I Think I Found One

[+CoastieGeorge]

I think I found a benchmark, but there are no numbers on it. It is a disk, with 4 lines of writing.

the coordinates are 38 18.145n 122 06.384w

line 1 (around the top):Solano County

line 2: BM

line 3: Luis

line 4 (around the bottom): Surveyor

Is this a benchmark. I can't find it it the system, and on the cache page it says the nearest benchmark is 3.9 miles away, but this is maybe 45 feet.

help

[Bill93]

You found one of the 1.37 zillion benchmarks that have been set by various federal, state, county, city, and commercial entities, but which has not been measured, calculated, and submitted in accordance with the NGS standards for their system. See the FAQ for more information.

 

In this case, the data is probably only known to the County Surveyor's office. Their designation for it is probably 'Luis'.

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

There are many agencies other than the NGS that set benchmarks, although it is only the NGS marks that are listed in the Geocaching.com database. All counties and most incorporated cities have some sort of benchmark and/or survey control system. It sounds to me that you have found a portion of the Solano County system. Lines 1 & 4 (around the perimeter of the mark) indicate that it was set by the Solano County Surveyor. 'Luis' would most likely be the mark's designation. Any additional information about the mark could be obtained by contacting the Solano County Public Works Department, which the County Engineer & Surveyor are a part of.

 

Keep on Caching! - Kewaneh

[+CoastieGeorge]

so I can't log it on here?? dang! But i did get a FTF cache today so its all good!!!!

Edited June 23, 2005 by CoastieGeorge

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

so I can't log it on here?? dang! But i did get a FTF cache today so its all good!!!!

No, you can't log it here. Bummer. But I know there are many other 'loggable' marks in your area, and some of them may be as easy to find as the County mark you found. BTW, congrats on the FTF!

Keep on Caching! - Kewaneh

[+CoastieGeorge]

So I found another benchmark the other day. It is at work on a military base. Will I be able to log it? It is a NOS benchmark.

[+Black Dog Trackers]

CoastieGeorge -

 

Look for the mark by going to the benchmark hunting page and then clicking on "Other search options". There you can search by Designation (the name that's written in the center of the disk) or by coordinates.

 

Good luck!

[+CoastieGeorge]

I tried what the last post said. I couldn't figure it out. I am a little perplexed here. It actually says benchmark on it, and it is from National Ocean Service, which I have seen several listing for NOS type benchmarks. Am I still way off? this one was placed in '96. could that have anything to do with it?

[+BuckBrooke]

CG,

Did searching through the database reveal nothing? There are a zillion disks out there, of every conceivable agency, that are not in the database. You may have run across one of these.

Edited July 11, 2005 by BuckBrooke

[+Black Dog Trackers]

CoastieGeorge -

 

Well, the words BENCHMARK and NATIONAL OCEAN SURFACE should be written in a curve around the edge of the disk. The Designation should be written straight across the center of the disk, either above or below a horizontal line or arrow across the center of the disk. There are some disks that have no Designation written on them.

 

On that page I referenced, be sure to click the appropriate radio button; either "By Coordinates" or "By Designation", otherwise the search won't work.

 

The usual thing to do for disks that you find without first getting coordinates from a list, is to use your GPS unit (if you have one) to store the coordinates of the disk you find. Then, enter these coordinates in the "By Coordinates" section of the page I referenced.

 

The best thing to do though, especially when you first start hunting benchmarks, is to use the "By Postal Code" option, put in a zipcode for your area there and go looking for the ones listed. It's easier to start with items that definitely ARE in the database.

[+CoastieGeorge]

yes it did that, but it won't come up on the list, or I just can't find it.

line 1: NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE BENCHMARK

line 2: FOR INFO CONTACT DIRECTOR WASHINGTON DC

line 3: 5316A

line 4: 1996

it even has the little --+-- in the middle

would it come up easier if I used a GPS?

Edited July 11, 2005 by CoastieGeorge

[holograph]

I didn't find any benchmark in the NGS database that contains '5316' anywhere in the stamping or designation.

 

The reason that using GPS coordinates helps is that you can find all the marks that ARE in the database located near that point. If you don't find your benchmark in the result list, then it's definitely not in the database. As mentioned previously, there are millions of survery markers that are not in the database, including those of many government agencies. Most of them have not been surveyed to the accuracy required before they can be included in the national spatial reference system.

[+CoastieGeorge]

i GUESS THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE CUZ IT IS ON A MILITARY BASE.