A major goal of Public Laboratory is to produce simple and easy guides to construct many of our low-cost tools. Here are some of the illustrated guides, tutorials, and other supporting materials we've put together so far: ## "Getting Involved" diagram Beautifully illustrated by [Molly Danielsson](/wiki/www.mollydanielsson.com)! http://publiclab.org/wiki/how-to-get-involved-with-public-lab-illustrated ## Aerial mapping #### Grassroots Mapping with balloons and kites * [Grassroots Mapping Guide 2.0](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BJxYKVYdUimf5s3hOVoQCWPoj1UinaIaAEKF65Q2pbc/edit), ([1mb pdf](/sites/default/files/Grassroots_Mapping_English_2_0_0.pdf)) - This improved version of the guide is more concise (prints on 4 pages, or a single 11x17 sheet, double sided) and has been updated with more recent, simpler, more reliable techniques. It is available for anyone to edit or modify as a Google Doc. * http://grassrootsmapping.org/guide - Our first illustrated guide attempts to thoroughly explain how to construct and use a [balloon mapping](/tool/balloon-mapping) kit. * [Step by step slide presentation](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oSfsY2O5D3ERJYdoLxXe2ePtN-tOGh06_P2nMduCRAw/edit) - all the drawings of the Grassroots Mapping Guide 2.0 shown one at a time on 15 slides. Useful for projecting during rig-building workshops. #### Balloon Mapping Quick Start Guide We made this one specifically for filling and flying our [balloon kit](/wiki/balloon-mapping-kit), but the flying info is generally applicable. * [BalloonMappingQuickStartGuide1English.pdf](/sites/default/files/BalloonMappingQuickStartGuide1English.pdf) (1.5 MB) [Anyone can print, add to or edit the Google Doc](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1f397WvHyZtwyDEqXIIrNpLBfNfw2accAWzQhdvhg4TA/view), please translate it to new languages if you can! #### Balloon Mapping Flight Checklist & Packing Lists Sequential to-do lists and packing lists for every step of the process. Do it right every time! use a list. * [BAPpre-flightchecklistpackinglist.pdf](/sites/default/files/Balloon%20Mapping%20Pre-flight%20Checklist%20&%20Packing%20List.pdf) (66 KB) [Again, anyone can download, print, or edit the Google Doc.](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UUiQt-p2npJiIi48v_3o2_keeqEEzHc1yONybGeYF-E/edit) #### Other Guides based on Public Lab Balloon/Kite research [GeoJournalism Handbook Guide](http://geojournalism.oeco.org.br/2013/08/balloon-mapping-how-to-make-your-own-low-flying-satellite/) By @imvec: Balloon Mapping guide in Spanish on an onion site (visit using the Tor Browser): https://o5ss65db4oowvkobyebvttphtlglc464icnwdjfziylfl55au2iyizid.onion/regist.ro/?aereo/soportes ### Making Maps with MapKnitter [Sorting images](/notes/mathew/1-30-2012/efficient-image-sorting-finder-preview-mac) [Quick overview of Mapknitter](/notes/gonzoearth/05-29-2013/time-lapse-video-of-a-mapknitter-project) Public laboratory's open source MapKnitter.org tool: [MapKnitter Guide](/wiki/mapknitter) #### Translations * **Arabic:** BalloonGuide_Arabic.pdf * **IN PROGRESS Arabic**: https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AVY4Tg28DhosZGM0OHd6M2RfMjU5Y3o2NXEzZG0&hl=en_US * **Castellano/Spanish**: [Guía ilustrada de hacer mapas con globos o cometas](https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AVY4Tg28DhosZGM0OHd6M2RfMjYwZ2JiMnJwZDQ&hl=en_US) * [PDF (1mb, 4 pages)](/sites/default/files/Grassroots_Mapping_Castellano_2_0.pdf) * **Portuguese**: [Guia ilustrado para Mapear Comunidades de base com balões e pipas](https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0Aeyey6nGYeyiZHF4NnNoZF8wZnEzNmo4aHM&hl=en_US) * [PDF (1mb, 4 pages)](/sites/default/files/Grassroots_Mapping_Brazilian_Portugese_1_0.pdf) * **Georgian** (older 5 page version): [PDF (26mb)](http://grassrootsmapping.org/guides/grassroots-mapping-guide-ge.pdf) * **Hebrew** מדריך מאוייר למיפוי עצמאי עם בלונים או עפיפונים (older 5 page version): [A4 PDF (3.1mb)](http://grassrootsmapping.org/guides/grassroots-mapping-guide-heb-a4.pdf), [Letter-sized PDF](http://grassrootsmapping.org/guide/grassroots-mapping-guide-heb-let.pdf) * **Korean**: [see research note by Jaekyung Lee](/notes/leejaekyung/11-30-2011/balloon-mapping-tutorial-korean) * **Chilean**: [external site](http://marcha.ciudadanointeligente.cl/) * **Ukrainian**: [Картографування за допомогою Повітряних куль та Зміїв](/sites/default/files/GrassrootsMapping2.2Ukraine.pdf) (995kb PDF) [Google Doc](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17icXuUYDlV7Ujuxs6SwLjCm73vkGHzVTV8ta0w0xfp8/edit#slide=id.g84b9a2f_1_14) * **Russian**: [attached PDF](/sites/default/files/Instructions_Rus_Combines.pdf) * **Turkish/Türkçe**: Balon ve Uçurtma ile Haritalama için Resimli Rehber * **Dutch/Nederlands** [Image from Dutch article on a Public Lab Kite Mapping event](https://i.publiclab.org/system/images/photos/000/001/490/original/waag-kite-mapping.png) in Amsterdam, by [Waag Society](http://waag.org) -- and a full PDF version, released CC-BY-SA: cl_special_spelen-leren.pdf * **German:** BalloonGuide_German.pdf **** ## Spectrometry #### Translations spanish translation: traducción de instrucciones para mini-espectrometro en español. 8.5x11mini-spec3.8_-_spanish.pdf _These are out of date; please see [the main Spectrometer page](/wiki/spectrometer) * [PLOTS DIY Spectrometer Guide v1.0.pdf](/sites/default/files/PLOTS%20DIY%20Spectrometer%20Guide%20v1.0.pdf) (2 pages, black and white, 1.4 MB) * PLOTS DIY Spectrometer construction (wiki page): http://publiclaboratory.org/wiki/video-spectrometer-construction **Older spectrometry guides:** _These may be out of date_ * Making a [spectrometer](/tool/spectrometer): * [plots-spectrometer-guide.pdf](/downloads/plots-spectrometer-guide.pdf) (17.4mb) * [plots-spectrometer-guide-small.pdf](/downloads/plots-spectrometer-guide-small.pdf) (4.3kb) * [Parts and Crafts](http://partsandcrafts.org/) revised spectrometry booklet (fantastic!): http://archive.publiclaboratory.org/download/partsandcrafts-spectrometer-guide.pdf (21mb, print quality) **** ## In progress We're constantly improving and exploring new ways of documenting and disseminating our designs. Here are some prototypes and planning pages: * [T-shirt guide](/wiki/t-shirt-guide) - A t-shirt with instructions for balloon mapping printed on it. **** ## Activities Help out with our guides using these calls to action, or post your own to get a new guide started! [activities:guides] **** ## Questions [questions:guides] ...