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How does one see which benchmarks have been found in a area?


sc_surveyor

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One method is to go to GC.com to find a benchmark. Do a search by location of your choosing.

In 25 BM pages you will see each BM listed; with smilies showing any gc.com recoveries.

 

Here's a decent example showing a mix of recovery types.

 

95050 Zip BM's

 

Alson, using GSAK and county downloads, you could probably set up a filter or macro to give better data.

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That viewer is a valuable tool for me, as well. It was last updated in May, 2007. The author tells me that the system he used to compile the data disappeared. He is working on an alternate means to put in new marks and recoveries. No word on when this will be.

 

-Paul-

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That viewer is a valuable tool for me, as well. It was last updated in May, 2007. The author tells me that the system he used to compile the data disappeared. He is working on an alternate means to put in new marks and recoveries. No word on when this will be.

 

-Paul-

 

I just (this morning) discovered that the recent recoveries had not been updated.

Too bad, but considering the HUGE numbers involved...

At least we can look for ourselves to see what has transpired!

Edited by AZcachemeister
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There is also the ngsread software to make files to view with Google Earth. Here is a screenshot:

(This shot was taken using ngsread's /conditiondate (last recovery date and condition) option of labeling.)

 

screenshot.jpg

 

(I had to degrade the image a bit to make the filesize smaller.)

 

 

Oops, I timed out my free website's hourly limit by trying to get the picture size right. It should reappear later. :anicute:

Edited by Black Dog Trackers
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Hey, Great News Everybody!

 

I just checked the NGS site this morning, and the archived shape files have been updated. These are the shape files I used to create the NGS Benchmark Viewer. The previous shape files were from March 2007, and the lates shape files are from December 10th,11th, and 12th, 2007. A full 9 months of GEOCAC recoveries will slowly be making their way to the viewer!

 

I had everything automated, but the host of my web site (godaddy) has seen fit to disable large database loads using the "load data" command, which takes a file and loads it into the database with very little massaging of the data. After about 3 hours of work I finally determined the problem and think I have a solution. It will take a little time to write up some new scripts and get them running (a few days), but expect your state to be updated in the near future.

 

I just completed updating NY State, and can already see all my recoveries around Rochester popping up.

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Sorry, I should have been more specific. I would like to know how to find benchmarks in a given area that have been posted on Groundspeak site.

Well, the vast majority of benchmarks in the NGS database are also on the Groundspeak site, so if you use any of the NGS data viewers just described, almost all of the ones you see will have corresponding pages on Geocaching.com. However, anything added to the NGS database in the last 7-8 years will not appear on Geocaching.com.

 

But if you don't want to have to compare the two sites, you can use the search method that "Rumpled" and "Black Dog Trackers" described to get a list of nearby benchmarks using the search feature right here on Geocaching.com. Of course, you might run into a few marks that have been deleted from the NGS database since the Gc.com database was created. But those would be a tiny percentage of the total, so not a big thing to worry about.

 

Patty

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For benchmarks listed on GC.com go HERE and click on the button for "by coordinates" and put in the coordinates for the area of interest.

 

The list that it pulls up will show any benchmarks that have a log associated with it, be it a found it, note, DNF, or destroyed. Just a quick scan down the right side of the list will show when it was last logged.

 

If you find that page helpful, just bookmark it in your browser.

 

John

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For benchmarks listed on GC.com go HERE and click on the button for "by coordinates" and put in the coordinates for the area of interest.

 

For Milton (sc_surveyor):

 

You can use the drop down menu to switch to DDMMSS coordinates. But you can't use SPC. :P

 

-Paul-

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Monkeykat wrote:

A full 9 months of GEOCAC recoveries will slowly be making their way to the viewer!

 

Hi, David,

 

Thanks for the update. When you and I discussed this on 12/24, the situation did not look very encouraging. Now, I'm sure everyone is glad to hear that relief is on the way!

 

We appreciate all your hard work in creating the database, and in keeping it current!

 

Best regards,

 

-Paul-

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