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Post by NorthWes on Jul 18, 2007 9:01:38 GMT -9
As folks discover the fun of 'recovering' benchmarks, questions pop up regarding this interesting sideline to the geocaching game. Rather than rewrite the excellent information contained on the geocaching.com website, the geocaching.com Forum benchmark FAQ thread, and the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) FAQ page for benchmarkers, I'm going to post messages below with a link to each site. I'll add comments about each FAQ link to help guide your search for information.
We're going to keep this particular FAQS thread locked after posting the links, but you're welcome to open a thread with your question here in our own forum. There's much to learn about benchmarking, from how to find the little beasties, the history of particular marks and survey series, through the best way to document your find (photographs for your log - always photographs! Document the face of the mark with a clearly legible photo to confirm you're logging the correct benchmark!).
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Post by NorthWes on Jul 18, 2007 11:16:59 GMT -9
The first place to learn more is right on geocaching.com's website page dedicated to benchmark hunting (or "recovery of geodetic control points" - to use the tech lingo). The link is found on the left-hand top side of the website's main page, right below "Hide & Seek a Cache" and above "Trackable Items". Questions addressed on this page include: - What is a benchmark?
- Why search for geodetic control points?
- Do I need to have a GPS to find benchmarks?
- How do I find locations for benchmarks?
- Why do the coordinates of some benchmarks seem to be way off?
- What do I do when I find a benchmark?
- How do I log a benchmark?
- Some listings describe things like radio towers, church steeples and smokestacks.
How do I log them?
- What do the choices "Found it!", "Couldn't find it!", "Destroyed", and "Post a Note" mean?
- What are reference marks and azimuth marks for and how do I log them?
- I found a benchmark, but it isn't in your database. Why?
- Can I log an official report to the NGS?
- Do we have an agency code for reporting to the NGS?
- I have questions about benchmarks, datums, Geodetic Survey Markers, etc.
[/b] Here's a clickable link: www.geocaching.com/mark/Default.aspxIn addition to answering questions, this page lets you search for benchmarks by their PID (Point ID number, such as UW7862) or zip code, and there's more search options just a click away.
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Post by NorthWes on Jul 18, 2007 11:49:16 GMT -9
The next choice for learning more about benchmark hunting is found in the geocaching.com forums. This is where you'll find experienced folks (including active and retired surveyors) and novices alike sharing their interests in the benchmark hunting field. Here's a clickable link to the benchmark hunting forum FAQ thread: forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=113335You'll find lots of details in the benchmarking forum beyond the FAQ thread as well - ranging from 'help me' questions, historical discoveries, threads showing 'most scenic marks,' etc, all the way to fun contests with neat little prizes. A word of caution - this is a very friendly and cooperative portion of the geocaching.com forums - and the moderators keep it that way! I will admit to spending an inordinate amount of time cruising this forum; I've learned almost everything I know about benchmark hunting right in these threads.
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Post by NorthWes on Jul 18, 2007 12:28:11 GMT -9
As you learn more about benchmark hunting you'll soon gravitate towards investigating NOAA's National Geodetic Survey (NGS) - the stewards of our nation's geodetic databases. The Benchmark Hunting FAQ thread link given below takes you to comments by an NGS employee who's a geocacher/benchmark hunter himself. This thread provides information on how to submit your recovery as a log to the NGS (beyond just logging your find on geocaching.com). forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=95774Before submitting any report to the NGS, understand they have very high standards for the data you'll be reporting. You must be absolutely certain of your details. However, I must admit there's a certain thrill to see the 'GEOCAC' agency name and your own initials on the recovery report, especially if it's an older mark that hasn't had a recovery report filed on it in years! The NGS website is a cornucopia of GIS information - maps, downloads of entire counties (or Alaska regions) of benchmark data, historical photos... it's fascinating.
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Post by fuzzybelly on Nov 1, 2013 7:39:30 GMT -9
Hey, has anyone seen all the "BM" markings(in orange paint) along the Seward hwy. between Anch. and Portage? I think those are Benchmarks, Well defined and ready to find.
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Post by ladybugkids on Nov 1, 2013 8:53:38 GMT -9
Yuppers! NorthWes and Scobey bagged a lot of them a few years ago. I've logged a few, but still have several to go.
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Post by NeverSummer on Nov 1, 2013 11:24:10 GMT -9
Yuppers! NorthWes and Scobey bagged a lot of them a few years ago. I've logged a few, but still have several to go. Bagged some BM on the highway, eh? Now that's a great out of context quote!
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Post by ladybugkids on Nov 1, 2013 11:39:05 GMT -9
Yuppers! NorthWes and Scobey bagged a lot of them a few years ago. I've logged a few, but still have several to go. Bagged some BM on the highway, eh? Now that's a great out of context quote! That can be discussed over in the CITO thread.
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