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THE U.S. EMBASSY GEOCACHE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED IN NOVEMBER 2009. THANK YOU ALL FOR VISITING!
Visit the U.S. Embassy’s Geocache
Geocaching is a popular treasure hunting game in which participants use GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers to hide and seek for “geocache” containers around the world. This “techno-treasure hunt” includes over 500,000 “caches” worldwide, including over 5,000 caches in Finland. With so many GPS devices in Finland, including many on mobile phones, geocaching is a popular hobby in Finland for tech savvy adults and families alike. You can learn more about geocaching on the official website.
The U.S. Embassy recently created a unique geocache in downtown Helsinki called The Statue of Liberty in Helsinki (GC1A3PW).
Background on the Global Positioning System (GPS)
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a U.S. space-based radio navigation system that provides reliable positioning, navigation, and timing services on a continuous worldwide basis free of charge. Utilizing a GPS receiver, users can determine their three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitude) on the earth.
The GPS consists of three parts: satellites orbiting the Earth; control and monitoring stations on Earth; and the GPS receivers owned by users. GPS satellites broadcast signals from space that are picked up and identified by GPS receivers. The space segment consists of a nominal constellation of 24 operating satellites that transmit one-way signals that give the current GPS satellite position and time. This information is then translated by GPS receivers into an exact location on earth. Under optimum conditions, GPS receivers can be accurate within six feet (1.8 meters). The first geocache was placed in Oregon, USA in May 2000, shortly after GPS became freely available for civilian use worldwide.
The United States is committed to an extensive GPS modernization program, including the implementation of a second and a third civil signal on GPS satellites. The second civil signal will improve the accuracy of the civilian service and provide support for some lifesaving applications. The third signal will further enhance civilian capability and is primarily designed for lifesaving applications, such as aviation. In 2004 the United States and the European Union (EU) agreed to cooperate on the interoperability of GPS and the EU’s future satellite navigation system, Galileo – set to be operational in 2013.
Additional information on GPS can be found at: http://www.gps.gov/