diff --git a/chain/chain.go b/chain/chain.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ab53ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chain/chain.go
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+package chain
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"math/big"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/cmd/utils"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth/downloader"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethclient"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/enode"
+
+	//	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/abi"
+	hdwallet "github.com/miguelmota/go-ethereum-hdwallet"
+)
+
+type Node interface {
+	Init() error
+	Start()
+	LinkBatch([]byte) error
+}
+
+type EthNodeHandle struct {
+	n *node.Node
+	c *eth.Config
+}
+
+func Init() (Node, error) {
+	e := new(EthNodeHandle)
+	err := e.Init()
+	return e, err
+}
+
+func (e *EthNodeHandle) Init() error {
+
+	nodeConfig := node.DefaultConfig
+	nodeConfig.IPCPath = "~/.go-dvote-eth.ipc"
+
+	//might also make sense to use staticnodes instead of bootstrap
+	var urls = []string{
+		"enode://e97bbd1b66c91a3e042703ec1a9af9361e7c84d892632cfa995bad96f3fa630b7048c8194e2bbc8984a612db7f5f8ca29be5d807d8abe5db86d5505b62eaa382@51.15.114.224:30303",
+		"enode://480fbf14bab92f6203140403f5a1d4b4a8af143b4bc2c48d7f09fd3a294d08955611c362064ea01681663e42638440a888c326977e178a35295f5c1ca99dfb0f@51.15.71.154:30303",
+		"enode://d6165c23b1d4415f845922b6589fcf19c62e07555c867848a890978993230dad039c248975578216b69a9f7a8fbc2b58db4817bd693f464a6aa45af90964b1e2@51.15.102.251:30303",
+		"enode://3722cb9af22c61294fe6a0a7beb1db176ef456eb4cab1f6551cefb44e253450342de6459bcf576bd97797cf0df9e818db3d048532f3068351ed1bacaa6ec0d20@51.15.89.137:30303",
+	}
+	nodeConfig.P2P.BootstrapNodes = make([]*enode.Node, 0, len(urls))
+	for _, url := range urls {
+		if url != "" {
+			node, err := enode.ParseV4(url)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			nodeConfig.P2P.BootstrapNodes = append(nodeConfig.P2P.BootstrapNodes, node)
+		}
+	}
+	n, err := node.New(&nodeConfig)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	ethConfig := eth.DefaultConfig
+	ethConfig.NetworkId = 1714
+	ethConfig.SyncMode = downloader.LightSync
+
+	e.n = n
+	e.c = &ethConfig
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (e *EthNodeHandle) Start() {
+	utils.RegisterEthService(e.n, e.c)
+	// start the stack and watch for SIG events
+	utils.StartNode(e.n)
+	//api := node.NewPublicAdminAPI(e.n)
+	//info, _ := api.NodeInfo()
+	//fmt.Println(info)
+	//client, _ := ethclient.Dial(e.n.IPCEndpoint())
+	//ctx, _ := context.WithCancel(context.TODO())
+	//sync, _ := client.SyncProgress(ctx)
+	//fmt.Println(sync)
+	// wait for explicit shutdown
+	//e.n.Wait()
+	//download chain?
+}
+
+func (e *EthNodeHandle) LinkBatch(data []byte) error {
+	contractAddr := "0x3e4FfefF898580eC8132A97A91543c8fdeF1210E"
+	var gasLimit uint64
+	gasLimit = 100000000000000000
+	return e.sendContractTx(contractAddr, gasLimit, data)
+}
+
+// might be worthwhile to create generic SendTx to call contracttx, deploytx, etc
+
+func (e *EthNodeHandle) sendContractTx(addr string, limit uint64, data []byte) error {
+	fmt.Println(e.n)
+	client, err := ethclient.Dial(e.n.IPCEndpoint())
+	fmt.Println("Got IPC Endpoint:" + e.n.IPCEndpoint())
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(1000 * time.Millisecond)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithDeadline(context.TODO(), deadline)
+	defer cancel()
+	fmt.Println("context created")
+
+	mnemonic := "perfect kite link property simple eight welcome spring enforce universe barely cargo"
+	wallet, err := hdwallet.NewFromMnemonic(mnemonic)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	path := hdwallet.MustParseDerivationPath("m/44'/60'/0'/0/0")
+	account, err := wallet.Derive(path, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("recovered acct")
+	key, err := wallet.PrivateKey(account)
+	sendaddr, err := wallet.Address(account)
+	nonce, _ := client.NonceAt(ctx, sendaddr, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("error")
+		return err
+	}
+	//create tx
+	fmt.Println("creating tx")
+	price, _ := client.SuggestGasPrice(ctx)
+	fmt.Println(price)
+	tx := types.NewTransaction(nonce, common.HexToAddress(addr), big.NewInt(0), limit, price, data)
+	signedTx, _ := types.SignTx(tx, types.HomesteadSigner{}, key)
+	//create ctx
+	err = client.SendTransaction(ctx, signedTx)
+	fmt.Println(err)
+	//fix return
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/cmd/relay/relay.go b/cmd/relay/relay.go
index 438190c..569441b 100644
--- a/cmd/relay/relay.go
+++ b/cmd/relay/relay.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/vocdoni/go-dvote/net"
 	"github.com/vocdoni/go-dvote/db"
 	"github.com/vocdoni/go-dvote/data"
+	"github.com/vocdoni/go-dvote/chain"
 )
 
 var dbPath = "~/.dvote/relay.db"
@@ -47,18 +48,20 @@ func main() {
 	batch.BatchSignal = batchSignal
 	batch.BatchSize = batchSize
 
+	node, err := chain.Init()
+	node.Start()
 
-	fmt.Println("Entering main loop")
 	transport, err := net.Init(transportType)
 	if err != nil {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
+	fmt.Println("Entering main loop")
 	go transport.Listen()
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <- batchTimer.C:
-			fmt.Println("Timer triggered")
-//			fmt.Println(batch.Create())
+			//fmt.Println("Timer triggered")
+//			//fmt.Println(batch.Create())
 			//replace with chain link
 		case signal := <-batchSignal:
 			if signal == true {
@@ -70,6 +73,7 @@ func main() {
 				cid := data.Publish(bb)
 				data.Pin(cid)
 				fmt.Printf("Batch published at: %s \n", cid)
+				node.LinkBatch([]byte(cid))
 				// add to chain
 				// announce to pubsub
 				//fmt.Println("Nullifiers:")