Big Blue Switch day
Each day, hidden technologies around the world help shape our work, our play, and our futures. One such technology is GPS, or Global Positioning System technology, which revolutionized precise location information and enabled geocaching itself!
Prior to 2000, the U.S. military created and deployed satellites to produce accurate location information for military applications. Selective Availability restricted precise GPS data to the U.S. government. On May 2, 2000, the U.S. government “flipped the switch” and made accurate GPS available to all. Geocachers proudly call this day Blue Switch Day!
After the switch was flipped and GPS became available to the public, the first geocache didn’t take long to appear! Only one day later, the first geocache was hidden on May 3, 2000. Geocaching was born!
On this day geocaching will provide a souvenir to the community.