diff --git a/NOTES.md b/NOTES.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77aa888
--- /dev/null
+++ b/NOTES.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# HOWTO port
+
+- its a sans-io module, no IO included
+- its got a callback API recv -> onmessage which Id like to replace
+  - plan is then maybe to use a async with API for this handling
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0571801..3244539 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 [![Build Status](https://drone.autonomic.zone/api/badges/hyperpy/simple-message-channels/status.svg)](https://drone.autonomic.zone/hyperpy/simple-message-channels)
 
-## Wire protocol for Hypercore
+## Sans I/O wire protocol for Hypercore
 
 ```sh
 $ pip install simple-message-channels
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 2f28a5e..65cb7c8 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ maintainer_email = hi@decentral1.se
 url = https://git.autonomic.zone/hyperpy/simple-message-channels
 project_urls =
   Source Code = https://git.autonomic.zone/hyperpy/simple-message-channels
-description = Low level wire protocol for Hypercore
+description = Sans I/O wire protocol for Hypercore
 long_description = file: README.md
 license = GPLv3
 license_file = LICENSE
diff --git a/simple_message_channels/__init__.py b/simple_message_channels/__init__.py
index 9c22bd0..46e4511 100644
--- a/simple_message_channels/__init__.py
+++ b/simple_message_channels/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """simple-message-channels module."""
 
+from simple_message_channels.smc import SimpleMessageChannel  # noqa
+
 try:
     import pkg_resources
 except ImportError:
@@ -7,6 +9,6 @@ except ImportError:
 
 
 try:
-    __version__ = pkg_resources.get_distribution('simple-message-channels').version
+    __version__ = pkg_resources.get_distribution('simple_message_channels').version
 except Exception:
     __version__ = 'unknown'
diff --git a/simple_message_channels/smc.py b/simple_message_channels/smc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..95c7c5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/simple_message_channels/smc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+"""Sans I/O wire protocol for Hypercore"""
+
+__all__ = ["SimpleMessageChannel"]
+
+
+class SimpleMessageChannel:
+    """A simple message channel."""
+
+    async def send(self, channel: int, type: int, message: bytes) -> bytes:
+        pass
+
+    # TODO(decentral1se): spec out the context manager API of recv
diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f9dcff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def smc():
+    from simple_message_channels import SimpleMessageChannel
+
+    return SimpleMessageChannel()
diff --git a/test/test_smc.py b/test/test_smc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd98f04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_smc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+async def test_send_recv(smc):
+    channel, type, message = 0, 0, b"abc"
+
+    payload = await smc.send(channel, type, message)
+    assert isinstance(payload, bytes)
+
+    async with smc.recv(payload) as response:
+        assert response.channel == channel
+        assert response.type == type
+        assert response.message == message