Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive a control message indicating a resource set that includes one or more resources or a resource configuration for two or more time resources for reference signal reception from at least two transmission/reception points (TRPs) in accordance with a single frequency network (SFN) configuration. The UE may receive a first reference signal from the first TRP and a second reference from the second TRP in the indicated resources. The UE may perform a channel estimation for an SFN channel associated with the at least two TRPs in accordance with the control message. The channel estimation may be based on the first and second reference signals. The UE may communicate with at least one of the first TRP and the second TRP in accordance with the channel estimation.