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Getting paid to Geocache

 
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Daddee
I once was a slug.




Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 2815
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: 1/31/2006, 10:29 am    Post subject: Getting paid to Geocache Reply to topic Reply with quote

Yep - you read that right - you can get paid for using your mad geocaching skillz.

Seems that a company called Space Data found a way to make money by launching weather balloons with cellular transmitters called SkySites that allow for better cell coverage in some of the more remote areas of the south and southwest (including Arizona, New Mexico and Texas) - and then charge premium rates for using their coverage. These high-flyin' cell units hover between 70,000 and 100,000-feet and provide coverage for a 200-mile radius on Earth. However, they drawback is that they only stay aloft for 24 to 48 hours before coming back down to tera firma.

Once a balloon hits the ground it radios its location back to its successor in the sky, which then relays the data to the SkySite website.

Now comes the payoff - Space Data will pay $60 to anyone who retrieves the cell-baloon. They originally post only a particular balloon's general location, and the first certified 'cacher in the area who calls dibs gets the exact coordinates and an exclusive 48-hour window to retrieve the gear.

Now, before you start thinking this is only a piddly amount of cash - first ask yourself if you've ever been paid to hike, then consider that Space Data (through the SkySite website) reportedly paid out over $93,000 to its volunteer army last year, with the top earner banking $10,000.

I may have to start geocaching.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 1/31/2006, 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Maybe they should change the spelling to geocashing!
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lzyboy





Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 201
Location: Mesa

PostPosted: 1/31/2006, 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Looks like most of these are in TX or LA
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 2/1/2006, 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Well, rats! I didn't check out the website, but was hoping some of them would be up here in the Redneck Alps. We could sure use some of those extra transmitters up here--it seems to be part of the rural lifestyle now. Picture this: A big tall chubby ol' guy in a cowboy hat, Carhart clothes, driving huge diesel king cab Chevy pickup with duelies and lift kit, blue heeler dog in the back, talking on his teeny little cell phone. And the cell phones work only in a few areas. So they are calling the business where I work, and saying to me, "Ah'll be runnin' out of reception here perty quick, got a road cut comin' up!" It gets old.
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