SARAH ! Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I want to do my first benchmark sometime soon. I read through the FAQ, but I don't know if I need to post a picture. Is it optional or mandatory? Quote Link to comment
+Black Dog Trackers Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Hi SARAH It is optional ! Quote Link to comment
SARAH ! Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 Oh, cool. Thanks a lot! Quote Link to comment
2oldfarts (the rockhounders) Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 It is strictly optional. Some of the old timers think that a photo should be posted to prove that you actually found the correct benchmark. All that is required is to go to the benchmark page and click on the link to log your recovery of the benchmark and relate the condition of it at the time of your visit. If things have changed, such as the items that are listed in the description, like telephone poles, road names, distances from other objects, then make note of that in your log so the next person van find the benchmark easier. The prime requirement is to have fun and enjoy the outing. John Quote Link to comment
+Klemmer Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Optional, but encouraged (unofficially, my opinion only). Pictures are so nice! Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Optional, but encouraged (unofficially, my opinion only). Pictures are so nice! Optional, but encouraged. It lets the rest of know that the right disk was found. (Went looking for one with a 'found', only to discover that he had found RM 4, not the disk!) Besides which, Shirley likes to look at photos! Quote Link to comment
2oldfarts (the rockhounders) Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Shirley here. I also say optional, but I am always glad that we take our camera along on our outings to find benchmarks. This is the perfect example when we went to the Kaibab National Forest to see if we could find one particular benchmark called END. We found the mark and on the way back towards civilization, I yelled "LOOKOUT!!" Which made John stomp on the brakes and ask me what was the problem. I returned a "LOOKOUT TREE!!" and pointed towards.... Which are pictures of a very old way for the Forest Rangers to go up a tall tree and watch for fires. You do not see these everyday. The next is a shot of the end of the ladder. Is this where the Rangers sat? and if so, how long did they stay up there? So, you see, there are other reasons to have your camera along. Harry will agree with that, he got a fantastic picture of a black bear, and Klemmer got a great pic of a tarantula. So, it boils down to what you want to do. But, above all, Have Fun. Shirley~ Quote Link to comment
Team Fawlty Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 (edited) Optional but if we are trying to recover one that has been a previous "Not found" we always bring the camera. If we are able to recover the benchmark we'll take pictures of the surrounding area to show the changes that might be the reason for the previous not found. A picture speaks a thousand words. Jo Ann Edited July 4, 2008 by Team Fawlty Quote Link to comment
+Astro_D Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 It is optional, but we strongly encourage newcomers in our area to always take a picture of the mark. We have found far too many "eager beavers" claiming finds on benchmarks that were, well....incorrect. A picture helps prove you found the right mark and in my personal opinion, gives your log more credibility. Quote Link to comment
foxtrot_xray Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Jo AnnThat's priceless!! Quote Link to comment
+seventhings Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Photo(s) optional but strongly encouraged. Most experienced benchmark hunters will post a photo of the disk itself plus a second photo (or third or fourth, etc.) from 50 feet away (or so) of the mark's area. Personally, I will not log a "Found it" unless I've got a current photo to add. The primary objective is to have fun, but it's not fun for me unless there's a photo. Will Quote Link to comment
+Astro_D Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Photo(s) optional but strongly encouraged. Most experienced benchmark hunters will post a photo of the disk itself plus a second photo (or third or fourth, etc.) from 50 feet away (or so) of the mark's area. Personally, I will not log a "Found it" unless I've got a current photo to add. The primary objective is to have fun, but it's not fun for me unless there's a photo. Will Here I thought we were the only ones who practiced that!! Quote Link to comment
Team Fawlty Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 (edited) It is optional, but we strongly encourage newcomers in our area to always take a picture of the mark. We have found far too many "eager beavers" claiming finds on benchmarks that were, well....incorrect. A picture helps prove you found the right mark and in my personal opinion, gives your log more credibility. Very good point and we have just recovered a good example of that. In the Tippicanoe River State Park in Indiana, there is a triangulation station disk ME2370 There is a lot going on at this location. This location is a hiking and horseback riding trail that has an old Fire Tower on it. At the location of the fire tower in the middle of the trail is RM 1 projecting about 6 inches. If you aren't careful when walking the trail to the Fire Tower you will trip over RM 1. Because it's out in the open it has been vandalized and is unreadable. I think there is also a geocache somewhere nearby this location. The hikers and geocachers are logging RM 1 as the benchmark. Also in this location is RM 3. It is located off to the side of trail but isn't as noticeable as RM 1 and so it isn't getting mistaken like RM 1 is for the benchmark. The station is also here but it is way off to the side of the trail and was well covered up. It is in really good condition, I'm guessing because it was so well covered up and not noticeable from the trail. We covered it back up, to help preserve it. To complicate even more the Fire Tower ME2372 itself is also loggable. The RM 1 is also getting logged as a find for the Fire Tower PID. Without the few pictures that have been posted with the finds we could have only assumed that everyone was finding and logging the correct marks. As it turns out most aren't correct. I have to totally agree with AstroD-Team. Jo Ann Edited July 9, 2008 by Team Fawlty Quote Link to comment
+Black Dog Trackers Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 I'm still waitin' to see a picture of this old 1905 mark in California. There's several error-logs there too. I tried to help. One person says they found it but ... no picture. Quote Link to comment
+Astro_D Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 I'm still waitin' to see a picture of this old 1905 mark in California. There's several error-logs there too. I tried to help. One person says they found it but ... no picture. Yeah, trying to help...I see your help gets ignored quite a bit as well. We encountered that a few times, as well as some emails with - "there's a disk at the location, so it's a find". Guess it doesn't matter if the stamping or agency is correct or not, as long as something is there where the coords/description say it should be. To me, that's why pictures sre so important. Quote Link to comment
Team Fawlty Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Yeah, trying to help...I see your help gets ignored quite a bit as well. We encountered that a few times, as well as some emails with - "there's a disk at the location, so it's a find". Guess it doesn't matter if the stamping or agency is correct or not, as long as something is there where the coords/description say it should be. To me, that's why pictures sre so important. I like how the first poster implied that since he found a disk and not a bolt, the datasheet must be wrong. Brendan Quote Link to comment
+Klemmer Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 There will be four serious benchmark hunters in Yosemite NP next week (two of us regulars on this forum). But - Cloud's Rest is not on our itinerary this trip. Sorry, BDT. Hopefully, we'll be able to find some other interesting / old markers. BTW: Nice try on your note. Tough row to hoe. I've tried a few times also. Not much luck either. Quote Link to comment
Wintertime Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 There will be four serious benchmark hunters in Yosemite NP next week (two of us regulars on this forum). But - Cloud's Rest is not on our itinerary this trip. Sorry, BDT. Hopefully, we'll be able to find some other interesting / old markers. The other two members of the group have been making noises about maybe doing the Yosemite Valley Rim markers sometime. We'll urge them to put Cloud's Rest on their "must do" list! We're gonna do some birdwatching, too. I'm just printing out visible-pass information for ISS, HST, Iridium, and other birdies... Patty Quote Link to comment
+Black Dog Trackers Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 A little mystery of HR2868 is to see whether the mark is: a copper bolt a stamped lead bolt a stamped lead plug Speaking of elements, how does Iridium fly, being one of the 2 densest elements known? Quote Link to comment
Wintertime Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Speaking of elements, how does Iridium fly, being one of the 2 densest elements known? Maybe they fill the satellites with helium? Patty Quote Link to comment
+Klemmer Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Actually, certain types of meteorites are rich in iridium. Ask a dinosaur (i.e K-T boundary layer). Also, our daughter will be carrying something that talks to iridium (or Globalstar) on her 3 week long hike starting next week. Quote Link to comment
Wintertime Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Also, our daughter will be carrying something that talks to iridium (or Globalstar) on her 3 week long hike starting next week. Oooh, I looked at one of those at REI a while back. They look way fun. (And, in your daughter's case, an excellent idea for safety.) And yes, they talk to the Globalstar birds. Spot is a subsidiary of Globalstar. Don't mention Iridium within their earshot. :-) Patty Quote Link to comment
southpawaz Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 If you take photos, you might notice things later that you didn't see on first glance. I didn't catch the little alligator etched onto DU0412 until I was going through the pictures later on: Quote Link to comment
+dtshaw66 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Like others have posted, I don't like to log a find unless I post a photo with my GPSr (for discs). For towers, tanks, etc, I still take a photo, but don't always get the GPSr in there. I want anyone reading one of my logs to KNOW I was there Quote Link to comment
+Black Dog Trackers Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 GPSr in a benchmark closeup picture? Yuck ! Southpawaz' closeup picture is excellent ! Quote Link to comment
+ltleelim Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 I'm still waitin' to see a picture of this old 1905 mark in California. There's several error-logs there too. I tried to help. One person says they found it but ... no picture. There will be four serious benchmark hunters in Yosemite NP next week (two of us regulars on this forum). But - Cloud's Rest is not on our itinerary this trip. Sorry, BDT. Hopefully, we'll be able to find some other interesting / old markers. The other two members of the group have been making noises about maybe doing the Yosemite Valley Rim markers sometime. We'll urge them to put Cloud's Rest on their "must do" list! Klemmer and Wintertime are referring to me and my wife (mjleelim). We will get to Clouds Rest eventually and we try very hard not to make mistakes like that. We have a vague long-term goal of finding all the markers with PIDs in Yosemite National Park. We've currently found 96 PIDs. Only 222 PIDs to go! Actually, Clouds Rest and other wilderness markers are lower on our list right now. My wife and I just discussed this and the highways will probably be a priority for our next trip. Based on our experiences, the markers along active roads are more likely to go missing. The markers in the wilderness may have trees fall on them (which makes them really hard to find), but at least they are still there. Lloyd Quote Link to comment
Wintertime Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 Klemmer and Wintertime are referring to me and my wife (mjleelim). We will get to Clouds Rest eventually and we try very hard not to make mistakes like that. That's an understatement! Folks, if Lloyd and Meg get to Clouds Rest, they will either find the right station, or confirm that it's missing. They spend a long time at each location verifying everything, so their reports are extremely reliable. Actually, Clouds Rest and other wilderness markers are lower on our list right now. My wife and I just discussed this and the highways will probably be a priority for our next trip. Based on our experiences, the markers along active roads are more likely to go missing. The markers in the wilderness may have trees fall on them (which makes them really hard to find), but at least they are still there. Good point, Lloyd. I know that you've already found some damaged/destroyed marks along roads in Yosemite, so probably best to keep researching those before more get wiped out by 'dozers or snowplows. Patty Quote Link to comment
+ltleelim Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 That's an understatement! Folks, if Lloyd and Meg get to Clouds Rest, they will either find the right station, or confirm that it's missing. They spend a long time at each location verifying everything, so their reports are extremely reliable. Yeah, sorry we take so long. We try to make up for that by finding them faster. Back to the original subject of this thread, while pictures are optional, I strongly encourage them. If I see that a geocacher has logged a find without a picture, I usually ignore it. A picture of the marker tells other people that it's still there. Even better, another picture of the surrounding area gives other people an idea of where it is. For us benchmark hunting is just a fun hobby, but we have talked to several professional surveyors who said they look at the logs before going out on jobs. Quote Link to comment
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