Benchmarking/Caching

[+okie-wan]

I'm new to both so if I make a social blunder we'll chalk it up to ignorance OK?

I enjoy both and kind of lean toward the Benchmark side as it affords me the opportunity to use my Garrett Ace 250 a little more.

I couldn't help but notice how there is an almost elitist attitude between the two. What's the big difference anyway? We're all out having fun looking for "stuff" with the same equipment. Some folks are down right snobby about it. What are your thoughts?

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Welcome to the benchmark hunting forums.

 

Here is a link to a thread where some voiced their opinions on this subject.

 

Differences between a Benchmarker and a Geocacher.

 

There are a lot of people who do both and don't let anyone else tell them that one or the other is more fun.

 

As long as you are having fun, do it.

 

Shirley~

[TillaMurphs]

Welcome,

 

I have not seen any snobbery on either side.

 

I would be interested in hearing how your 250 works for finding disks. That is one of the models that I was contemplating for benchmarking.

 

--The TillaMurphs

Edited October 4, 2009 by TillaMurphs

[+webscouter.]

For me it seems that the big difference is that there is a very structured method for reporting finds on the benchmarking side of things. There is little ambiguity on whether you found or did not find a benchmark and some significant impact if you falsely report it one way or another because of the fact that the benchmark finds are used on an external website read and referenced by professionals.

[+okie-wan]

TillaMurphs,

You'll love the Ace 250. I bought it for my wife at Kellyco.com

It was a promotional deal and we got free shipping with a wide assortment of free junk!

[AZcachemeister]

Elitist?

 

Snobby?

 

Well, there certainly is a difference in logging styles, probably due to the fact that a lot of us also report our recoveries on the NGS site, which is ALL business and not one bit about any fun or enjoyment you might have derived from the search.

 

I was going to add something more about how we here in this forum always tactfully and respectfully reply to the umpteenth time some rank amateur, bush-league newbie asks the same question we answered last week, but I can't think of an effective way to do that.

[+okie-wan]

When I opened this thread I said,......."so if I make a social blunder we'll chalk it to ignorance OK?"

So, when we last left our hero, having been beatin' with in an inch of his life, and lying in a ditch on the outskirts of town...............

<okie-wan on bended knee, with hat in hand, and head bowed in respect>

"I hope you can forgive me oh great and exalted one, for I have yet to learn humility when in the presents of greatness. I forget that I am but a mere "rank amateur, bush league,"scum of the earth, ring in the bathtub, newbie and not worthy to stand in your shadow."

<okie-wan respectfully bows and leaves. He shall now ban himself to the Mines of Moria where he shall sit in exile with no pizza OR beer!

[Bill93]

>very structured method for reporting finds on the benchmarking side

 

True for reports to NGS, not necessary for the benchmark hunting site if you prefer to be informal. Some of us who also report to NGS use that style in both places, because the benchmark site report is the first draft of the NGS report we will be submitting.

 

Elitist? You find them in all pursuits in life, but you don't have to conform to their wishes.

 

The only thing I'm elitist about is that what you report to the GC site (however little or much, formal or informal) should be honest.

 

>benchmark finds are used on an external website read and referenced by professionals

 

The finds won't show up on the NGS site unless the finder also reports them there, so don't worry about your report to GC being harvested. Any professional who uses the GC site (and we've heard that some do) will be able to tell from the way the report is written how much reliance to place on it. The formal structured language of some of our reports will tend to tell a surveyor that we think we know what we're talking about.

 

It has been said many times that the most important thing about a report is just: IS THE DISK THERE?. All the rest is gravy.

 

>reply to the umpteenth time some rank amateur, bush-league newbie asks the same question we answered last week

 

I take that as a reference to the most often asked question "I found a disk and how can I report it since it isn't in the data base?" This is an important question, but it is answered in the FAQ and about once a week in the forum.

 

>okie-wan respectfully bows and leaves

 

Don't go away. I don't think AZ was chastising you.

[+okie-wan]

Thanks Bill,

Good info there. E-mail on it's way.

[+LSUFan]

 

So, when we last left our hero, having been beatin' with in an inch of his life, and lying in a ditch on the outskirts of town...............

 

 

Funny thing is Okie-wan, what you described above, is exactly how I discovered my first benchmark.

 

Seriously, I don't believe anybody here was berating you. Everybody is just pointing out that they will bend over backwards to help out everyone. I will vouch for that. This forum has been of immeasurable help to me, and I learn more everyday from reading it. Any question I have asked, has been answered.

 

I would never use the terms "elitist" and "snobby", to describe anyone in the benchmark forums........or really even anyone in the geocaching forums. (maybe terracachers though )

 

What I have noticed being a big difference between the benchmark forums, and the geocaching forums, is the friendships and willing to help, of everyone here. I can't say the same when you get out in the open forums of geocaching. I can understand if someone may possibly get frustrated with anyone trying to post questions that (might seem on the surface) to try and stir the pot. Whether or not you realize it, sometimes the words you choose can invoke unintended results. "Elitist" and "snobby" could be considered insults.

 

Stick around for awhile. I'll bet you'll like what you read......and will see that there are no elitist or snobby types around.

Edited October 5, 2009 by LSUFan

[+okie-wan]

Oh I like it here a bunch! I have often mentioned to newcomers how knowledgable, friendly, and helpful people are here. I'm a huge supporter. My question was why there seemed to be a rift between the two.

"Benchmarkers? They're not cachers, they just go out and stomp around in the weeds." "Cachers? You mean the Easter egg hunters?" See what I mean? Heck, I just like getting out there and doing both. It's the thrill of the hunt for me.

[+LSUFan]

My question was why there seemed to be a rift between the two.

 

 

This is news to me. I'm not sure I can understand the question.

 

I would figure just about all benchmarkers are also geocachers...........since we ARE on the GEOCACHING.com forums. It's just that not all geocachers are benchmarkers. How can there be a rift? We're all geocachers, and some are geocachers + benchmarkers.

 

I do both, and I have friends who do both....... or some who just do geocaching. I've never heard anything negative from them, either about geocaching or benchmarking.

 

Have I missed something?

[+JoGPS]

For myself its all about having a little fun in your spear time, I never have reported one to the NGS site and don’t plan to, it all about the hunt, don’t even log all my finds on the caching side anymore either

 

Have never noticed a elitist attitude between the two

 

Joe

[+okie-wan]

LSUfan,

You haven't missed a thing. After reading several threads and watching what was said, I was curious as to why SOME people felt this way. I agree with you 100%.

 

 

'cept football.................OSU fan here!

[+Black Dog Trackers]

I started with geocaching. I did about 15 geocaches and that's it. Then I got interested in benchmark hunting and did a few hundred of those. Benchmark hunting offered the challenge of so much to learn about. It's technical and involves a bit of mathematics now and then. Learning about benchmarks and discussing their technical aspects was as interesting to me as hunting them.

 

By comparison, geocaching seems (to me) contrived. People hide stuff from you and you must meet their challenge to find it. With benchmarks, they are supposed to be findable, but time tends to hide them and you must meet the challenge of time's effects to find them. Benchmarks are important to society whereas geocaches are not, so there is some difference in feeling about the hunt because of that.

 

Both are hobbies, though, and they can be equally challenging, both mentally and physically. Certainly geocaches tend to be in more beautiful places! I'm not an elitist about the difference - I just found I liked one a lot more than the other.

 

Both have the problem of Found=NotFound reports. There is a bit more of a technical difference with this problem in benchmark hunting than in geocaching. That's possibly where some of the elitiist look gets pinned on benchmark hunting. With geocaching Found=NotFound, people just didn't find the cache and yet convince themselves somehow that their effort equaled a find. With benchmark hunting, the Found=NotFound is generally when someone actually did find a benchmark disk, but it was, for more or less technical reasons, the wrong one, and benchmark hunters want to tell them why because they find the technicality interesting and hope the finder will too.

[AZcachemeister]

When I opened this thread I said,......."so if I make a social blunder we'll chalk it to ignorance OK?"

So, when we last left our hero, having been beatin' with in an inch of his life, and lying in a ditch on the outskirts of town...............

<okie-wan on bended knee, with hat in hand, and head bowed in respect>

"I hope you can forgive me oh great and exalted one, for I have yet to learn humility when in the presents of greatness. I forget that I am but a mere "rank amateur, bush league,"scum of the earth, ring in the bathtub, newbie and not worthy to stand in your shadow."

<okie-wan respectfully bows and leaves. He shall now ban himself to the Mines of Moria where he shall sit in exile with no pizza OR beer!

 

No pizza OR beer? That, sir, is cruel and inhuman and I will not sit idly by and let it happen to you!

 

And, indeed, you are NOT worthy to stand in my shadow. This is Arizona, I will stand in YOUR shadow!

 

P.S. There is a bit of Okie in me too. I lived in Norman for about twelve years as a child.

 

P. P. S. Welcome to benchmarking!

[+GeoGeeBee]

I keep benchmarks and geocaches in the same GSAK database. When I have a chance to go hunting, I load up the GPS based on geography, not the target type. Then I happily move from one to the next nearest, mingling the search for benchmarks and the search for geocaches in the same trip.

 

For example, I'm hoping soon to take a hike that will include geocache GC1NFF9, and benchmark FY0407 (and some of its neighbors).

 

Just have fun doing what you enjoy. Don't let anyone else tell you what you are supposed to like.

[+PFF]

I'm hoping soon to take a hike that will include geocache GC1NFF9, and benchmark FY0407 (and some of its neighbors).

Hi, Gerald,

 

As indicated in the description for the cache, the railroad tracks still exist. There are small trees growing between the rails. Another BM hunter and I tried FY0407, one rainy day. Lots of brambles to push through, and a heck of a hike. It's slow going, even if you get to the rails and walk them.

 

There are several cuts through rock along the rail bed, and I saw some likely places for the benchmark, but the metal detector did not pick up anything. However, folks HAVE logged the cache, recently, so you're likely to get ONE find, at least. And if you stumble upon FY0407, that's a real bonus!

 

-Paul-

Edited October 7, 2009 by PFF