We have all seen the mark recovery notes by non-surveyors, for example the ones that note a station as being "suitable for GPS" when it is a benchmark set vertical in a building, or a "suitable for GPS" water tower, etc.
Here is a good one I saw today.
KY3089 STATION RECOVERY (2008)
KY3089
KY3089'RECOVERY NOTE BY INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS 2008 (DH)
KY3089'NGS REPORTED COORDINATES N 40 DEG 21.216 W 080 DEG 00.990 (NAD 83)
KY3089'ARE INCORRECT.
KY3089'THE ACTUAL COORDINATES ARE N 40 DEG 21.219 W 080 DEG 00.994 (NAD 83)
KY3089'SEE TINYURL.COM/6KNOTQ FOR PHOTO SHOWING THE INACCURACY.
KY3089'THE BENCHMARK POSITION HAS CHANGED.
KY3089'IN THE DOCUMENTED HISTORY 25-JAN-1989, 'HIT BY MACHINERY AND PART OF
KY3089'THE DISC HAS BEEN SHEARED OFF. THE MARK MAY BE SLIGHTLY OUT OF
KY3089'POSITION'
KY3089'PLEASE EITHER UPDATE THE COORDINATES OR MOVE THE BENCHMARK BACK TO THE
KY3089'CORRECT LOCATION
That is a riot. I recovered it in 1989 and noted that RM2 had been hit by machinery. Here is the "photo showing the inaccuracy":
This is a first order triangulation station that I GPS'd and bluebooked in 1989, but it did not get adjusted in 2007 or 2011 because it was not tied to CORS or HARN (there were none in 1989)
Here is another good one...note the reference to the "Satin Cigarettes" billboard. Like that will never change...But this one is by an NGS person
KX1923'DESCRIBED BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1983
KX1923'1.1 KM (0.7 MI) NORTH FROM CHARLEROI.
KX1923'THE MARK IS 0.3 M ABOVE PARKING LOT.
KX1923'1.1 KM (0.7 MI) NORTH ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 88 FROM THE POST OFFICE IN
KX1923'CHARLEROI TO THE MARK ON THE LEFT, AT THE NORTHWEST END OF THE PARKING
KX1923'LOT OF A CONVENIENCE STORE, SET IN A LEDGE OF A LARGE ROCK CUT, NEAR A
KX1923'BILLBOARD SIGN FOR SATIN CIGARETTES, 12.19 METERS (40.0 FT) SOUTHWEST
KX1923'OF THE CENTERLINE OF THE HIGHWAY, 1.07 METERS (3.5 FT) NORTHWEST OF
KX1923'THE NORTHEAST LEG OF THE SIGN.
This can't be it. This billboard is advertising vasectomy reversal, not cigarettes.
I went there and could not find it because it is now a different billboard.
One of my favorites. I referenced it thoroughly in 1997. The Power Squadron could not find it in 2004. I went back in 2005 (a cemetery) and nothing had changed!
MK1232_MARKER: DB = BENCH MARK DISK
MK1232_SETTING: 7 = SET IN TOP OF CONCRETE MONUMENT
MK1232_SP_SET: STONE
MK1232_MARK LOGO: CGS
MK1232_MAGNETIC: N = NO MAGNETIC MATERIAL
MK1232_STABILITY: C = MAY HOLD, BUT OF TYPE COMMONLY SUBJECT TO
MK1232+STABILITY: SURFACE MOTION
MK1232_SATELLITE: THE SITE LOCATION WAS REPORTED AS SUITABLE FOR
MK1232+SATELLITE: SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS - July 24, 2005
MK1232
MK1232 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By
MK1232 HISTORY - 1935 MONUMENTED CGS
MK1232 HISTORY - 1940 GOOD CGS
MK1232 HISTORY - 1950 GOOD CGS
MK1232 HISTORY - 19971130 GOOD LOCSUR
MK1232 HISTORY - 20040809 MARK NOT FOUND USPSQD
MK1232 HISTORY - 20050724 GOOD INDIV
MK1232
MK1232
MK1232 STATION RECOVERY (1997)
MK1232
MK1232'RECOVERY NOTE BY LOCAL SURVEYOR (INDIVIDUAL OR FIRM) 1997 (JFP)
MK1232'STATION IS LOCATED IN THE COLUMBUS CEMETERY WHICH IS SITUATED IN THE
MK1232'SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE CITY. THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE CEMETERY
MK1232'BEING AT THE INTERSECTION OF 11TH STREET AND 12TH AVENUE. STATION IS
MK1232'7.5 FEET (2.3 M) EAST-SOUTHEAST FROM THE EAST FACE OF AN 18 INCH
MK1232'DIAMETER HACKBERRY TREE, 2 FEET (0.6 M) SOUTH FROM A ROW OF HACKBERRY
MK1232'TREES IN AN EAST-WEST LINE, 3 FEET (0.9 M) NORTH OF A ROW OF HAND
MK1232'OPERATED WASTER HYDRANTS IN AN EAST-WEST LINE, 129 FEET (39.3 M) NORTH
MK1232'OF THE NORTH CURB OF AN EAST-WEST LINE, 129 FEET (39.3 M) NORTH OF THE
MK1232'NORTH CURB OF AN EAST-WEST CEMETERY DRIVE, 10.3 FEET (3.1 M) SOUTHEAST
MK1232'OF THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE JORDAN ANDREEFF TOMBSTONE
MK1232'WHICH IS GRAY IN COLOR, 12.0 FEET (3.7 M) NORTHWEST OF THE BOTTOM OF
MK1232'THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE JOHN BOOTH TOMBSTONE WHICH IS GRAY IN
MK1232'COLOR, 1.8 FEET (0.5 M) SOUTHWEST OF THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUTHWEST
MK1232'CORNER OF THE EVELYN MARX TOMBSTONE WHICH IS MADE OF CONCRETE, 109.5
MK1232'FEET (33.4 M) SOUTHWEST AND PERPENDICULASR FROM A WOVEN WIRE FENCE
MK1232'RUNNING SOUTHEAST-NORTHWEST (FORMER CB AND Q RAILROAD ROW FENCE) , 98
MK1232'FEET (29.9 M) SOUTHWEST AND PERPENDICULAR FROM THE SOUTHERLY EDGE OF A
MK1232'DRIVE RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE WOVEN WIRE FENCE. STATION IS 0.2 FEET
MK1232'(6.1 CM) BELOW THE GRASS SURFACE AND IS A LIMESTONE 6 INCHES SQUARE
MK1232'WITH A DRILL HOLE IN THE CENTER SURROUNDED BY THE LETTERS USCGS 1909.
MK1232'THE LAST 9 OF THE YEAR IS CHIPPED OFF. TO REACH FROM THE MAIN ENTRANCE
MK1232'AT 11TH STREET AND 12TH AVENUE, GO EAST INTO THE CEMETERY AND FOLLOW
MK1232'THE NORTHERLY EAST-WEST DRIVE FOR APPROXIMATELY 490 FEET (149.4 M)
MK1232'FROM THE CENTERLINE OF 12TH AVENUE, THEN FROM THE NORTH CURB OF THE
MK1232'DRIVE GO NORTH 129 FEET (39.3 M) TO THE STATION.
MK1232
MK1232 STATION RECOVERY (2004)
MK1232
MK1232'RECOVERY NOTE BY US POWER SQUADRON 2004 (AMM)
MK1232'STATION NOT FOUND. VICINITY LOCATED. MARK SEARCHED FOR AT LENGTH.
MK1232'COULD NOT DETERMINE SPECIFIC SITE OF MARK.
MK1232
MK1232 STATION RECOVERY (2005)
MK1232
MK1232'RECOVERY NOTE BY INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS 2005 (JFP)
MK1232'MONUMENT WAS FOUND EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE 1997 RECOVERY REPORT.
MK1232'LOCATION TIES ARE MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO FIND THIS MONUMENT.
At least they were able to locate the vicinity.
Speaking of the Power Squadron...
does anyone have any idea why this group submits monument recovery notes? I have emailed them and called and left messages on numerous occasions and cannot get a reply. Their website says that they are a boating safety group...
The Power Squadron's search could probably have been better described as:
MONUMENT WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM CAR WINDOW
That is hilarious! You are at the point now that they can post "No it's not" and you can post "Yes it is".
They are obviously searching the wrong site or not far enough from the truck windows.
Speaking of the Power Squadron...
I heard they get credits for navigation skills for finding benchmarks. They rarely post useful comments. I heard they stopped this practice a few years ago.
Might well be they don't know the difference between NAD27 & NAD83. It's all the same to many folks. I've dealt with geocachers and even engineers that failed to set their unit up in the correct datum and reported they couldn't find anything. More than once I've had explain to someone that decimal degrees and DMS are not the same thing when plugging them into a handheld.
On the bright side, at least they aren't dropping bombs. :excruciating:
Clearly inadequate work...
[sarcasm]You didn't put a neon sign with arrow pointing down to the monument out there.[/sarcasm]
KY3089'PLEASE EITHER UPDATE THE COORDINATES OR MOVE THE BENCHMARK BACK TO THE
KY3089'CORRECT LOCATION
What is scarey is what if this guy decided to take his own advice and actually move the monument.
> KY3089'PLEASE EITHER UPDATE THE COORDINATES OR MOVE THE BENCHMARK BACK TO THE
> KY3089'CORRECT LOCATION
I'm surprised (and dismayed) that NGS approved this recovery note.
It would seem to be a moot point, though, as the 2014 recovery notes indicate that the hilltop on which the mark and its RMs were located has been removed.
yes, it is now a really nice sports complex, driving range, etc. And they are building a new indoor sports field...
"Our 170,000 sq. ft. indoor multi-sports complex is set to open next year, equipped with multi-use courts for volleyball and basketball, and so much more! New outdoor facilities will include our dek hockey rink, multi-purpose artificial grass sports fields and a walking trail that will be open to the public."
That is a LARGE indoor space! I think I read in the paper that it will have an indoor football field, soccer, etc.
"I'm surprised (and dismayed) that NGS approved this recovery note."
I thought that due to staff shortages they just automatically went into the system without review...
Clearly inadequate work...
> [sarcasm]You didn't put a neon sign with arrow pointing down to the monument out there.[/sarcasm]
PS people are working for free and in many cases if not for their recoveries there wouldn't be any at all. I always take them with a grain of salt.
Hands up everybody (other than John & Jerry) who has ever filed a recovery report.
Clearly inadequate work...
Almost 300 recovery reports to NGS. For almost all I can hold my head up if someone reads them.
A few at first had greenhorn mistakes like giving a tie from the face of a pole or tree without saying that was what was measured instead of the center, and for some marginal ones the "suitable for GPS" might be questioned.
I've filed a few recovery notes and I don't think they really get reviewed.
I knew a surveyor that called the Power Squadron the Power Rangers, always makes me smile when I see their recovery notes.
Clearly inadequate work...
> Almost 300 recovery reports to NGS. For almost all I can hold my head up if someone reads them.
You have earned the right to sneer at the Power Squadron's recoveries. I note that you have not chosen to do so.
Clearly inadequate work...
Hands up everybody (other than John & Jerry) who has ever filed a recovery report."
Yes Sir, and kept the monument to boot.
