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What is SignalSpan?
Signal Span is a new hands-on learning initiative from Gigabyte Grove. This project focuses on the collection, analyzation and sharing of radio and satellite data from remote and underserved areas using affordable, often donated or reclaimed equipment. Our mission is extremely simple: Bring real-time signal science to rural America, on a budget and at low cost.
We believe that the skies below to everyone, not just a few large universities, government agencies, or those with big budgets. A few well placed satellite dishes, radio receivers, antenna systems and the right mindset can allow anyone with the drive to learn from the invisible infrastructure all around us. Using radio waves, satellite telemetry, radar echos, and other enviromental data we can truly see the universe around us.
What is the purpose of SignalSpan?
SignalSpan is dedicated to exploring the unknown, and learning more about what is known through passive signal reception, environmental monitoring, and educational outreach. It’s not a commercial venture, all data collected is intended for open search projects, STEM education and community benefit, and will be made public on our website, and through tools that we develop by being able to receive that type of data. Long term goals for SignalSpan are:
What do we need right now?
SignalSpan is in the beginning stages of rolling out. So we’re seeking a lot at the moment, but with donations, we expect that need to die down as projects start being deployed. If you’re not sure where to start, monetary donations go a long way, more than most people realize. They will allow us to secure equipment that might be outside the range of something we can collectively afford, but might be pivotal to a project we’re working to deploy.
Current items we need include:
Other welcome items in working condition include:
What are these donation used for?
All equipment provided to us through donations are cataloged and used for the advancement of rural science. Whether it is mounted to a tower, buried in an enclosure in the middle of a field, or decoding signals from a random location, we’ll make them count. We also aim to feature all kinds of builds and tutorials for those who wish to follow along on our YouTube channel (@GigabyteGrove), so contributors can see their donations live in action and know that it made a difference.
How do I get them to you?
Gigabyte Grove currently has a network of friends and family who are helping us with pickup and delivery of larger items, those that can’t be shipped through conventional providers. With that, our current pickup area is anywhere within the State of Georgia, Northern and Central Florida, Southern Alabama, and Southern South Carolina. If you are farther from those areas, we’re happy to explore shipping or freight options, especially for higher value items like towers, or large dishes.
Smaller items can be shipped directly to our Post Office Box:
Gigabyte Grove
PO BOX 2215
Valdosta, GA 31604
If you plan to donate, we’d love to hear from you directly so that we can properly give you credit. Please use the form on this page to let us know who you are, and what you’re sending so that we can inventory it properly. With that, we want to thank anyone who’s considering donating, or who has donated. It means more than you realize. While it may seem like junk to you, the smallest thing can help us feed future generations with a love of science and technology.