Ernmark

..I agree - the people who live near to these things provide valuable information - especially when the area has undergone a lot of changes. They also find these disks as a mystery, as most surveyors just occupy the mark ans move on. I just got done logging one where the owner told me that some surveyors came looking for one in her yard a couple of years ago, offering no explanation or respect for her property. I explained what purpose it serves, and she was really happy that I took the time to explain what this thing was all about...she even insisted on holding the tape measure while I rechecked the measurements. ...anyway - I agree - it's a good idea to talk to the "locals" !

Finds for 5/5: KW2821/1942/N/N KW2012/1942/N/N - E

..o.k - I clicked on the link, but was disappointed not to see the pictures of your recovery I nominate this site as the location of this year's Benchmarking Convention®

Finds for 5/3: KW1873/1908/N/N KW1876/1942/Y/N KW1877/1942/N/N KW1881/1903/N/N KW1882/1942/N/N KW1883/1942/N/N KW1885/1942/N/N KW1889/1942/N/N

..mine is a Famous Trails model also - the 49.95 model - I tend to carry it along anytime I see a description "AT GROUND LEVEL" as that usually means BELOW ground level. I also have a replica USGS brass "paperweight" benchmark I got a few years ago from mountainclimbingawards.com which I keep in the car to to test the detector's batteries (swinging it over the car seems to do the same thing, too) ...also comes in handy to show a curious resident what you're looking for.. My results have been about 50% benchmarks & 50% beer cans (had no idea Miller Lite has been around since 1931!

..sure glad I didn't find KU2642 ...I think that would've been NEGATIVE points ! - thanx, - E

...have you considered submitting that shot to the 2006 Picture Contest ?

..I just found a link on google that mentions the "US Coast Survey" through the Arlington Cemetery of all places: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/uscgs.htm ..looks like that was the name between 1836 - 1878. I also saw a link toKU2642 on GC.. - E

finds for 4/29: JW1385/1955/N/N * JV3222/1878or1941/N/N ** JW0188/1957/N/N JW0186/1957/N/N * Not sure on qualification of disk stems - was tri-station & coords. dead-on ** Has date marked but is not a disk - monumentation 'unknown' ...hmmm ..I'm not tracking my score, so I'm not attempting to pull a fast-one here - just trying to keep on the 'up and up'..

..I've been doing the same thing....I'm thinking maybe we should send Deb a fruit basket !

..eligible finds from last night's (4/26) sojurn: KW2037/1942/N/N KW2022/1942/N/N

..they were still doing it in 1966 - I went backward thru my logs until I found one (which didn't take long): KW0823 - there's a LOT of them in Central PA ! ...I think they probably pulled one out of the box, lined 'em up along the center elongated cross & started stamping. I've seen triangulation stations w/ stamping just about anywhere around the center triangle....... Example: GT1811

...speaking of wives - mine thinks I've totally lost my senses. So I started reporting recoveries to the NGS - I told her "Now I'm doing this for the greater good" - she whacked me on the head w/ a wooden spoon...well not really - I ducked!

..regarding KW2082 - this is the first USGS disk I've run into in the area with any stamping other than elevation - I think this one may have actually been reset in 1952, but I can't find any other info on it.. It doesn't matter to me if it's a FTF or not - I'm trying to play by the rules, but I'm not in it for the points - I'm just trying to keep myself motivated to keep looking...as the weather warms up, there's more demands on time...and the more marks you find, the farther you have to go.....I did see the solution in another thread - retire! Hmmmm...

Finds for 4/23 & 4/24: KW2081/1942/N/N * KW2082/1952/Y/N * sorry about the stamping on this one..this was the best I could do !

Eligible finds for 4/20: KW2077/1942/N/N KW2078/1942/N/N

Eligible finds for 4/19: KW2041/1942/N/N KW2015/1942/N/N

..one eligible find for 4/16: KW2825/1942/N/N

Thanks for the info - I have to go thru my GC logs as some of my "not founds" are probably "poors" - I remember some remaining stems..

....so this example I ran across the other day would be a "poor" to the NGS? KW2064 The remaining concrete post is quite sturdy...

Finds for 4/11: KW1968/1935/N/N KW2039/1942/N/N KW2068/1942/N/N

Finds for 4/10: KW2063/1942/N/N KW2065/1942/N/N KW2066/1942/N/N KW2067/1942/N/N KW2238/1931/N/N

KW0923/1931/N/N JV2090/1942/N/N JV2089/1942/N/N KW2850/1942/N/N

KW2676/1942/N/N

...just to add to the confusion with Reference Marks - the arrows don't always point to the mark. I've found some as far as 90° off and 2 that were 180°. Also - sketching out the locations/distances on paper ahead of time helps once you get there....