GC2TKT3 Mission Impossible? Meet Steinmann 2011 (Event Cache) in South Wales, United Kingdom created by The Brat Pack (in conjunction with Steinmann)

This cache has been archived.

The Brat Pack: Looks as if everybody has now logged this and all the trackables are accounted for so it is time to archive this Event.

GC2TKT3 ▼

A cache by The Brat Pack (in conjunction with Steinmann) Message this owner

Hidden : Thursday, July 28, 2011

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

Flat Holm (Welsh: Ynys Echni) is a limestone island lying in the Bristol Channel approximately 6 km (4 mi) from Lavernock Point in the Vale of Glamorgan, but in the City and County of Cardiff. It includes the most southerly point of Wales.

It is also famous in radio history since on 13 May 1897, a 22-year-old Italian inventor named Guglielmo Marconi, assisted by a Cardiff Post Office Engineer named George Kemp, transmitted the first wireless signals over open sea from Flat Holm to Lavernock Point near Penarth. Having failed to interest the Italian government in his project, Marconi brought his telegraphy system to Britain. Here he met Welshman William Preece who was at that time Chief Engineer of the General Post Office and a major figure in the field. Marconi and Preece erected a 34 m (112 ft) high transmitting mast on Flat Holm as well as a 30 m (98 ft) receiving mast at Lavernock Point. The first trials on 11 -12 May failed but on 13 May the mast at Lavernock was raised to 50 m (160 ft) and the signals were received clearly. The message sent by Morse Code was "Are you ready"; the original paper Morse slip, signed by both Marconi and Kemp, is now in the National Museum of Wales.

So what is the connection with Steinmann? Steinmann (aka Thomas) is a German Geocacher with over 5,500 finds and over 350 hides to his name. He is also an amateur radio enthusiast and he comes to South Wales each year to spend some time with the Barry Amateur Radio Society on Flat Holm Island as part of their annual pilgrimage to Flat Holm, which they have now done for the past 45 years to experiment with amateur radio just as Marconi and Kemp did in May 1897.

Thomas made contact with the South Wales Geocaching Community three years ago with a view to meeting some of us and exchanging trackables - this we did over a drink or two and the following year we set up a formal "Meet Steinmann" Event. Unfortunately last year many of us were in Perth for the Scottish Mega so nothing formal was arranged. This year Thomas will be on Flat Holm over the MEGA Event period so will not be able to join us in Swansea for the Welsh MEGA but he has offered to host an Event on Flat Holm as part of the MEGA Wales festivities.

So why Mission Impossible? Well, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to get to Flat Holm and meet with Steinmann at the Flat Holm Museum and sign his log book. Thomas will be available at the Flat Holm Museum between 18.00 and 18.30 hrs. As always, should you or any of your team caught or killed, the Impossible Missions Force (aka the Wales MEGA Committee) will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This Cache Listing will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Team.

If you want some help on how to get to Flat Holm we would not advise swimming as the Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal rise and fall in the world and currents are treacherous. There is however a boat, the Lewis Alexander, that departs (weather permitting) from the Cardiff Bay Barrage South Water Bus Stop, situated in the Penarth Marina; the crossing takes about 50 minutes. The boat sails at 13.45 on 28 July 2011, returning at 19.15 and can be booked via this link (visit link)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybbx bhg sbe gur Trezna va gur ZRTN Rirag Cbyb Fuveg - gung jvyy or Gubznf!

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)