As noted, this is a night cache. Before we get into the history of radio portion, we will discuss the cache. The terrain and difficulty ratings reflect that this is a night cache, intended to be found at night. Of course you can find it during the day but what fun is that? You will need to bring a bright flashlight (phones likely aren't bright enough), and you will be searching for reflective dots on trees that follow a path to the final location.
Start at the posted coordinates and enter into hole 8 through the gap in the bushes. You should see hole 8's basket and start to see reflectors. If you're standing near the basket, look to the north, the first marker is on this tree. The path you will take starts here. You will have to bushwhack and there are tripping hazards and a decision to make about 3/4 of the way through (hence the rating). I recommend wearing pants due to this. Unless they're old enough, you may want to leave the little ones at home as well. Please pay attention to the markers on the tree, but also your footing. The container itself has reflective tape and some more of the same markers you've been seeing. It may or may not be winter friendly, depending on how much snow we get. It is not hanging up. Please use stealth, especially since this is an active disc-golf course, and there will be muggles in the summer months (and sometimes winter too). Let them have the right-of-way and try not to give away the geocache hide.
If you have trouble spotting the reflectors on any of the beacons (or if they fall off), let me know so I can address this asap. I want this to be a fun, yet challenging night cache. Please replace as found and do not mess with the reflectors.
Ok, so now you've read about the cache, here is why this cache is the second in the Radio History series. If you haven't already done so, find the first... Radio History: The Code. This is not a requirement, you can find them out of order.
Amplitude Modulation, is a transmission method used by thousands of radio broadcasters around the world. It is widely used in the airline business for plane to ground communications, as well as the still popular CB band we remember from yesteryear. It is the oldest method of transmitting voice, morse code, and otherwise. If you found the first cache in this series, you know that the first transmissions took place in the early 1900s. As with who invented radio, there are several disputed claims as to who was the first official "radio station", whether commercial or otherwise. Some candidates include stations in Pittsburg, PA, Wisconsin, and San Francisco.
Amplitude Modulation is a fairly simple method of transmission although it has largely been superseded by FM, or Frequency Modulation. This is in part because AM has limitations, and suffers from poor signal to noise ratio. You can test this yourself. If you're sitting in the parking lot of the park when finding this cache, turn on your car radio and (if it has it) tune to the AM band. During the summer, and especially during thunderstorms, you can actually "hear" lightning strikes. It sounds like a crackle.
An advantage to AM radio is it's ability to transmit far distances. Again, while you're sitting in the parking lot, tune around the AM band. Note how far away some of the stations are. In St. Cloud, alone, I've heard a station from Los Angeles, California at night. This is all very technical and if you want you can read more about it here.
When you come back down to the parking lot, look to your right. That tower carries an AM radio station!!
If for any reason this cache needs maintenance, let me know in the logs. Cache on! Ftf: Doris Mendez. STF: Pink Candy