IMPORTANT note: This web came may not always
be up and running. You should check the web page to be sure the
image is refreshing itself on a regular basis before heading off to
the cache. Please don't call the people who run the web
cam if it happens to be down.
To properly log this cache, you will need a cell phone (or at
least a local payphone) & a partner you can call who will be
sitting at a computer with the Internet. The person at the computer
should practice their job ahead of time to make sure that the
hunter is not standing outside for hours on end.
Read directions below!
Photographer's Job:
Go to the web site for the USGS gauging station on Salt Creek at
Wood Dale:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/il/nwis/uv/?site_no=05531175&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
When you receive the phone call from the hunter (see Hunter's
Job below), refresh the webcam picture by refreshing (reloading)
the web page. You may have to wait some time to get the right image
(it only updates at intervals) (SEE COMMENTS FOR HUNTER BELOW). The
normal image capture using a web browser (right click mouse, select
save picture as) MIGHT not work in this case. However, all Windows
based computers can capture the contents of the current window
without any other software - just hit "ALT"+"PRINT SCREEN". Then
open up a paint program or other image editor and hit "CTRL"+"V".
Also - most good image editors (anybody with MS Office has "Photo
Editor") can let people crop the unwanted junk (like the browser
window buttons) out of the image!
Alternatively, you might be able to do this cache without a
separate photographer, as images are cached here. Thanks
to geocacher "DasherCachers" for pointing this out to us.
Hunter's Job:
Check out the webcam before going, so you'll have an idea where
to stand - best to print out an image so you are sure you know
exactly where you are. Might want to avoid this cache during
flooding (duh). Might want to leave the little kids at home, to
avoid unnecessary drownings - even during low flow. Dress in boldly
visible colors - the broad stripes of a rugby shirt might work
well. When you get to the site, stand where you can be seen (select
a safe location!). Contact your photographer on the cell phone and
wait for them to confirm that they have your image (saved to their
computer, not just on the screen). They'll need to refresh their
browser. Best to do all this in the daytime during nice weather -
otherwise you may not be visible.
BUT WAIT! It isn't that simple. Did you think we'd rate
it a "3" just for standing in front of a camera?
The crux of the problem is the refresh rate of the image. When
creating this cache, we found it refreshed about every 1/2 hour,
almost on the hour (the time stamp on the image being about 1 1/2
hours behind of the actual time). So you'll need to check the
website to see exactly when it is refreshing. We really don't know
how the web cam owner has set the refresh rate. One simple solution
for those with a canoe or kayak is to put in upstream somewhere and
then paddle down to the desired location, drop anchor, and wait for
a call (on your cell phone) from your computer person/photographer
once they've captured the appropriate image. Probably not a good
idea to stand on top of the bridge for half an hour with all that
traffic!
Expect to get dirty. Maybe even wet and cold.
Verification:
You *must* post your picture with the log entry to get credit
for this cache. You *must* be plainly visible in the image (person
doing the image download doesn't get credit -- unless you have the
technology to be on-site while viewing the refreshed web image!).
Other posts may be deleted.
The camera in use for this cache is not owned or operated by the
cache owners. It's just a webcam that we knew about and put to
use.