following:
The yellow light come on after about 5 seconds. It will stay yellow for around 30 seconds as it boots up.
The light will shut off for about 10 seconds and come back as a light green.
All told, it can take 45 seconds to a minute for it to boot up all the way, but that yellow light will appear pretty quickly
Step 4: In the app, go to the Hotspots tab at the bottom of the screen and click the green Set up Hotspot button. That will walk you through pairing up over bluetooth.
FYI, this is done through the app, it won’t show in the phones ‘bluetooth devices’ area. Note that both Bluetooth and Location Services need to be enabled in both the phone settings as well as the app settings.
If you’re having trouble pairing, please check out the Hotspot Setup Troubleshooting Guide for suggestions.
Step 5: Connect to the internet. This can be done by selecting the WiFi network or plugging in an Ethernet cable.
If you have trouble connecting, please check out the Network Troubleshooting Guide for some tips.
Step 6: Add the Hotspot to the Blockchain.
Depending on when exactly your Hotspot was produced, it may require a firmware update as well. You’ll see a page in the app of this if it’s required. In that case, you just need to leave it plugged in and connected to the internet for about 15-20minutes…so you can take a break, go grab a coffee, watch some TV, etc, and then come back, re-pair over bluetooth, and proceed through the steps. At that point, as long as the internet has been properly connected it will have automatically updated and you’ll be able to skate through the setup.
You’ll see a note about On-Boarding Fees. For Hotspots purchased directly through helium.com, we waive this $40 fee (paid in Data Credits) for you!
Step 7: Set your Location
There will normally be a $10 fee to set your location (also paid in Data Credits), this is covered by Helium for the first two assertions but will incur a Data Credit cost after that. The fees are used to validate and safeguard the network.
Once past this screen, you can specify the location by zooming in on the map and Confirm Hotspot Location.
Note that this is not done automatically and is required before tokens can be earned.
Step 8: You’re done!
Please allow 24-48 hours to fully sync the blockchain.
Note that we do push firmware updates regularly, so even if you do not see the screen noted above, your Hotspot will most likely update itself. This does reboot the Hotspot as well, so do not be alarmed if the light goes white for a little while, as that’s the firmware updating.
Once it’s synced, and if you’re data hungry or curious, you can monitor your Hotspot and the Network from within the app, or from one of the two following pages: Our network visualizer: https://network.helium.com/coverage and by pasting in your wallet address here: https://explorer.helium.com/
For more information about what your hotspot is doing while it’s running, see the My Hotspot collection of articles in the support center.
https://www.bobcatminer.com/faq
