Bos

I got the following automated response to an email to Deb.Brown@noaa.gov . "I'll be out of the office for an undetermined amount of time due to a serious family illness. deb" Does this mean 1. she will see the email upon her return 2. that someone else will review it while she is gone 3. that it should be submitted to another address 4. that it should be resubmitted later OR 5. or other _______________? B Bos

Discovered recent bad recovery reports in NGS data base. Report to NGS? If so, how? Maybe an e-note to Ms Brown or Ms Malone suggesting attempt to confirm with the report originator? New recovery report with correct info and ignoring previous erroneous report? Let it go? Other? What? Example 1: Latest report for Tri Station GV5626 describes location, not of 5626 but of Reference Mark DC5723 MIDLOTHIAN RM 2 (no data sheet). Example 2: Latest report for GV2111 describes location of GV5626 (12 feet away from 2111). There are other errors in these reports. Don't want to throw rocks at this sincere attempt to help - and I guess the error would be obvious to a pro - but seems a shame to leave the incorrect, uncorrected. What to do? What to do?

I came to same conclusion some weeks ago. Think Trackers is right - NGS is being polite but does not yet have efficient way to process images. I'm not burdening them with any more until they ask.

TRIANGULATION STATION NICEVILLE http://www.geocaching.com/mark/nearest.asp...&lon=-86.517211 HISTORY Near as I can reckon. Twelve marks total. Seven probably missing. Five survive. (Three in good shape. Two hit pretty hard.) NICEVILLE Triangulation Station - set in 1934 - Destroyed by highway construction, 1970. Reset nearby as Niceville 2. Data sheet is hard to find but makes interesting reading. http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=BG3383 NICEVILLE 2 * Triangulation Station - Replacement for above station. Set in 1970 about 37 feet NW of the original 1934 Niceville site. NICEVILLE RM 1 - 1934 - Reference Mark for Niceville Triangulation Station. Destroyed by construction of highway 10 (now SR 85), 1945. Replaced by RM 3. NICEVILLE RM 2 * - 1934 - Reference Mark for Niceville Triangulation Station and for the reset Niceville 2. Two data sheets - one adjusted (listed coordinates accurate) , one scaled (listed coordinates approximate). NICEVILLE RM 3 - 1945 - Reference Mark for Niceville Triangulation Station, set as replacement for RM 1 when RM 1 was destroyed by highway construction - data sheet says this was monumented as a Triangulation Station Disk in 1957 and stamped Niceville No 3 1945. Destroyed by highway construction, 1970. NICEVILLE RM 4 * - 1934 - Reference Mark for Niceville Triangulation Station and the reset Niceville 2. Although disk is stamped 1934 its data sheet says it was set in 1955 - and the data sheet for the original station Niceville says RM 4 was set in 1945. NICEVILLE RM 5 - 1964 - Reference mark for NICEVILLE Triangulation Station. Certified destroyed by land clearing operations, 1970. NICEVILLE 2 RM 6 * - 1970 - Reference Mark for Niceville 2 Triangulation Station. AZIMUTH MARK NICEVILLE - 1934 - Moved in 1942 due to highway construction. Same disk was used with 1934 removed and restamped 1942. AZIMUTH MARK NICEVILLE RESET - 1942 - Reset of moved 1934 Azimuth mark. 1945 recovery note says this mark was destroyed. AZIMUTH MARK NICEVILLE Reference 2 - 1945 - No data sheet found. Set to replace the above azimuth mark. Destroyed by highway construction, 1970. NICEVILLE 2 AZ MK * - 1970 - Present day azimuth mark for station Niceville 2. Mark moved slightly and witness post destroyed during land grading for a fence in September 2004. * - Known to still exist. The others are believed destroyed.

If you already know the PID, fastest way to get complete data sheet (destroyed or not) is enter PID in this URL http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=XXNNNN Example: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=BG2130 Don't know about unpublished.

Anyone thought of accessing NGS datasheets directly from geocaching's benchmark pages? Maybe NGS would object but if not it would give us much easier access to latest updated data sheets. Seems like it'd be easy enough to change link for geocaching.com's ''view original datasheet '' FROM http://www.geocaching.com/mark/datasheet.aspx?PID=GV0299 TO http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=GV0299 I doubt it would significantly increase the load on NGS servers so they probably wouldn't care.

Anyone know what goes on (went on) at Magnetic Stations marked by USC&GS, DM = MAGNETIC STATION DISK?. I've looked a lot and found nothing on these except they seem not to be very important in 2005 - as they don't seem to get replaced when destroyed.. What is their significance? Why were they set? How are they different from other marks? How often were they occupied or visited? For how long at a time? What equipment used What parameters measured? I presume these stations were used to investigate the geomagnetic field but found no reference other than data sheets. I infer from scaled location of some that exact location is unimportant. Also precise azimuths seem unimportant as no azimuth marks are indicated. I did find good info on the USGS Geomagnetism and Seismology programs, magnetic and geomagnetic observatories worldwide, A Z-variometers, compass declinometers, transit magnetometers, tri-axial fluxgate magnetometers, and even proton magnetometers. Even found great pictures of this equipment in use on the NOAA web site. Alas, nothing on magnetic stations marked by Magnetic Station Disks. How about someone clue me in. Some links - more upon request: http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=GV0291 http://geomag.usgs.gov/program.html http://geomag.usgs.gov/observatories/map.html http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/historic/c&gs/theb1292.htm http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/historic/c&gs/theb1324.htm http://www.geocaching.com/mark/details.aspx?PID=TT7719 Thanks, Bill BOS http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=k3nn http://www.k3nn.net

I first asked for this over three years ago. Ii's still a good idea.

Sorry. Was not clear - tried too few words. Two suggestions I would have sent to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheriff but don't know who or how. SUGGESTION 1. Revise the benchmark hunting intro page, http://www.geocaching.com/mark/ , Section entitled "Can I log an official report to the NGS?", Para 4, to conform with (rather than directly contradict) more current guidance from National Geodetic Survey (NGS). Presumably most new mark hunters get their orientation from this well written page. Only the more highly motivated venture regularly to the forum - so an intro page worth publishing may be an intro page worth updating. Specifically: http://www.geocaching.com/mark/ says "You can also check out the NGS document on the digital photo requirements if you wish to report with pictures." But NGS (Ms Brown) says "The criteria for submitting photos found on our website is intended for those submitting blue-booked projects. It's more stringent than that for recovery submissions. Use the criteria I mentioned above for your recovery work." These criteria differ substantially from the referenced NGS document with respect to number of, content of, and file names for submitted photos. http://www.geocaching.com/mark/ says "Do not report benchmark coordinates to the NGS for any reason." But NGS (Ms Brown) says ".... please include your hand held position in the text portion of the recovery form." There may be other discrepancies. One of the experts will want to check. SUGGESTION 2. Make or update a FAQ document people can use to find answers fast and easy; without wading through unstructured forum index followed by pages of extraneous comments. Could be done as addition to intro page but probably better as link to separate FAQ page - to keep the intro page uncluttered. One prime example: The important but convoluted info in http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=67981 (currently over 50 posts) could easily be compressed into a/the FAQ. Other examples, only upon request. bb

1. Should Geocaching's Benchmark Hunting Page be revised? Instructions on this page re reporting coordinates and photo submission on are inconsistent with more recent criteria propagated in this forum . 2. Who's in charge of that page? 3. Does that page serve as a frequently asked questions (FAQ) file? 4. Should a separate FAQ be published (forum info is getting pretty fragmented - cluttered- difficult to unravel). http://www.geocaching.com/profile/default.asp?A=17029

See http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/ecological_se...nrp/brgtree.pdf , page 5.

Ya'll may be interested in these benchmark/surveying related caches Benchmark Introduction Cache http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...88-04c0060212ab Benchmark Bonanza Cache http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...d7-8e91ae002d15 Surveyor's Traverse Cache http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...27-39b8fec471d2

Has NGS expressed any interest in having volunteers reset missing witness posts or otherwise mark obscured locations? Seems like if they were important enough to put up in the first place they'd be important enough to replace when missing.

Just curious - why Florida excluded? Lawyers involved? I suppose some Tallahassee law to ''protect the people?'' How did this come to be?

What is update on a way to find out who's watching my caches? I see nothing in current index. I still want it.

I first asked for this over two years ago. Ii's still a great idea.

If the cache-log page had a "FIND A TRAVEL BUG HERE? LOG IT" link, that might mitigate the problem of TBugs removed but not logged.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...93-ab5451f50431 Bos http://www.geocaching.com/profile/default.asp?A=17029

I still feel strongly that it should be made available.

Is there an easy way to temporarily stop email notifications and restart them later? Am I missing something? Right now looks like to do this I must: 1. uncheck ''new things happen'' and ''new caches appear'' boxes on profile page 2. delete Pocket Query Generator requests 3. individually delete each watch list item for caches and TBugs 4. reset/redefine each of the above when I want to restart notification. Looks like there is no way to suspend notifications on caches I have hidden. Can I do any of this easily? How?

> Most people still don't have broadband connections, and Yes. My point exactly. My use of dial-up makes it annoying to have to load the intermediate screens. > the intermediate 300 pixel wide images are more than adequate for most viewing purposes. I find the small pix decidedly inadequate,which is why I submitted the suggestion. However, bearing in mind that GC is too important to take seriously, final word to you. PS This logic makes a strong case for further limiting the size of photo uploads and for crippling photo access screens in both cache descriptions and in benchmark logs - fine with me as I look almost exclusively at log photos.

It's SUGGESTION Simplified and Improved version: Make cache log pix accessible with single click, same as for cache description pix and benchmark log pix. To get a look at original (full size) cache LOG photos you need to load additional "Groundspeak cache log" page(s), requiring twice as many page loads to get to the original.. This is glitzy and is OK if viewers are satisfied with thumbnails, but gets annoying for those who want to see the big picture. Suggest skipping the additional cache log page and going directly to the original photo. Incidentally - LOVE THE NEW PROFILE PAGE.

Save time, save bandwidth. Load original cache log photos directly from the thumbnail. This instead of requiring the extra click on thumbnail pix - to load new page with desired pix on top, before being able to view the original.

I like the little Oil Can icon marking my caches too. All the new icans are great.

Maybe a flag or search criteria or both, indicating handicap friendly caches - for the many folks that want to participate but don't move as fast as they used to. In case JI's DO list isn't already long enough. PS - love the Notifications flag. Fast, intuitive, efficient.