diff --git a/piker/fsp/_volume.py b/piker/fsp/_volume.py
index 5e144f58..aaded701 100644
--- a/piker/fsp/_volume.py
+++ b/piker/fsp/_volume.py
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ def wap(
     weights: np.ndarray,
 
 ) -> np.ndarray:
-    """Weighted average price from signal and weights.
+    '''
+    Weighted average price from signal and weights.
 
-    """
+    '''
     cum_weights = np.cumsum(weights)
     cum_weighted_input = np.cumsum(signal * weights)
 
@@ -130,6 +131,8 @@ async def dolla_vlm(
     chl3 = (a['close'] + a['high'] + a['low']) / 3
     v = a['volume']
 
+    from ._momo import wma
+
     # on first iteration yield history
     yield {
         'dolla_vlm': chl3 * v,
@@ -189,9 +192,22 @@ async def dolla_vlm(
 
 
 @fsp(
+    # TODO: eventually I guess we should support some kinda declarative
+    # graphics config syntax per output yah? That seems like a clean way
+    # to let users configure things? Not sure how exactly to offer that
+    # api as well as how to expose such a thing *inside* the body?
     outputs=(
+        # pulled verbatim from `ib` for now
         '1m_trade_rate',
         '1m_vlm_rate',
+
+        # our own instantaneous rate calcs which are all
+        # parameterized by a samples count (bars) period
+        # 'trade_rate',
+        # 'dark_trade_rate',
+
+        # 'dvlm_rate',
+        # 'dark_dvlm_rate',
     ),
     curve_style='line',
 )
@@ -199,9 +215,30 @@ async def flow_rates(
     source: AsyncReceiver[dict],
     ohlcv: ShmArray,  # OHLC sampled history
 
+    # TODO (idea): a dynamic generic / boxing type that can be updated by other
+    # FSPs, user input, and possibly any general event stream in
+    # real-time. Hint: ideally implemented with caching until mutated
+    # ;)
+    period: 'Param[int]' = 16,  # noqa
+
+    # TODO (idea): a generic for declaring boxed fsps much like ``pytest``
+    # fixtures? This probably needs a lot of thought if we want to offer
+    # a higher level composition syntax eventually (oh right gotta make
+    # an issue for that).
+    # ideas for how to allow composition / intercalling:
+    # - offer a `Fsp.get_history()` to do the first yield output?
+    #  * err wait can we just have shm access directly?
+    # - how would it work if some consumer fsp wanted to dynamically
+    # change params which are input to the callee fsp? i guess we could
+    # lazy copy in that case?
+    # dvlm: 'Fsp[dolla_vlm]'
+
 ) -> AsyncIterator[
     tuple[str, Union[np.ndarray, float]],
 ]:
+
+    # dvlm_shm = dolla_vlm.get_shm(ohlcv)
+
     # generally no history available prior to real-time calcs
     yield {
         '1m_trade_rate': None,
@@ -210,17 +247,27 @@ async def flow_rates(
 
     ltr = 0
     lvr = 0
+
+    # TODO: 3.10 do ``anext()``
+    quote = await source.__anext__()
+    tr = quote.get('tradeRate')
+    yield '1m_trade_rate', tr or 0
+    vr = quote.get('volumeRate')
+    yield '1m_vlm_rate', vr or 0
+
     async for quote in source:
         if quote:
 
-            tr = quote['tradeRate']
-            if tr != ltr:
+            # XXX: ib specific schema we should
+            # probably pre-pack ourselves.
+            tr = quote.get('tradeRate')
+            if tr is not None and tr != ltr:
                 # print(f'trade rate: {tr}')
                 yield '1m_trade_rate', tr
                 ltr = tr
 
-            vr = quote['volumeRate']
-            if vr != lvr:
+            vr = quote.get('volumeRate')
+            if vr is not None and vr != lvr:
                 # print(f'vlm rate: {vr}')
                 yield '1m_vlm_rate', vr
                 lvr = vr