October statistics

[holograph]

The October statistics are available at the statistics page.

 

I've been so busy lately, I almost forgot to run them! Four recruits have been converted to the ranks of NGS reporters. Gpsblake and 2/3 Marine have quite respectable Geocaching totals but hadn't been spotted reporting the NGS before. Okiebryan and VeNoM831 are relative newcomers. Welcome!

 

The maps have also been updated.

 

[andylphoto]

Hmm...the "Recent Recoveries" map isn't as interesting this month as I had hoped. I had some recoveries during October that took a while to get into the datasheets. Several were first time recoveries, both on geocaching with the NGS since monumentation in the 1940s. Looks like they've now been added to the datasheets, but they must not have been yet when the data was pulled for the October recovery map. They'll show up in the other map and the stats next month. Ah, well...we do it for the fun, not the maps. Although I must admit I'm looking forward to the day when I "catch up" with Z15 and Marquette County turns dark red! Am I correct in believing that the Total Recoveries map is total since "Day 1," not just for the current year?

 

Thanks again Holograph for your work in putting this information together! It is very much appreciated!

[holograph]

Lost02 brought a problem to my attention, and upon investigation I discovered that this month's downloads had errors that I hadn't detected. Quite a number of recoveries were not captured for the following states:

 

AZ,CA,IL,KY,MI,NC,NV,NY,OR,VA, and WI.

 

I obtained new data, and the statistics and maps have now been updated. I also took the opportunity to re-establish a baseline database using the archived datasheets that the NGS updated in October. That means that some stations that were marked destroyed in the past year are no longer showing up in the statistics, so in a few cases the recovery counts have decreased.

 

Edit: P.S. I show Marquette County as having 79 recoveries. The total recoveries are from day 1.

Edited November 4, 2006 by holograph

[lost02]

holograph – thanks again for creating/maintaining the statistics and maps! Since we typically only get out every other weekend it has helped us to create and watch our goals as they unfold during the year.

[+gpsblake]

First time I've ever looked at these statistics. WOW!!!

And he's right, I just started to report some of my finds to the USGS although I was only reporting finds that hadn't been found in years. I guess no harm in recording all my future finds to the USGS just to help out the maps.

 

A wonderful job Holograph. Thank You.

[MedTexPlacer]

I found a brand new benchmark yesterday. It was still a bright shiny copper color. Is there anyway to enter it into the database?

[+BuckBrooke]

Max Cacher, could you move these two comments over to a new topic? Don't want to mix up topics.

 

MedTexPlacer,

 

Have you done a coordinate search on your disk, to find it in the database? What is the designation stamped on the disk? Do you have a photo? What is the agency stamped on the disk? All of these bits of information will help you/us to find your disk, if it's in the database. Odds are it isn't.

 

Have you read the FAQ: Question 2 which describes your situation much more succinctly than I can. You should read through those questions/answers.

 

The copy of the NGS database (not USGS) that Geocaching uses is from 2001, and there are no plans for Geocaching to update it. Betting that the disk that you've found is probably not in the NGS database, entering it at Waymarking, US Benchmarks is probably the way to go.

 

Please send me a message if I can help answer your questions or help with your search.

Edited November 5, 2006 by BuckBrooke

[+Harry Dolphin]

It's all Holograph's fault! Andy Bear and I were looking for somewhere new and different to go benchmarkig and geocaching. We saw that big white spot in Sullivan County, New York, so that's where we went. Only one found disk out of five that we looked for, (and one hole where a disk used to be), but Sullivan County should be green for the November statistics!

[ArtMan]

I have also been gravitating (at no little cost for gas money) to the white spots on the map around me. I haven't kept track, but I think I will have added about six or seven new counties by the end of November.

 

-ArtMan-

[lost02]

Early this year, we decided that by the end of 2006 we would try to turn all of Arizona’s counties to some shade of brown (many of them were still white, though some where only green). We ended up visiting 11 out of the 15 counties (we don’t have very many counties considering the size of the state), and last week we hit the last county which will complete the state when Holograph publishes the map next month. We even “colored in” a county in New Mexico last month when we hit some of the counties that were a bit of a drive for us and required some overnight stays.

 

It turned out to be a great way to see parts of the state that we probably wouldn’t have visited on our own. We had the opportunity to talk with some of the local people, eat at some nice out-of-the-way restaurants, take some good hikes, and get some nice pictures of the state. Thanks again Holograph for publishing the maps and statistics – we probably wouldn’t have left our county if it wasn’t for your map.

[+TheBeanTeam]

.... Quite a number of recoveries were not captured for the following states:

 

...OR,....

 

I obtained new data, and the statistics and maps have now been updated.

 

I am new at this and in I am not complaining about anything just trying to see if I missed something somewhere. I made NGS recovery reports for the first time as well. The recoveries (4 or 5) were in Oregon and I reported them in November but dated them to the day of recovery which was in October. One I backdated to July as that is when I was actually at the location. Should these be on the map or do they show up next month. If it a data error I am not asking for another update to the maps or anything. I am just trying to understand how it all works.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Bill93]

The statistics come from the NGS update which is usually released right after the first of the month. Your entries should show up in the report generated after Dec 1.

 

If holograph doesn't have your initials used on NGS reports associated with your Groundspeak login name, send him a private email to get on the list.

[+TheBeanTeam]

The statistics come from the NGS update which is usually released right after the first of the month. Your entries should show up in the report generated after Dec 1.

 

If holograph doesn't have your initials used on NGS reports associated with your Groundspeak login name, send him a private email to get on the list.

 

Ah I see. Thanks for the insight. I was added to the list just last week or the week before. Thanks again.

[AZcachemeister]

I need some clarification as to what constitutes a 'first time recovery'? I have made quite a few recoveries that were the first since monumentation that don't seem to be indicated on the map.

 

In any case, thanks for the tremendous effort in making these statistics available to us!

[lost02]

AZcachemeister - I think the First Time Recoveries (orange) in the Recent Recoveries map just indicate that they are the first time a GEOCAC recovery has been made in the specified county.

[holograph]

That's correct. It's the first GEOCAC recovery in the county.

[AZcachemeister]

That's correct. It's the first GEOCAC recovery in the county.

 

Thanks for the clarification.

Looks as if AZ is closed out!

[ArtMan]

It looks like only Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia — along with Arizona — have GEOCAC recoveries in all counties (or equivalent jurisdictions).*

 

I wonder if Holograph might be persuaded at some point (in his spare time!) to create a downloadable spreadsheet with a breakout of recoveries by county. Sometimes, especially in the jurisdictionally-crowded Northeast, it's hard to decipher even his map browser. (Virginia, in particular, has 40 independent cities as well as its counties, and many of them are mere dots of uncertain color on the map.)

 

One of the downsides in being benchmarking's informal recordkeeper is that users inevitably want more stats. We only ask for more stuff, Holograph, because we're so impressed with what you've done already. And we thank you.

 

-ArtMan-

 

_______________

*Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maryland are perhaps the most likely candidates to join this select list in the near future.

[+Shorelander]

It looks like only Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia — along with Arizona — have GEOCAC recoveries in all counties (or equivalent jurisdictions).*

 

*Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maryland are perhaps the most likely candidates to join this select list in the near future.

Actually, Rhode Island's Newport County was AWOL - but I picked up a disk there last week. I wouldn't normally log it (it was found only two years ago), but since it was a new county, I felt a bit better about it. As it is, however, it looks like Bristol County, RI, is still at zero disks.

 

I hope to get into Bristol County, MA, sometime soon, but it's going to be difficult not having a car and all. Thank goodness for the Commuter Rail. Of course, Dukes County (mostly Martha's Vineyard) will still be AWOL, and alas, the train doesn't go there.

[kayakingphotos]

It looks like only Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia — along with Arizona — have GEOCAC recoveries in all counties (or equivalent jurisdictions).*

 

*Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maryland are perhaps the most likely candidates to join this select list in the near future.

Actually, Rhode Island's Newport County was AWOL - but I picked up a disk there last week. I wouldn't normally log it (it was found only two years ago), but since it was a new county, I felt a bit better about it. As it is, however, it looks like Bristol County, RI, is still at zero disks.

 

I hope to get into Bristol County, MA, sometime soon, but it's going to be difficult not having a car and all. Thank goodness for the Commuter Rail. Of course, Dukes County (mostly Martha's Vineyard) will still be AWOL, and alas, the train doesn't go there.

Has anybody cleaned up New Hampshire? I took care of Vermont with PG0505 and PG1357 several weeks ago. I am going to be in New Hampshire around new years day and will find some disks to finish off all of the counties if nobody else has.

 

Patrick