posted May 14, 2000 01:05 PM         

Please repost it wherever you can. No credit required, no restrictions, just spread the word.

A TECHNIQUE FOR PRECISE LOCATION OF BURIED CACHES,
and other related stuff.

You will need a GPS handheld unit, a compass, 4 aluminum
cans, and some string, and a cheap metal detector.

When you bury the cache, use the GPS to get a reading on its
location. This location can be relocated within a circle of
about 10 yards diameter later, so long as SA stays off. If
its back on, this circle can be about 50 yards diameter. It
is supposed to stay off, but could be turned on to harass
someone in an emergency.

Next, pace of 5 paces west of the burial spot, and bury a
can just beneath the surface.

run a string from the can top over the burial spot, and 5
paces east of it. Bury another can same way there.

Next, go 5 paces north of the burial spot, and bury a can
there. Run a string from that can over top of the burial
spot, so it crossed the other string right over where you
ought dig to hit is for certain.
Keep going south 5 paces past that x marked the spot and
bury another can under the string at that distance.

Now you take up your strings, and fluff up the area so it
looks same as the rest.

OF COURSE YOU REMEMBERED TO PLACE ALL YOU DIGGING DIRT ON A
PLASTIC SHEET AND CARRY IT FAR AWAY FROM YOUR CACHE, DIDN'T
YOU.

Now to relocate the cache, anyone with the GPS coordinates
can get to the location. Use the metal detector to find one
of the cans.

Search 10 ft north and south of it for another can. when
found, search east and west of the center between those 2
cans to find the other 2 cans.

Stretch string between N S and E W cans to get the x spot.

Dig there with assurance you will be over the cache.

An alternative would be to just bury a can right over the
cache, and that could work, but anyone searching with a
metal detector would find it immediately.

With the 4 can method you have to know the distance the cans
are apart, and whether the cache is in the center of them. (
you can be imaginative here, but don't get so fancy you
can't remember what you did. This can become important if
there are lots of buried things.

Which method you use depends on your chances of the site
being learned of.

If you keep records, do pgp encrypt the document. pgp is
free download on the net. GET IT. Get the windows shell also
free. install it and set up fictitious email parties so the
shell will encrypt documents to that party, and all it takes
is to tell the shell to decode the thing, and it will say ok
its for so and so, and requires his password. You of course
have that password since you set up so and so. give it the
word, and in seconds it will give you the document. After
looking at it, use the shell to re encrypt it to the same
party, and tell it to destroy the original (decoded)
document. It does a good job of that, which was a problem
with older pgp users. The only way the document can be
decoded by intruders is if they can guess exactly what the
password is. Other means fail, because the system uses 1024
bit mil grade encryption, not the 64 bit junk used in
commercial secure transmissions.

With the continuing anarchy in government, to outlaw all
things citizens can use to protect themselves from criminals
in government, it will become critical that you cache things
outlawed so when things get unbearable you will not be
powerless to defend yourself.

Surplus communist ammo has special corrosive primers which
will store nearly forever. The powder will stand about 30
years for sure, before it begins to go bad. Lots of WWII
stuff is around that is still sure fire, after 50 years
above ground (warmer). Bury at least 2 ft deep so you evade
the warm summer temps. Every 20 deg. F you drop the storage
temp, you double its storage life. Burying ammo at least 2
ft deep will at least double its above ground storage life.
Storing ammo in the trunk of a car cuts it life to about 5
years, or so, depending on whether its in full sun or not.
Ammo stored in car trunks needs be put down on the trunk
floor and covered with something to keep the hot air off it.
Also putting it down in the fender wells is good. Hot air
accumulates up near the trunk lid, and cool air is seeping
in at the lower points so they stay cool as the outside air.

6 inch PVC pipe can be had at plumbing supply for about $14
per 10 ft. Caps for the ends run about $1.50 each. Cut to
length, PVC glue one end cap, and grease the other to slip
it on, and tape that end to make an air tight seal. Grease
the cap inside near its bottom only so you don't grease the
PVC pipe where the tape must stick. No grease on the pipe,
on the cap inner surface only. Bury it horizontally to
reduce convection currents in side it which will move any
moisture to the cold end, and may condense out water which
might corrode things, if you filled the pipe on a hot humid
day. Do not use CO2 to fill the pipe, for it creates an acid
with water which will rust metal badly. use propane or
freon, or nothing at all, depending on the value of the
item. A small sack of silica gel will dry out plain air if
its humid when the pipe is filled.

Dynamite has been stored for 30 years buried with little
noticeable change in its character. Modern dynamite is not
nitroglycerin based, and stores much better. (Unless they
begin deliberately making it have a short life, which is
unlikely because that would lead to much liability to
whoever made it.)

Fertilizers and most chemicals will store longer than you
will live, if kept dry, and buried.

Pharmaceuticals (antibiotics etc) ought be stored in a
freezer, and buried at the last few days before things blow
up. They will keep with almost no deterioration in freezer
temps, and when buried will keep another 5 years or so. Most
degrade gradually, but tetracycline degrade to another
chemical that is toxic, so be careful with older ones that
you don't know were kept at freezer temps. Only use them if
you are gonna die anyway if you don't do it. Pennicillins
are good even after old, they just loose strength, and more
has to be taken. fortunately the dose is not critical, and
taking double doses is harmless. Really big doses are used
for really serious problems, especially if that's all that's
available, and taking it does not make a noticeable change
for the better within 48 hours.

Foods if wet degrade about like pharmaceuticals above. Dry,
they will keep decades, and deteriorate gradually.

PVC buckets are good burial containers if you keep the O
ring gasket, and grease it slightly before banging the lid
back on till it locks. Leave the metal bail handle on it and
tilt it to one side when burying it (now down against the
side) so you can find the handle and slip the bucket out
(they are tapered) without having to dig the sides clear.
If you have trouble with the cut ears on the lid not letting
it lock up when put back on, pull them in with rust proof
baling wire to lock the lid tight.

Ground searching radar works on level unobstructed ground
like a charm. It will find anything below. Do not bury stuff
in such places. That radar must be dragged along the ground
to work. Radars in aircraft have poor resolution trying to
see into the ground, unless you buried an oil drum or
larger. They are also very rare instruments. From
satellites, you are safe unless you buried a bus or
something. Sat radars are also rare, and not likely to be
looking at individual caches. Too many caches, and only 2 or
3 such radars, and they will be looking for other stuff when
things blow up, if they don't get shot down.

Ground searching radar works on differences in ground
conductivity. If you dig up dirt and put it back you can not
get it the way it was before, and the radar will see a
difference there. That's what they look for. Of course if
you buried a metal barrel, it will see that like you can see
an elephant in snow.

Flir works on differences in temp. If you bury something
large just below the surface it can cause a differential
cooling in the evening after the sun goes down which flir
can see. The outline it sees will be a darker or lighter
spot the shape of your diggings. Bury at least 2 ft and it
can't do that.

The idea of using aluminized mylar space blankets to hide
your body from flir helps but flir will see a darker or
lighter square where the blanket is. Change its shape to
look like a rock, or throw vegetation over it, to make it
look like the stuff around you. Caves will show up as places
where colder or warmer air is changing the temp of stuff
outside the mouth. Air normally travels though caves as a
breeze. For small dead end caves this is not as certain.
Remember your body shines like a 100 watt light bulb to
flir, and that only disappears when your skin temp is
slightly lower than ambient. Lower because skin radiates
more power per area than does surroundings, except for
water, and some other efficient radiators. flir sees camo
clothes same as any other clothes. The fabric matters. If
its all one thing, its outline will be that of a man shape.
Put some other stuff on it to break up that shape.

Do get a GPS unit. They sell for $100 now, and with SA off
you can go anywhere you know the coordinates for within
about 10 or 15 yards. It will also take you back home no
matter how twisted around you become. Don't run it like a
nanny. Turn it on, give it a goto location, read the bearing
and distance it gives you to get there, shut it off, and
travel by compass till you think you are close, then get
another bearing and distance and follow that. You can make
its 15 hours life on a set of batteries outlast the war if
you do that. For short trips, pace off a hundred paces and
see how far you travel. This is your pace length. It will be
handy when using compass to get there. Know your pace
length. Also if way out there it helps to get a GPS bearing
and dist back home, and write it down, so if the GPS takes a
hit, you can compass your way back.