The NFC Scottsdale #1
CACHE NICKNAME: Intro to NFC
This cache is easy to find, however it has a bigger purpose. At this cache, take time to learn where your smart phone reads NFC tags.
Open the cache container to sign the log. In addition, remove one of the loaner NFC tags for a brief walk away from ground zero. Place the loaner NFC tag at various spots on the back of your phone until you find the EXACT location on the phone that reads NFC tags.
The NFC reader on an iPhone is near the top, opposite the camera lens; on an Android phone the NFC reader is closer to the middle of the phone. You will know that the NFC tag is read when your phone gets a popup message stating 'Website NFC Tag'. Click on that popup for more information.
Once you know where your smart phone reads NFC tags, deposit the loaner tag in the coin slot on the top of the cache container. Note that there is an NFC tag on the bottom of the cache container if the loaner tags are not available.
This is the only cache of the series that can be found without reading an NFC tag.
COURSE MAP:
SERIES OVERVIEW:
My first two geocache series were inspired by The TPC Scottsdale golf course. Since the containers for those caches were made of PVC, they were called The PVC Scottsdale courses.
This is my latest geocaching venture which uses NFC tags, so Welcome to the NFC Scottsdale!!!
NFC stands for near-field communication. NFC tags are small chips that allow wireless communication between devices that are close together. For this series of caches, NFC tags can be tapped with a smart phone to get further instructions, coordinates and/or hints to find a cache.
On this series of caches, you will be tapping on NFC tags and clicking on the popup to open the corresponding website for those additional details. The NFC tags used on The NFC Scottsdale course are white plastic chips almost identical in size to a quarter. Note that 'tapping' really means placing your phone on/very near the NFC tag for 1-2 seconds.
Smart phones that are newer than 10 years old have NFC technology enabled by default, so it is highly unlikely that any changes need to be made to your smart phone. There are also NO APPLICATIONS that need to be installed to successfully complete The NFC Scottsdale course.
Similar to Scottsdale's TPC golf course, this NFC course is a series of holes/caches that is great to be played all together, in sequence. Each cache has at least one NFC tag that must be read. It is less than 1.75 miles to complete all 9 in sequence and return to the starting point.
If you have any suggestions on how to improve a cache, or ideas for new ones, please send them my way. And if you enjoy a cache, please consider giving it a FAVORITE so that others will come to enjoy.
Thanks and have fun!