Amateur radio telescope

I am raising funding for an amateur radio telescope array that will hopefully provide 24/7 observations of the 21 centimeter line. The telescope will initially be made up of 3 radio dishes  specifically tuned to collect radio waves at this frequency. This frequency is important as it’s the frequency at which neutral hydrogen produces radio waves. By studying these emissions the galaxy can be mapped and better understood. It is also a frequency which is of interest to SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial intelligence) projects as it’s the best frequency to both transmit and receive radio signals over interstellar distance. More over any intelligent race capable of radio astronomy would know about it so it acts as a good baseline for communicating with beings completely different to us.

The array known as the “Zenith Twenty-one Centimeter Array”, or ZETA Radio Telescope. Will be comprised of multiple radio dish antennas all in a fixed position straight up, known as “zenith”. As the earth rotates it will sweep the sky and map the portions of the galaxy directly above. As well as providing continuous monitoring for potential signals originating from deep space. ZETA will be deployed locally, with the possibility of being deployed on the grounds of a local astrophysical observatory under the watch of the University of Calgary. The telescope will be an independent project, but all data collected by it will be freely available to anyone who could use it, including the observatory and university for their astrophysics programs. In this way the telescope is more than just a pet project, it’s a project with the potential to offer real insights and data that can be used by many students and astronomers professionally.

I as the owner and builder of the array, I will primarily use it as a dedicated SETI telescope, but through its normal operation it will gather data on neutral hydrogen emission in the galaxy that can be used by others. Making it a 2 for 1 instrument.

The array will initially consist of 3  radio dishes in a triangle formation. But depending on funding the array is designed to be modular and expandable. Although the principal design is 3 dishes, I have thought about the possibility of expanding it in the future up to 12. But an expansion of that size would depend on location and permissions. So any potential expansions of the array beyond the main 3 will be addressed and decided upon later and only with the permission of the observatory, or if the array moves to a new sight down the road.All funds raised for this project will be used to help purchase materials, hardware, and tools needed for the arrays construction and maintenance. Any leftover funds will be saved for further array expansions and repairs.