Suggestion: UK trigpoints and map

[JamesA60]

While browsing through the site a while I found the 'Find a Benchmark' link on the bottom of the webpage. I was disappointed to find that I would not be able to log any benchmarks because the UK database had not been uploaded. I think it might be a nice idea to try to import the UK trigpoints into the Groundspeak database so that a wider range of people can use the system.

 

I have managed to find some databases and spreadsheets which contain trigpoint information:

http://www.trigpointinguk.com/

http://www.lonewalker.walkingplaces.co.uk/files/Lonewalkers%20UK%20Trig%20Point%20Database%20v1.0%20(Feb%202014).xlsx

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/benchmarks/

http://www.bench-marks.org.uk/

 

I understand that whoever is importing the databases will need to get permission to use it, but I'm sure one of the databases will be usable.

 

After looking at the benchmarks in Seattle, it looks like all the information that is needed can be gathered from the databases that I found.

 

If Groundspeak don't have the money or time to re-code the system, I have some experience with PHP which can do almost the same things as ASP, so I would be happy to help if needed.

 

 

I also think it would be a good idea to include a map so that users can find out exactly where the benchmarks are. I think this wouldn't take too long to make because most of the code would already be in the normal geocaching map.

[mloser]

I figured someone else would get to this before I did, but here goes...

 

The Geocaching.com team seems to have no interest in updating the benchmark portion of this site. There has been no update to the American marks since the early part of the century, and the majority of those of us who visit here do so mostly out of habit and because there is no place else to go. It looks like trigpointing is a decently attended hobby in the UK. Active benchmarking is not so popular here, and I would venture to say there is a core of about 20 people in the entire nation who are really serious about it. The hobby peaked about 6 years ago and this board was quite active then, with a lot of discussion about all aspects of the hobby.

 

I think the remainder of us "serious" folk use this site for social reasons and because we always have, and use the NGS site to post the results of our hunts (there is one major exception to the use of the NGS site. I won't mention names but wanted them to know I include them in the group of "serious" folk, as well as very successful finders. They take the hobby seriously but choose not to post on the NGS site).

 

Why isn't your tripointinguk site good enough for your needs? It looks to be everything the benchmark side of this site is and you even have an Android app (which we do also, thank you Mike!). In fact, you even have BOOKS about trigpoint hunting!

[Bill93]

You're right that there aren't a lot of dedicated hunters. I suspect a lot of formerly active hunters ran into the same problem that you and I have - you need to travel a long distance to find marks you haven't already hunted.

 

The number of views on some threads is encouraging, however, in that it still shows interest by more people than that.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Log them on http://www.trigpointinguk.com/

 

Or Waymark them UK and Ireland Trigpoints

[+agentmancuso]

As others have said James, this is a non-starter I'm afraid. Apart from the slowly expanding number of trigs that fall under the YoSM banner, the best option in Britain for logging trigpoints (horizontal markers) is T:UK, and for logging benchmarks (vertical markers) is bench-marks.org.uk

 

Regards,

 

Bernie

(agentmancuso)