The "Blue Switch":
On May 2, 2000, the U.S. government deactivated Selective Availability, a deliberate degradation of GPS accuracy implemented for military purposes. This meant that GPS systems became much more accurate and precise for civilian and commercial use.
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Geocaching's Origins:
The first geocache was hidden just one day after Blue Switch Day, on May 3, 2000. This event is considered the genesis of the global geocaching movement, which involves hiding containers at specific coordinates for others to find using GPS.
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Celebrating Blue Switch Day:
Geocachers commemorate Blue Switch Day by celebrating the event and earning souvenirs for finding geocaches, attending events, or completing Adventure Lab locations during the designated time frame.
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Impact on GPS Technology:
Blue Switch Day is a crucial turning point in the history of GPS, as it opened up the technology to a broader audience and paved the way for countless innovations and applications.
Please be stealthy. You may be observed from the houses across the road, passing pedestrian traffic and also people sitting in cars along this street. Timing is crucial. If you cannot approach the cache without being observed, please come back at another time.
The cache is a micro with a log sheet. Please BYO pen, pencil, crayon or stamp.