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montyxc

By montyxc
in General geocaching topics

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montyxc

montyxc

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just finished building a solar powered FM transmitter that broadcasts morse code (programmable). I'm having trouble where I shouldn't: what kind of cache hunt complements this?

 

My original idea was to post coordinates near it, where the cacher could sit comfortably in his car and tune in using the car FM radio to decrypt the code with the next point coordinates. Seems dull, still too simple.

 

Now, it seems with such an unusual idea (for the area at least) that this could be kicked up a notch.

The transmitter will only work on a sunny day, not at night. This part is partly on purpose, but I eliminate the need for a battery making it very reliable. Here are my thoughts:

 

A) Make it into a night cache, where the coordinates need to be decoded during daylight hours, and the marker trail can only be found at night. :rolleyes:

 

B. Give general coordinates, like a park parking lot, but the transmitter must be "found," where a portable receiver is used to seek out the signal, somewhere in the park. *range is about 200 ft.

 

Maybe you all can help me come up with some other crazy ideas! What would you be interested in finding? This transmitter has been a thought for a while and I finally have it working. My main concern is that it will be spotted and stolen from where ever I hide it (up in a tree probably). I will post pictures of it by this evening.

 

What do you say!? :)

 

-->Montyxc

Edited by montyxc
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Styk

+Styk

Posted
Posted

That sounds like a great dea. Yes, placing the transmitter out of sight and up high should keep it from disappearing. It would be fun with just that but adding the night time part would certainly spice it up. I have heard of multi caches that only allowed the searcher to start at a certain time by controlling when the first stage coordinates were available. The same could be done electronically with a phototransistor in the bottom of a cone allowing the transmitter to work only during part of the day.

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montyxc

montyxc

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks, I will look around for the thread, I know that I made one a year ago as well.

I like the idea with the car lights a lot, but it would have to be mounted too low to the ground. A spotlight may work, but then hiding it would be out of the question.

 

So here is what I have:

DSCF4168.JPG

 

And the simple and small insides:

DSCF4170.JPG

 

Can't wait to set this thing up and hopefully attract many visitors.

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hukilaulau

+hukilaulau

Posted
Posted

I just finished building a solar powered FM transmitter that broadcasts morse code (programmable). I'm having trouble where I shouldn't: what kind of cache hunt complements this?

 

My original idea was to post coordinates near it, where the cacher could sit comfortably in his car and tune in using the car FM radio to decrypt the code with the next point coordinates. Seems dull, still too simple.

 

Now, it seems with such an unusual idea (for the area at least) that this could be kicked up a notch.

The transmitter will only work on a sunny day, not at night. This part is partly on purpose, but I eliminate the need for a battery making it very reliable. Here are my thoughts:

 

A) Make it into a night cache, where the coordinates need to be decoded during daylight hours, and the marker trail can only be found at night. ;)

 

B. Give general coordinates, like a park parking lot, but the transmitter must be "found," where a portable receiver is used to seek out the signal, somewhere in the park. *range is about 200 ft.

 

Maybe you all can help me come up with some other crazy ideas! What would you be interested in finding? This transmitter has been a thought for a while and I finally have it working. My main concern is that it will be spotted and stolen from where ever I hide it (up in a tree probably). I will post pictures of it by this evening.

 

What do you say!? :rolleyes:

 

-->Montyxc

I have no ideas to add, just wanted to ask are you aware of this contest?

Sunds like a cool cache and I would definitely try to make it over from Long island to find it.

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TheAlabamaRambler

+TheAlabamaRambler

Posted
Posted (edited)

GPS usage is of course the heart of our game, but you might contact your local amatuer radio club (find them at arrl.org) so that hams interested in fox-hunting can find it.

 

Fox-hunting is the game of finding a hidden transmitter using Radio Direction Finding equipment, the triangulation method used in Search and Rescue and FCC rule enforcement.

 

Speaking of which, see FCC regs for limitations on the use of unattended transmitters!

 

73 de W4AGA

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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TexasGringo

+TexasGringo

Posted
Posted

I Had thought about that but...up here it would be hard in the winter...frozen batteries, snow on the solar panels...etc.

 

There were some plug in FM Transmitters being sold and it could have been placed in the home. You could give a waypoint a few blocks away for someone to get the code.

 

So, I made the morse code as a Wave file...But according to the new rules (02/2007) the Puzzle has to be solvable on the cache page...and no downloads...so to get around that, you have to make a transcript of the wav file.

 

This is a Non-FM Transmitter one I did:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...39-ce3e2ac0d764

 

As far as Ham Radio Fox Hunts...that is usually up on 2 meters (144 mhz) where you could make a small hand-held loop antenna and go triangulate with some others.

 

Have Fun

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TexasGringo

+TexasGringo

Posted
Posted

***yes it is....general publics not alowed on fm....well anyway i know fm is not alowed on cb unles your are a ham....***

 

CB and Ham are two different things and licensing. CB is 11 Meters (27 mhz) and the closest Ham band is 10 meters (28 mhz).

 

***like i said..this should be in the ''GPS''/ham section***

 

I gave you links to information to update your knowledge about unlicensed FM transmitters...but I guess you wish to remain Mis-informed.

 

*** Finally ***

 

Post as you wish...nothing else from me to you.

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montyxc

montyxc

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Yeah, my idea is becoming more to make this a fox hunt type deal I think. I guess I haven't been reading up on the rules, but making this puzzle solvable before getting there totally destroys the purpose of it. This is accurate , no?

 

FM transmission is legal to within 200 feet, or until it interferes (something like that). Just look at the FM transmitters everyone has in their car for their iPods. same thing.

 

Fox hunting is interesting in that you must use techniques like body shielding to find it. We just started getting into it at the ham club we have at school. Good stuff.

 

Anywho, I will post the cache after it is set up. Probably some time next week. I'm looking to replace one of my disabled caches with a new box and a new hunt.

 

**Fm has nothing to do with CB, nor do hams have anything to do with the 11M band as said. I would love to use the 2M band, but the transmitters break the $10 mark the FM transmitter stays under and also has a wider attraction.

***correction, FM as in 87.8-108.0. FM, read below, does have quite a bit to do with Ham Radio.

enjoy,

montyxc

KC2SAE

Edited by montyxc
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n6uzs

+n6uzs

Posted
Posted

I've been a licensed ham radio operator for just over 20 years and have been interested in all kinds of radio transmitters. No one has mentioned the use of low power FM transmitters used in the home real estate market to "advertise" homes for sale. They are only heard about 100 yards and have looping info on them about what's for sale, etc. You can usually hear them on the FM band only.

 

You might want to also look at this now archived cache run by GeoTravis here in Southern California. It was called "FRS Activated Prototype" and anyone with a FRS radio could find it. Read about it here:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...0d-23a5ba2b33f8

 

In the ham radio world there are all kinds of devices which can control transmitters and how long they are on to what of telemetry tones are emitted including Morse Code. However that limits the hunt to ham ops who already own listening gear and scanner enthusiasts.

 

FRS radios are cheap and plentiful and I hope someone takes this idea and runs with it.

 

Have fun,

Richard N6UZS

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Snarf93

Snarf93

Posted
Posted

one thing you could do is make it a multi.

first they must find a cache with sheets of morse on it that they could use to decode your transmitter

next they take coordinates from that and find a cache with a hand cranked radio (the ones that you crank to charge the batteries) and they use it to hear the morse

they decode it then go find the final spot

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