Mertz Tech Quest: Bring a Phone and 3 AAs Traditional Cache

Notes:

• A phone or device with Wi-Fi compatibility and 3 AA batteries are required for this geocache.
• Please read the description before visiting the cache.
• It is best to park in Mertz Court as there is no parking on Golden Grove Road.

This geocache is located at the end of Mertz Court in Greenwith, named in honour of Xavier Mertz. Mertz was a polar explorer and member of the Far Eastern Party as part of the 1911 to 1914 Australian Antarctic Expedition (AAE).

Photo of Xavier Mertz (source)

You are looking for a 90 mm wide black PVC pipe at the marked coordinates, however to open the cache you will be required to research Mertz and his involvement in the Far Eastern Party and then 'connect' to the geocache in order to input your answer. You will not be required to travel anywhere other than the marked coordinates in order to unlock the cache.

To get the unlock code, answer the following question which you will be required to input into the geocache. The answer is one word and will need to be entered with a capital letter.

What natural formation is named in honour of Xavier Mertz?

Once you have the answer to the question, connect to the geocache using the following instructions:

1. Unscrew the base of the geocache.
2. Insert 3 AA batteries.
3. Wait for the LED to turn on.
4. Open the settings app on your phone.
5. Turn off mobile data if on, otherwise the phone may not connect.
6. Turn on Wi-Fi.
7. Select the access point called 'Geocache'.
8. Enter the password 'MrXavier' (case sensitive).
9. Wait for your device to connect.
10. Open a web browser. It may report it is offline.
11. In the search bar, enter '192.168.4.1'.
12. Input your answer into the webpage.
13. If correct, the webpage will prompt you with two more questions that will form the 3 digits code for the padlock to unlock the cache. The side of the padlock with the vertical line is the side the code must be entered.
14. When resecuring the padlock, put the shackle back in position and then turn the numbers.

Technical Information

This geocache contains a WEMOS D1, which has an ESP8266 processor. It hosts a web server on a local network accessible via Wi-Fi. The device is not connected to the internet and cannot communicate externally. The processor does not save any device information.