This cache is not hidden at the posted coordinates. Or is it? Solve this field puzzle to find the final cache coordinates.
This cache was placed with the help of the Ridgewood Fire Department and the Ridgewood Signal Department.
Ridgewood is one of the few towns that still actively uses a telegraph-based fire alarm call box system, a system in place for over 100 years, used by citizens to notify the fire department of an emergency. There are hundreds of these call boxes located on intersections through Ridgewood; this cache will make you notice these all over town every time you visit afterward. See a sample photo below.
When the box is activated, a spring-loaded wheel turns, tapping out a pulsed electrical signal corresponding to the box's number. A receiver at fire headquarters annunciates the pulses through flashing lights or tones, or via a pen recorder, and the box number is matched to a list of box locations. Even though most citizens have landline and/or mobile telephones, these call boxes still are used to serve the community. The advantage of this call box system is that it will work when there is no power or the telephones are down.
From Wikipedia ("Fire alarm call box"): "The first telegraph fire alarm system was developed by William Francis Channing and Moses G. Farmer in Boston, Massachusetts in 1852. Two years later they applied for a patent for their "Electromagnetic Fire Alarm Telegraph for Cities". In 1855 John Gamewell of South Carolina purchased regional rights to market the fire alarm telegraph, later obtaining the patents and full rights to the system in 1859. John F. Kennard bought the patents from the government after they were seized after the Civil War, returned them to Gamewell, and formed a partnership, Kennard and Co., in 1867 to manufacture the alarm systems. The Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co. was later formed in 1879. Gamewell systems were installed in 250 cities by 1886 and 500 cities in 1890. By 1910 Gamewell had gained a 95% market share."
From Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, Past and Present, published by Citizens Semi-Centennial Association, December 31, 1916: "The installation of the Gamewell Fire Alarm System in July, 1900 (the first alarm during its test being sent from Box 14), and the construction throughout the Village of a modern water-supply system (which W71S officially tested by the Fire Department for fire protection purposes on December 29, 1900) placed the Fire Department for the first time in a position where it could effectively combat the dangers of a serious conflagration. The department has since this time been able to confine all fires to the buildings in which they started. "
To find the cache container, you will visit a series of these active fire alarm call boxes. These red boxes are active fire alarms; do not touch or activate them!
The cache is located at the following location: N 40° [A].[B*10+C+D] W 74° 0[E*2/10][F*2], where A-F may be found as waypoints for this cache listing.
Per the rules of geocaching, a Found It log must correspond to a signed logbook.
I've left prizes for the first three finders; one unactivated geocoin, and two unactivated trackables. Thank you to Crunchy Bill for your help in these prizes.
I hope you enjoy the cache!