diff --git a/shell.go b/shell.go
index 551b33644..9438e7de3 100644
--- a/shell.go
+++ b/shell.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ testing.  It can send and receive coins.
 const (
 	keyFileName    = "testkey.hex"
 	headerFileName = "headers.bin"
-	dbFileName     = "utxo.db"
+	dbFileName     = "/dev/shm/utxo.db"
 	// this is my local testnet node, replace it with your own close by.
 	// Random internet testnet nodes usually work but sometimes don't, so
 	// maybe I should test against different versions out there.
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func shell() {
 	// setup spvCon
 
 	SCon, err = uspv.OpenSPV(
-		SPVHostAdr, headerFileName, dbFileName, &Store, true, Params)
+		SPVHostAdr, headerFileName, dbFileName, &Store, false, false, Params)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/uspv/eight333.go b/uspv/eight333.go
index a5001052d..3c40f2c23 100644
--- a/uspv/eight333.go
+++ b/uspv/eight333.go
@@ -303,7 +303,8 @@ func (s *SPVCon) AskForBlocks() error {
 	}
 	if dbTip == headerTip {
 		// nothing to ask for; set wait state and return
-		fmt.Printf("no merkle blocks to request, entering wait state\n")
+		fmt.Printf("no blocks to request, entering wait state\n")
+		fmt.Printf("%d bytes received\n", s.RBytes)
 		s.inWaitState <- true
 		// also advertise any unconfirmed txs here
 		s.Rebroadcast()
diff --git a/uspv/hardmode.go b/uspv/hardmode.go
index 20d5118a9..7cd62c1e7 100644
--- a/uspv/hardmode.go
+++ b/uspv/hardmode.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
+	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcd/wire"
 )
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ func BlockRootOK(blk wire.MsgBlock) bool {
 	}
 	for len(shas) > 1 { // calculate merkle root. Terse, eh?
 		shas = append(shas[2:], MakeMerkleParent(shas[0], shas[1]))
-	}
+	} // auto recognizes coinbase-only blocks
 	return blk.Header.MerkleRoot.IsEqual(shas[0])
 }
 
@@ -55,17 +56,24 @@ func (s *SPVCon) IngestBlock(m *wire.MsgBlock) {
 	// iterate through all txs in the block, looking for matches.
 	// this is slow and can be sped up by doing in-ram filters client side.
 	// kindof a pain to implement though and it's fast enough for now.
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	wg.Add(len(m.Transactions))
 	for i, tx := range m.Transactions {
-		hits, err := s.TS.Ingest(tx, hah.height)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("Incoming Tx error: %s\n", err.Error())
-			return
-		}
-		if hits > 0 {
-			log.Printf("block %d tx %d %s ingested and matches %d utxo/adrs.",
-				hah.height, i, tx.TxSha().String(), hits)
-		}
+
+		go func() {
+			hits, err := s.TS.Ingest(tx, hah.height)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Printf("Incoming Tx error: %s\n", err.Error())
+				return
+			}
+			if hits > 0 {
+				log.Printf("block %d tx %d %s ingested and matches %d utxo/adrs.",
+					hah.height, i, tx.TxSha().String(), hits)
+			}
+			wg.Done()
+		}()
 	}
+	wg.Wait()
 
 	// write to db that we've sync'd to the height indicated in the
 	// merkle block.  This isn't QUITE true since we haven't actually gotten
diff --git a/uspv/init.go b/uspv/init.go
index 59dce7f13..4dc845562 100644
--- a/uspv/init.go
+++ b/uspv/init.go
@@ -13,10 +13,11 @@ import (
 
 // OpenPV starts a
 func OpenSPV(remoteNode string, hfn, dbfn string,
-	inTs *TxStore, hard bool, p *chaincfg.Params) (SPVCon, error) {
+	inTs *TxStore, hard bool, iron bool, p *chaincfg.Params) (SPVCon, error) {
 	// create new SPVCon
 	var s SPVCon
 	s.HardMode = hard
+	s.Ironman = iron
 	// I should really merge SPVCon and TxStore, they're basically the same
 	inTs.Param = p
 	s.TS = inTs // copy pointer of txstore into spvcon
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ func OpenSPV(remoteNode string, hfn, dbfn string,
 	s.outMsgQueue = make(chan wire.Message)
 	go s.outgoingMessageHandler()
 	s.blockQueue = make(chan HashAndHeight, 32) // queue depth 32 is a thing
-	s.fPositives = make(chan int32, 4000)        // a block full, approx
+	s.fPositives = make(chan int32, 4000)       // a block full, approx
 	s.inWaitState = make(chan bool, 1)
 	go s.fPositiveHandler()
 
diff --git a/uspv/msghandler.go b/uspv/msghandler.go
index 90f266894..06d10c4a4 100644
--- a/uspv/msghandler.go
+++ b/uspv/msghandler.go
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ func (s *SPVCon) fPositiveHandler() {
 				log.Printf("uhoh, crashing filter handler")
 				return
 			}
-
 			// send filter
 			s.SendFilter(filt)
 			fmt.Printf("sent filter %x\n", filt.MsgFilterLoad().Filter)
diff --git a/uspv/utxodb.go b/uspv/utxodb.go
index 8c08449ab..8550b50c7 100644
--- a/uspv/utxodb.go
+++ b/uspv/utxodb.go
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ func (ts *TxStore) Ingest(tx *wire.MsgTx, height int32) (uint32, error) {
 
 	// tx has been OK'd by SPV; check tx sanity
 	utilTx := btcutil.NewTx(tx) // convert for validation
-	// checks stuff like inputs >= ouputs
+	// checks basic stuff like there are inputs and ouputs
 	err = blockchain.CheckTransactionSanity(utilTx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return hits, err