It's "official"

4.1k · February 26, 2006

These are the finalized rules.

1) Only benchmarks monumented before 1960 are eligible (changed from 1950). No intersection stations allowed.

2) You can only log benchmarks that YOU had not found previously. It doesn't matter if anyone else has logged it as long as you have not logged it.

3) For those benchmarks that have "UNK" as the monument date, either the date on the (CGS, USGS, NGS) disk, or if other than a disk the 1st "Official Log" will be considered the monument date. This is to keep the paperwork to a minimum for our scorekeeper. Only the benchmark pages on GC.com will be used, even though they are several years old.

4) The scoring currently will be as follows:

monumented after 1959 = 0 points, but fun for finding anyways.

monumented 1940 - 1959 = 1 point

monumented 1920 - 1939 = 2 points

monumented 1900 - 1919 = 3 points

monumented pre -1900 = 4 points

mystery bonus (only 1 per finder) = 10 points

(It will be revealed just before the contest starts)

5) First to Recover bonus = 2X regular points for that age group. To qualify for the first to recover, you must be the only one to have logged a recovery for that benchmark, including any "Official Recovery" (other than the monumentation log.) logs. Again, based on only the GC.com benchmark pages.

6) Contest to run from April 2nd to July 31st.

7) You need to be signed up to win (no fees required). Sign up will be from when rules are declared "Official".

8) The person with the top points at the end of the contest gets 1st choice of the prizes, the person with the second most points gets 2nd choice, and the third place person gets what left over.

9) Prizes are a Garmin E-trex yellow, a Jwin 4.2 mega-pixel digital camera, and one unk.

10) The only logging requirement will be the picture of the mark to verify that you didn't get the wrong mark. Just remember to log them on GC.com.

We are starting the sign-up thread next and it will be open until April 2nd.

We will start a thread (an official logging thread) with the way we would like to see the links set-up for your finds when the contest has started.

It is now time to fire up GSAK and start sorting them oldies! Have fun & may the better people come in second.

John & Shirley

edited to add #10/edited for speeellling

Edited February 27, 2006 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

February 26, 2006

Here's a question not coverd by the statement of the rules above.

I don't use a GPS when hunting menchmarks (<gasp> from the crowd!). Call it a quirk or let's just say its an added challenge I set for myself. Do it like they did it in the old days, as it were.

So ... can I validate the date of the recovery by just turning on the date function on my camera (the one where the date/time appears on the image)? Or for that matter, I could stick my wrist watch into my picture.

4.1k · February 26, 2006

Here's a question not coverd by the statement of the rules above.

I don't use a GPS when hunting menchmarks (<gasp> from the crowd!). Call it a quirk or let's just say its an added challenge I set for myself. Do it like they did it in the old days, as it were.

So ... can I validate the date of the recovery by just turning on the date function on my camera (the one where the date/time appears on the image)? Or for that matter, I could stick my wrist watch into my picture.

I forgot to add to the rules list that we will just have everyone log them ON GC.com as they normally would. The only requirement will be the picture of the mark to verify that you didn't get the wrong mark. Thanks

John

February 27, 2006

I forgot to add to the rules list that we will just have everyone log them ON GC.com as they normally would. The only requirement will be the picture of the mark to verify that you didn't get the wrong mark. Thanks

John

Whew! That's a relief. I was worried I'd have to figure out how to use that thing I bought last year and only used once or twice.

(My wrist watch, that is :anicute: .)

Thanks John.

Pb

February 27, 2006

Quick question...what's to keep people from saving all of their finds for the next month+ and logging them all once the contest begins?

4.1k · February 27, 2006

Quick question...what's to keep people from saving all of their finds for the next month+ and logging them all once the contest begins?

A question had been asked in the "Contest Input, Please" thread - where we hashed over a bunch of ideas with everyone in this forum.

Here is the question and the answer from John...

QUOTE(stvanme @ Feb 21 2006, 11:23 AM) *

I be interested in doing this since I didn't do the last contest. With the one month + lag time till the contest starts won't some people possible find BM's before the start of the contest and wait to log them till it starts (revisit them)? Is this to be expected within the framework of the rules and fair practice or cheating?UNQUOTE

It would be nice to think that the contestants will use GSAK to get a list of benchmarks to find, but wait until the contest actually starts before going out to find them. Not much can be done to prevent it, but it shows a lack of sportsmanship to actually pre-find the benchmarks. We chose the start date to hopefully give the "Northern" benchmark hunters a fair shot at the prizes. Let's hope that others will be fair about the contest.

John

I hope this answers your question...

We decided not to worry about this, as the contest does run for 4 months. That will give everyone a lot of time to add up some points & I think you will be surprised just how many we all will log.

Thanks for your input, and happy hunting.

Shirley~

February 28, 2006

In my area i see many BM's as church steeples and or mounments listed and some of these are from the 20' + 30's. Are they eligable? Or is it just disc, rods/bolts type marks?

4.1k · February 28, 2006

In my area i see many BM's as church steeples and or mounments listed and some of these are from the 20' + 30's. Are they eligable? Or is it just disc, rods/bolts type marks?

Intersection station are not allowed. They are things that stand high above the ground and are sighted on from long distances, commonly in the 1 or 2 mile range.

We have decided not to allow them due to the fact that what appears to be the benchmark station could be a replacement for the original and not in the exact same spot as the original.

So for this contest we are using only benchmarks that are ground-based (disks, bolts, rivets, chiseled marks, pipe caps, drill holes, etc, etc.

If you wish to e-mail us about a specific mark we can then give a more definitive answer.

Good luck in the contest,

John

March 4, 2006

These are the finalized rules.

...

5) First to Recover bonus = 2X regular points for that age group. To qualify for the first to recover, you must be the only one to have logged a recovery for that benchmark, including any "Official Recovery" (other than the monumentation log.) logs. Again, based on only the GC.com benchmark pages.

...

John & Shirley

A question on Rule #5: "First to Recover bonus".

Does this mean recoveries by other parties (USGS, CGS, NGS, USPSQ etc.) which are logged on the datasheet will block a "First to Recover" claim? (I think that's what you are saying).

Then you say "Again, based on only the GC.com benchmark pages." I'm not sure what this means. Does it mean only GC recovery logs will count, or does it mean GC recovery logs plus what's on the NGS datasheet (as represented on the GC page) count?

This last point seems wrong. I can see only including PIDs which made it into the GC pages is being reasonable, but counting the NGS datasheet logs only up to the point the datasheet was captured by GC makes no sense (to me). Why should a USPSQ log in 1984 block a first recovery, but not one made last year? Surely all the contestants are, or soon will be, looking at the latest NGS datasheets, so everyone will be aware of the latest recoveries that have been made. Or is this a way to ease the burden oin the score keeper? If so why not simply require each entrant to quote the recovery log part of the latest NGS datasheet along with the entry. You know, this part:

KU0913 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By
KU0913 HISTORY - 1930 MONUMENTED CGS

KU0913 HISTORY - 1952 GOOD NGS

KU0913 HISTORY - 1965 GOOD CGS

KU0913 HISTORY - 1965 GOOD NGS

KU0913

An alternative that is easier to fit in with the rules, would be "First to Recover in x years bonus". A mark monumented in 1930 and recovered in 1934, but not since, should clearly be worth more that one monumented in 1950, and never recovered since then.

Thanks

Pb

4.1k · March 5, 2006

Papa-Bear-NYC

Since we are only using the GC.com pages for allowable marks, it only makes sense to base all find criteria on those pages. In effect, all logs posted to the NGS after GC.com received its copy of the benchmark database, do NOT exist for us at GC.com. When we look at the page here any recovery after the benchmark was monumented would disqualify it from the FTF bonus.

As a side note - the first official recovery log is usually considered the monumentation log and not really a recovery log, per se.

John

March 6, 2006

Printed out a copy of the rule sheets, got the database of game participants set up, and I am looking forward to seeing all the recovery reports starting next month. Oh..life is gonna get busy for me!

It was a very hard decision, but decided not to participate in this contest as I agreed to be scorekeeper for this game. I want to stay as impartial as possible.

Good Luck to everyone out there.

Katrina

AstroD-Team

March 7, 2006

This sounds fun. I think I would like to sign up.

4.1k · March 7, 2006

This sounds fun. I think I would like to sign up.

carlebf,

We have the 'Sign-Up Here' thread separate from this thread to make it easier on Katrina - AstroD-Team.

Click here.

Whomever wants to be in the contest has to sign up before April 2nd - the start of the contest.

Shirley & John

March 8, 2006

What happens if we dont sign up before the start date, can we still get in the scoreing? I wish I had my dad's old maps, he placed a bunch and did alot of other gravity work with a bunch of the markers. I was his "little finder" when he couldnt find the markers.

RC

Edited March 8, 2006 by rcflyeriam

4.1k · March 8, 2006

What happens if we dont sign up before the start date, can we still get in the scoreing?

RC

Sorry, no. The idea is everyone starts out the same and knows who the competition is going to be.

John

10.1k · March 9, 2006

Next question: KV5789

Mount Olive Reset. Monumented 1879. Reset 1935. 1879 or 1935?

4.1k · March 9, 2006

Next question: KV5789

Mount Olive Reset. Monumented 1879. Reset 1935. 1879 or 1935?

This is a very interesting mark. Chiseled Arrowheads! Maybe next time we could just find Chiseled things?

Since the 1879 station was removed

THE OLD STATION MARK WAS REMOVED AND A NEW MARK, A STANDARD BRONZE DISK SET IN A SQUARE CONCRETE MONUMENT, WAS SET OVER THE UNDERGROUND MARK.

, you are recovering the 'new' 1935 disk.

The 1935 disk is what you are getting the picture of, not the older underground mark, it would - for the contest - be a 1935 recovery.

Now if it would have been a drill hole and they used the original drill hole to place a disk into it....the hole is still there and not removed.....

Shirley & John

10.1k · March 9, 2006

Makes sense to me. I was just lookin for a clarification. Hmm... Chiseled arrowheads? Now I gotta look for them... Think I've seen 'chiseled thingies' listed somewhere...

10.1k · March 11, 2006

And, who is going to keep the statistics on how many fewer caches the dolphin finds in this three month period? This is so going to affect my cache finds. [ :wub: ] And I probably will not log any benchmarks in March! I'm busy using holograph's county lists, looking, and sorting, and printing hundreds and hundreds of pages, and cross-referencing on my county atlases! Hewitt and Ramapo look like great areas in which to hunt! Lots of old benchmarks in Paterson and Passaic! Does anyone know where the Charlotteburg train station used to be?!? And, then, there are all the great notes by someone with the initials 'holograph' guiding me to some recently found benchmarks. [ :unsure: ]

Which is to say that the Dolphin and Bear and going to have a lot of fun with this contest!!!!

And what is the NGS going to say about the onslaught of new finds and DNFs????

2oldfarts, you are evil people! Hee hee hee.

4.1k · March 11, 2006

And, who is going to keep the statistics on how many fewer caches the dolphin finds in this three month period?

2oldfarts, you are evil people! Hee hee hee.

Harry, you really don't need to give us such a great advantage for this contest! If you want, you may hunt for the old ones until the end of July, like everyone else will! :wub:

John

March 12, 2006

Next question: KV5789

Mount Olive Reset. Monumented 1879. Reset 1935. 1879 or 1935?

This is a very interesting mark. Chiseled Arrowheads! Maybe next time we could just find Chiseled things?

Since the 1879 station was removed

THE OLD STATION MARK WAS REMOVED AND A NEW MARK, A STANDARD BRONZE DISK SET IN A SQUARE CONCRETE MONUMENT, WAS SET OVER THE UNDERGROUND MARK.
, you are recovering the 'new' 1935 disk.

The 1935 disk is what you are getting the picture of, not the older underground mark, it would - for the contest - be a 1935 recovery.

Now if it would have been a drill hole and they used the original drill hole to place a disk into it....the hole is still there and not removed.....

Shirley & John

I have the same question about KZ2259.

4.1k · March 12, 2006

From the benchmark page -

"Unknown by (MONUMENTED)

3/11/1987 by (GOOD)

DESCRIBED 1987 RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION."

Rule #3 -

3) For those benchmarks that have "UNK" as the monument date, either the date on the (CGS, USGS, NGS) disk, or if other than a disk the 1st "Official Log" will be considered the monument date. This is to keep the paperwork to a minimum for our scorekeeper. Only the benchmark pages on GC.com will be used, even though they are several years old.

There is no date in any of the pictures so the date for the contest is 1987 - too new....

John

March 12, 2006

There are 2 dates in pictures of the plaque on the side of the stone. Look at the end of the log by curt!s from April 28, 2003.

4.1k · March 12, 2006

There are 2 dates in pictures of the plaque on the side of the stone. Look at the end of the log by curt!s from April 28, 2003.

We looked at the pictures on the logs and could not see the date for the reset. With no date showing it falls under rule #3.

If you can find a date specifying when it was reset on the monument, then that date would be the one to use. Be sure to get a good picture of that date for your log! Don't forget to let the scorekeeper know what it is, when you post the find.

John

March 14, 2006

Newbie question...

What's an intersection station?

1.6k · March 14, 2006

Woody:

Sometime surveyors will "mark" a spot by spotting it from various other locations ("intersecting" it). No actual disk or mark of any sort is needed. Typical intersection stations are church steeples, antenna towers, even sharp mouintain peaks. For the purposes of the contest, it was decided not to include them in the contest. Just "real" marks allowed (discs, bolts, chiseled crosses, etc.).

Klemmer

Edited March 14, 2006 by Klemmer & TeddyBearMama

March 14, 2006

Klemmer,

Will the BM page say it's an intersection station? Or is steeples/towers automatically intersection stations for this contest?

More newbie Q's....You and I are in the same area so can we both log the BM for the contest or is it just the first finder? What if we took a day and went out together, would all of those count?

I may have more ?'s so please bear with me.

Ken

Edited March 14, 2006 by Woody_K

4.1k · March 14, 2006

Klemmer,

Will the BM page say it's an intersection station? Or is steeples/towers automatically intersection stations for this contest?

More newbie Q's....You and I are in the same area so can we both log the BM for the contest or is it just the first finder? What if we took a day and went out together, would all of those count?

I may have more ?'s so please bear with me.

Ken

Ken, here is a list of intersection station....

01 = LONE TREE

02 = CONSPICUOUS ROCK

03 = MOUNTAIN PEAK

04 = ROCK PINNACLE

05 = ROCK AWASH

11 = PILING

12 = DOLPHIN

13 = LIGHTHOUSE

14 = NAVIGATION LIGHT

15 = RANGE MARKER

16 = DAYBEACON

17 = FLAG TOWER

18 = SIGNAL MAST

21 = AIRPORT BEACON

22 = AIRWAY BEACON

25 = RADAR ANTENNA

26 = SPHERICAL RADOME

27 = RADIO RANGE MAST

28 = LORAN MAST

41 = ANTENNA MAST

42 = RADIO/TV MAST

43 = RADIO/TV TOWER

44 = MICROWAVE MAST

45 = MICROWAVE TOWER

51 = TANK

52 = STANDPIPE TANK

53 = ELEVATED TANK

54 = WATER TOWER

55 = TOWER

56 = SKELETON TOWER

57 = LOOKOUT TOWER

58 = CONTROL TOWER

61 = POLE

62 = FLAGPOLE

63 = STACK

64 = SILO

65 = GRAIN ELEVATOR

66 = WINDMILL

67 = OIL DERRICK

68 = COMMERCIAL SIGN

69 = REGULATORY SIGN

70 = MONUMENT

71 = BOUNDARY MONUMENT

72 = CAIRN

73 = LOOKOUT HOUSE

74 = LARGE CROSS

75 = BELFRY

81 = GABLE

82 = FINIAL

83 = FLAGSTAFF

84 = LIGHTNING ROD

85 = CHIMNEY

86 = CUPOLA

87 = DOME

88 = OBSERVATORY DOME

89 = SPIRE

90 = CHURCH SPIRE

91 = CHURCH CROSS

92 = ANTENNA ON ROOF

93 = MICROWAVE ANTENNA ON BUILDING

94 = ROOFTOP VENTILATOR

95 = ROOFTOP BLOCKHOUSE

The number preceding the equal mark is the marker type ID#, it usually is listed on the NGS datasheet.

A benchmark can be found by more than 1 person, there is a bonus if you are the 1st to recover the benchmark.

Good luck,

John

10.1k · March 18, 2006

The big question: Is the NGS ready for the onslaught of new finds heading their way? :mad:

(Harry has not found a benchmark in all of March! Just wait for April!)

4.1k · March 20, 2006

It's time to reveal the mysterious bonus that will help you stay in the running for the benchmark contest.

To collect your 10 point bonus just find the oldest benchmark in the county!

The restrictions are as follows -

Only ONE bonus per contestant!

You must FIND the oldest benchmark as defined by the monument date. A "Did Not Find" will not be accepted!

If there is more than one for the oldest date, then any one of them with that date will count.

If they have all been destroyed, then you must choose another county and try again.

It does not matter what type of benchmark is the oldest, Just so it is the oldest monumentation for that county.

You may not have previously found the benchmark.

If the oldest benchmark is one that would normally qualify for the contest then of course the scoring would apply as well, meaning the oldest could be worth UP TO 18 points. That's 10 pts for being the oldest + 8pts (4 pts for pre-1900 X 2 for first recovery). If the oldest is an intersection station then it will be worth just the 10 Points for the bonus.

After deciding on the restrictions to earn the bonus we decided to check the databases in GSAK and have found that we have found the oldest in Coconino County, AZ; San Bernadino County, CA; & 2 of 3 for Mohave County, AZ. The remaining one for Mohave Co is just a point in the Colorado River defined by just a set of coordinates! Unknown how we could log that one....That should give everyone else an edge for the bonus.

Good luck

John & Shirley

March 20, 2006

It's time to reveal the mysterious bonus that will help you stay in the running for the benchmark contest.

To collect your 10 point bonus just find the oldest benchmark in the county!

...

If the oldest benchmark is one that would normally qualify for the contest then of course the scoring would apply as well, meaning the oldest could be worth UP TO 18 points. That's 10 pts for being the oldest + 8pts (4 pts for pre-1900 X 2 for first recovery). If the oldest is an intersection station then it will be worth just the 10 Points for the bonus.

...

John & Shirley

You have pointed out that for this bonus the restriction precluding intersection stations does not apply. What about the restriction agains using one you have previously found?

I believe I have already found the oldest in several counties. Can I go back and log them for the bonus (but not for any regular points)?

Thanks

Papa Bear

4.1k · March 20, 2006

It's time to reveal the mysterious bonus that will help you stay in the running for the benchmark contest.

To collect your 10 point bonus just find the oldest benchmark in the county!

The restrictions are as follows -

You may not have previously found the benchmark.

If the oldest benchmark is one that would normally qualify for the contest then of course the scoring would apply as well, meaning the oldest could be worth UP TO 18 points. That's 10 pts for being the oldest + 8pts (4 pts for pre-1900 X 2 for first recovery). If the oldest is an intersection station then it will be worth just the 10 Points for the bonus.

After deciding on the restrictions to earn the bonus we decided to check the databases in GSAK and have found that we have found the oldest in Coconino County, AZ; San Bernadino County, CA; & 2 of 3 for Mohave County, AZ. The remaining one for Mohave Co is just a point in the Colorado River defined by just a set of coordinates! Unknown how we could log that one....That should give everyone else an edge for the bonus.

It's here...

John

March 20, 2006

Thanks. Missed that.

Pb

March 23, 2006

I was just wondering how you were able to get the entire county downloaded to GSAK. For a single county it could take an hour or more to download for that area. Any direction on this would be appreciated. I am trying to find the oldest for my county and this looks like it could take a long while.

KIDATHEART

4.1k · March 23, 2006

I was just wondering how you were able to get the entire county downloaded to GSAK. For a single county it could take an hour or more to download for that area. Any direction on this would be appreciated. I am trying to find the oldest for my county and this looks like it could take a long while.

KIDATHEART

KIDATHEART,

Go here and click on #8.

This will take you step by step on the 'how to'. John is at work right now, but when he read all of the "pinned 'Read Me' thread", I remember that he said it was all correct.

I also know that this is how he does his county downloads and our counties that we have downloaded are huge. We did our first download with dial-up...so remember to get a 'zipped' file. Then, after John is ready to drag & drop it into GSAK (after BMGPX) it really goes quick! Hardly any wait at all.

Then GSAK gets all of the info in any order we want. It is fantastic for sorting those old ones.

If you have any other questions...just ask and John will be home in the early afternoon.

Shirley~

March 23, 2006

Thanks, I will try when I get home tonight.

March 24, 2006

GSAK is really a useful tool for BMing! Downloading the county files is easy - heck I figured it out before my hubby. What we like is that we can then export the file to Streets and Trips and see exactly where these BMs are located in the county. It's a lot easier to come up with a plan of attack for the day instead of just driving around.

We also export the GSAK file into our PocketPC to eliminate the need of carrying loads of datasheets with us. We can then use our PocketPC as a portable computer to make notes, log finds etc and then hotsync it with our laptop to transfer data.

4.1k · March 24, 2006

GSAK is really a useful tool for BMing! Downloading the county files is easy - heck I figured it out before my hubby. What we like is that we can then export the file to Streets and Trips and see exactly where these BMs are located in the county. It's a lot easier to come up with a plan of attack for the day instead of just driving around.

We also export the GSAK file into our PocketPC to eliminate the need of carrying loads of datasheets with us. We can then use our PocketPC as a portable computer to make notes, log finds etc and then hotsync it with our laptop to transfer data.

AstroD-Team, it really sounds like you should sign up for the contest. The is no objections from the ruling judges for letting you participate. We think you can handle finding & then logging the benchmarks you find and still keep score accurately. You have ONE WEEK to get your name in the hat! You Know you really want to! You will really have fun doing it! Why wait? Go ahead and give us some competition!

For everyone else - remember there is only ONE WEEK left to sign up for the contest. Why wait, you know you want to join the fun!

It starts at sunrise on April 2nd! At that time the sign up will be over!

John & Shirley

March 28, 2006

Klemmer,

Will the BM page say it's an intersection station? Or is steeples/towers automatically intersection stations for this contest?

More newbie Q's....You and I are in the same area so can we both log the BM for the contest or is it just the first finder? What if we took a day and went out together, would all of those count?

I may have more ?'s so please bear with me.

Ken

Ken, here is a list of intersection station....

01 = LONE TREE

02 = CONSPICUOUS ROCK

03 = MOUNTAIN PEAK

04 = ROCK PINNACLE

05 = ROCK AWASH

11 = PILING

12 = DOLPHIN

13 = LIGHTHOUSE

14 = NAVIGATION LIGHT

15 = RANGE MARKER

16 = DAYBEACON

17 = FLAG TOWER

18 = SIGNAL MAST

21 = AIRPORT BEACON

22 = AIRWAY BEACON

25 = RADAR ANTENNA

26 = SPHERICAL RADOME

27 = RADIO RANGE MAST

28 = LORAN MAST

41 = ANTENNA MAST

42 = RADIO/TV MAST

43 = RADIO/TV TOWER

44 = MICROWAVE MAST

45 = MICROWAVE TOWER

51 = TANK

52 = STANDPIPE TANK

53 = ELEVATED TANK

54 = WATER TOWER

55 = TOWER

56 = SKELETON TOWER

57 = LOOKOUT TOWER

58 = CONTROL TOWER

61 = POLE

62 = FLAGPOLE

63 = STACK

64 = SILO

65 = GRAIN ELEVATOR

66 = WINDMILL

67 = OIL DERRICK

68 = COMMERCIAL SIGN

69 = REGULATORY SIGN

70 = MONUMENT

71 = BOUNDARY MONUMENT

72 = CAIRN

73 = LOOKOUT HOUSE

74 = LARGE CROSS

75 = BELFRY

81 = GABLE

82 = FINIAL

83 = FLAGSTAFF

84 = LIGHTNING ROD

85 = CHIMNEY

86 = CUPOLA

87 = DOME

88 = OBSERVATORY DOME

89 = SPIRE

90 = CHURCH SPIRE

91 = CHURCH CROSS

92 = ANTENNA ON ROOF

93 = MICROWAVE ANTENNA ON BUILDING

94 = ROOFTOP VENTILATOR

95 = ROOFTOP BLOCKHOUSE

The number preceding the equal mark is the marker type ID#, it usually is listed on the NGS datasheet.

A benchmark can be found by more than 1 person, there is a bonus if you are the 1st to recover the benchmark.

Good luck,

John

John,

nOOb Question

I have been going through my data base and have noted there are several intersection stations that do not match up with this list. what do i do in these cases??

4.1k · March 28, 2006

John,

nOOb Question

I have been going through my data base and have noted there are several intersection stations that do not match up with this list. what do i do in these cases??

Please refer to rule #1.....

"1) Only benchmarks monumented before 1960 are eligible (changed from 1950). No intersection stations allowed."

If you are still in doubt about a specific benchmark feel free to ask for a ruling before you go looking for it. Be sure to include the PID# and "Marker Type" for that benchmark.

John

March 28, 2006

QUOTE:

AstroD-Team, it really sounds like you should sign up for the contest. The is no objections from the ruling judges for letting you participate. We think you can handle finding & then logging the benchmarks you find and still keep score accurately. You have ONE WEEK to get your name in the hat! You Know you really want to! You will really have fun doing it! Why wait? Go ahead and give us some competition!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry - haven't quite figurted out this quote thingy yet.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Old Farts, but we are sitting out of this one. We are afraid the competing will take the fun out of BMing for us. We made that mistake geocaching.

I am happy to participate by keeping the tallies on all these great finds everyone is going to post. I did put our team name in the database just for comparison though. But our stats will not be published nor count in the standings.

Good Luck everyone - 5 days to go!!!

Katrina

March 29, 2006

OK....I just noticed a problem I am having. I already have all the BMs for AZ loaded into a single database in GSAK. I am now trying to find the oldest BMs in a few counties (Pinal, Maricopa, I already know Pima) in order to determine which one to go for. What would thr easiest way for me to find this out considering that I dont really want to reload these counties into their own DB in GSAK as I have the unregistered version which takes 4 mins before I can do anything.

1.6k · March 29, 2006

Here is the perfect thing for you. One of our fellow benchmark data gurus "Buckner" has made a very handy list of ALL NGS benchmarks by state Here

Grab your state. Unzip it (the file!), load into Excel (hope you have / can use it), and you can easily sort by county, then by placed date. You will likely find some "UNK" placed dates. If so, you will have to copy over the first recovery to the placed date. You can probably do it in just a few clicks.

GREAT help! Enjoy, and thanks again to Buckner.

Edited March 29, 2006 by Klemmer & TeddyBearMama

March 29, 2006

I caint get that file to open, I dont have excel only works spreedsheet (which usually opens .xls files no problem) and then works freezes up

4.1k · March 29, 2006

OK....I just noticed a problem I am having. I already have all the BMs for AZ loaded into a single database in GSAK. I am now trying to find the oldest BMs in a few counties (Pinal, Maricopa, I already know Pima) in order to determine which one to go for. What would thr easiest way for me to find this out considering that I dont really want to reload these counties into their own DB in GSAK as I have the unregistered version which takes 4 mins before I can do anything.

wildearth try the following -

Maricopa Co. PID# DA0048 (I think this is a mistake, so it is probably not the oldest!)

PID#DU2273 & DU2275

Pinal Co

DU2287, DU2086, DU2284, DU2283, DU2279, DU2278,

DV2262, DV2104

John

10.1k · March 29, 2006

It's time to reveal the mysterious bonus that will help you stay in the running for the benchmark contest.

To collect your 10 point bonus just find the oldest benchmark in the county!

The restrictions are as follows -

Only ONE bonus per contestant!

You must FIND the oldest benchmark as defined by the monument date. A "Did Not Find" will not be accepted!

If there is more than one for the oldest date, then any one of them with that date will count.

If they have all been destroyed, then you must choose another county and try again.

It does not matter what type of benchmark is the oldest, Just so it is the oldest monumentation for that county.

You may not have previously found the benchmark.

If the oldest benchmark is one that would normally qualify for the contest then of course the scoring would apply as well, meaning the oldest could be worth UP TO 18 points. That's 10 pts for being the oldest + 8pts (4 pts for pre-1900 X 2 for first recovery). If the oldest is an intersection station then it will be worth just the 10 Points for the bonus.

I will thank seventhings for the photos to finding Palisades!

Assuming that I can log one recently found by another benchmarker. Can more than one person log the same 'oldest' benchmark?

I've sorted through seven north Jersey counties, and only one is plausible. The rest are either destroyed, resets, or 'a spike in a church steeple'. Next nearest possibilty is central Jersey, in Princeton...

4.1k · March 29, 2006

Can more than one person log the same 'oldest' benchmark?

I've sorted through seven north Jersey counties, and only one is plausible. The rest are either destroyed, resets, or 'a spike in a church steeple'. Next nearest possibilty is central Jersey, in Princeton...

The only restriction on finders is "YOU must not have previously found it".

It can be an intersection station, but as such, it would only be worth the 10 points for the bonus.

John

March 29, 2006

I am hoping that two others I work with will be joining before the deadline and go for a little friendly competition between us as well as in the contest. But one question comes to mind, Is there going to be a way to see how we are doing against others, a website or file to be posted in the forums?

KIDATHEART

4.1k · March 29, 2006

I am hoping that two others I work with will be joining before the deadline and go for a little friendly competition between us as well as in the contest. But one question comes to mind, Is there going to be a way to see how we are doing against others, a website or file to be posted in the forums?

KIDATHEART

The scorekeeper (AstroD-Team) has stated that she will keep us (those in the contest) informed of how well everyone is doing. She will have to answer the how part of keeping us informed.

John

March 30, 2006

How scoring will work:

Contestents will post their finds (as per 2 old farts criteria) in the appropiate BM thread. PLEASE - keep this only for logging your finds!

Monday morning, I will begin going through this thread and entering each teams finds into my database. This could take some time -especially the first week until I get things to my liking - so please be patient!

However, it is my goal to post the standings each Thursday so you all can make your plans of attack for the upcoming weekend.

The first week, I will create a topic in the BM forums for the sole purpose of listing the standings. I will propably use this for one or two weeks until the webpage I'm working on for this contest is up and running. I will then provide a link so you can check the stats anytime. Hopefully, it will be more current.

Any questions?

Katrina

It's "official"

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