How much detail should I log for a benchmark?

[B.Nasty]

For geocaches the idea of a log is to report a find without spoiling the fun of the next hunter. Should I treat benchmark logs the same way? In my mind benchmark hunting seems more "serious" than caching, so I want to put every detail in the log including accurate coordinates and multiple pictures. I have read the benchmark hunting page, and I will improve my image captions in the future, but the amount of detail to log isn't discussed.

 

I have found OF2378 and OF2380 (and failed to find OF2385 and OF2417), and hope to find many more.

 

What do other benchmark hunters like to see in found logs?

[Bill93]

Most of the regulars on the forum log in a style similar to that in the descriptions in the NGS data sheets, or maybe get a little wordier or make more casual comments on the gc logs.

 

The idea is to record whatever is likely to be useful for someone in the future. Is the mark there? Is it easily accessible or are there problems? Does it look like it still accurately marks the intended position (Good/poor/destroyed have much less to do with looks than whether it is in place).

 

Does the to-reach information need some updating? You don't need to repeat what is still valid but can mention what has changed and add new information.

 

Typical comments might be things like"Station mark in good condition but RM2 is washing out and tilted 30 degrees east", "dirt road in description is now Hwy 999", "fence no longer present", "only stump remains from referenced oak tree and walnut not found", "Railroad is dismantled but rail bed still discernable", "mark found on remnant of old bridge abutment 40 feet north of new hwy bridge", "63.5 feet east of SE corner of addition to building", "Road built up so now 7 feet above disk rather than original 3 feet".

 

If the mark has ADJUSTED horizontal coordinates, that are very precise unless there was a data sheet error, then maybe "found within handheld accuracy of coordinates", or for SCALED coordinates take an averaged waypoint and include that in your log as it is likely to be more accurate than what was on the data sheet.

[+shorbird]

For geocaches the idea of a log is to report a find without spoiling the fun of the next hunter. Should I treat benchmark logs the same way? In my mind benchmark hunting seems more "serious" than caching, so I want to put every detail in the log including accurate coordinates and multiple pictures. I have read the benchmark hunting page, and I will improve my image captions in the future, but the amount of detail to log isn't discussed.

 

I have found OF2378 and OF2380 (and failed to find OF2385 and OF2417), and hope to find many more.

 

What do other benchmark hunters like to see in found logs?

[+shorbird]

For geocaches the idea of a log is to report a find without spoiling the fun of the next hunter. Should I treat benchmark logs the same way? In my mind benchmark hunting seems more "serious" than caching, so I want to put every detail in the log including accurate coordinates and multiple pictures. I have read the benchmark hunting page, and I will improve my image captions in the future, but the amount of detail to log isn't discussed.

 

I have found OF2378 and OF2380 (and failed to find OF2385 and OF2417), and hope to find many more.

 

What do other benchmark hunters like to see in found logs?

 

I like to follow the style of the NGS datasheets, including condition, my GPS coordinates if different, and updated to reach instructions if needed. I like to add a closeup picture of the benchmark followed by pictures from all 4 cardinal directions. Bill93 covered the subject very thoroughly.

[+gpsblake]

When submitting to the NGS, I am 100% professional in reporting. The majority of my reports to the NGS I don't even submit text unless something has change or if I am commenting on handheld GPS coordinates.

 

Logging on geocaching.com, I am a bit more liberal with my remarks, like how I had to dig the area up or any interesting stories. Of course, if anything has changed from the previous description, I update that also.

 

Since I'm on dial-up, I only upload 2 pictures most of the time.

[monkeykat]

Nice finds B. Nasty, I'll have to go back and see if I can do some kind of translation of the old RG&E pole numbers with the new one you found the mark at for OF2380. Maybe some of the other marks can be found in the general area.

[mloser]

One little detail NOT to include, in my mind, is your GPSr. It is not necessary on the benchmarking side of the board because we trust ya' and also because we don't really care. This place is pretty low key and self policing. We do it mostly for the hunt, not for the numbers.

I like to see pictures of the area where the mark is located. I usually just take a couple pics--the disk and the area where the disk is located, but I may take more if they show something unique or show the disk better.

[AZcachemeister]

I must disagree with the previous post/poster.

 

I post a photo of my GPSr next to the benchmark to show the location of the mark.

I have the unit set to display the co-ordinates, date, time, WAAS status, and EPE (Estimated Position Error).

 

Having fat-fingered many a co-ordinate input, I feel this is the best way to provide my GPS results to anyone who might care to look, you can reach your own conclusions as to how accurate the display might be.

 

This photo is not meant to 'prove' I was there.

 

I do agree that wide-area views are probably equally useful, and certainly more entertaining. I do post them if they have some scenic value.

[B.Nasty]

I think I'm really going to like this new hobby. Knowing I can come to this forum for help, and hopefully offer my own advice at times, is a big plus.

 

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply with such good advice (and for being polite about it). Special thanks to monkeykat for the compliment.

[mloser]

We sometimes disagree, but at least we agree to disagree. There are many ways to enjoy benchmarking and there is room for all of them here.