This cache is based on a great
cache (The
Cache Where YOU Are the GPS) that I completed
this week by Team
Ekitt10. I had such a fun and challenging time,
that I contacted Team Ekitt10
and asked for permission to replicate his Central Jersey cache
here in Northern NJ. Not only did he give his enthusiastic
approval, he also sent me some files that assisted me in setting
up this cache. So thanks, credit and possibly scorn (only
kidding) if you get too frustrated by this cache should be
directed to Team
Ekitt10.
The three satellites are
numbers that are easily viewed from the coordinates given.
The actual cache is a standard ammo can that is hidden at the
coordinates that you will calculate from the three
satellites. It is not necessary to find the
satellites in order. There is no need to trespass onto
private property, all the locations have safe parking
areas.
Once you have calculated the
distances from all three satellites, you will then need to
calculate the coordinates of the actual cache. You can use
brute force, trial and error, triangulation, topo map with a
compass and protractor, mapping software, algebra, geometry,
trigonometry, or calculus.
Please feel free to email me if you need
assistance, additional hints, verify your calculations (at any
stage) or somewhere to vent your rage.
The location of the three
satellites:
Satellite 1:
N 40 48.665 W 074 19.611
Satellite 2:
N 40 48.397 W 074 22.010
Satellite 3:
N 40 46.926 W 074 19.052
Satellite
1: N 40 48.665 W
074 19.611
This satellite is located at the
Riker Hill Art
Park. The entrance to the park is a bit tricky. The
access road starts at N 40 48.622 W 074
20.061. This is the site of a former NIKE missile base.
This area was the command and control for the actual missile base
that was located in East Hanover, NJ. During the 50's to the
late 60's / early 70's this was a secured military base. The
two areas were connected by an underground cable. Please take
time to walk the grounds. There were facilities to control
the launch of two missiles. You can see the outline of the
radar globe structures, the buildings that housed the launch
facilities, crew areas, power areas, guard houses, and
offices.
A missile was never actually
fired from this location. It is mind boggling that nuclear
tipped missiles were actually in our area. Weird NJ and Lost in Jersey have a listing to this
site and the NIKE missile program.
The coordinates for Satellite 1 (N
40 48.665 W 074 19.611) will take you to a
corner of a building. The actual command and controls were
located on the back of truck trailers (they were suppose to be
mobile).
The truck trailers were backed up to
the slots in this building. There were semi-permanently
affixed to the building, but I digress. In the corner of the
building you will see the same three digit number appears multiple
times inches away from each other on different backgrounds.
You will know that you have the correct three digit number because
the sum of the three digits is 9. In order to find the
distance to the cache from this satellite solve the following
equation:
a = three
digit number b=the number of times the
three digit numbers appears in the above defined immediate
area.
(((a*b)*4)-((300*b)+23)) =__________
meters
Satellite
2: N 40 48.397 W
074 22.010
This satellite is located at the
actual missile base. The missiles and the command and control
center had to be kept a certain distance apart, because the missile
guidance systems needed to obtain a certain angle from the radar
systems to be effective. On the way to satellite 2, stop at
these coordinates N 40 48.362 W 074
21.733. You will see an interesting road sign. I would
wager that most people in this area, think that the street was
named after a sneaker company. The only part left of the
missile base are the crew quarters. The actual missiles were
stored underground, where the condo complex is now
located.
The senior personnel lived in the
homes with their families, and the enlisted personnel lived in the
barracks.
The above coordinates will take you
to a location where you see two sets of numbers. The top set
of numbers is a non-integer in bold type. The second set of
numbers is right below it, in stamped metal. You will know
that you have the correct set of numbers because the sum of the
five digits is 24. In order to find the distance to the cache from
this satellite solve the following equation:
c = top
number d=bottom number.
(((c²)*2)*d)-
(d-128.5) =__________ meters
Satellite
3: N 40 46.926 W
074 19.052
This satellite is located near the
Livingston, NJ 9/11 garden. This memorial was just
unveiled. It is very well done. There were 7 residents
of our town who lost their lives. I include this stop along
with the others, because I think that it is a good juxtaposition of
our current world affairs and security in NJ. Only a few
years ago we had nuclear tipped missiles in Livingston, they are
gone, and the threat is not one of a cold war, but of terrorism, I
am unsure if our security is better or not. Certainly a open
question.
The above coordinates for satellite
3 will take you to a four digit number that is preceded with the
letter "P". You will know that you have the correct set of
numbers because the sum of the four digits is 18. In order to find
the distance to the cache from this satellite solve the following
equation:
e = four
digit number
(e * 2) - ((e*0.5) - (175.5*2)) =__________ meters
You now have the distances of all three satellites
to the actual cache. The cache is located in a
reasonable location, again you do not have to trespass on
private property. Have fun. The hint below only
refers to the placement of the actual cache, not the
satellites. The actual cache was given to me by my
three children in celebration of Fathers Day, 2003.
Please support CITO,
all four locations have great opportunities for
trash pickup.