Difference between revisions of "User:Sourcerer"

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{{#vardefine:ribbonwidth|800px}}{{Sourcerer_Nav}} [http://xkcd.nathanwoodruff.com/GooMapXKCDSourcerer.htm Interactive Map] implemented by [[User:NWoodruff|NWoodruff]].
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{{#vardefine:ribbonwidth|800px}}
 
__NOTOC__
 
__NOTOC__
 
{| style="text-align:center;" |
 
{| style="text-align:center;" |
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| __TOC__
 
| __TOC__
 
| [[Image:nb_in_52_1.jpg|286px]]
 
| [[Image:nb_in_52_1.jpg|286px]]
{{ASG|Y=1953|m=10|d=17|gender=m|lat=52|lon=1|float=none}}
+
{{ASG|Y=1953|m=10|d=17|gender=M|lat=52|lon=1|float=none}}
 
|
 
|
 
{{User Suffolk|float=none}}
 
{{User Suffolk|float=none}}
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| || [[53,-2]] || [[53,-1]] || [[53,-0]] || [[53,0]] ||  
 
| || [[53,-2]] || [[53,-1]] || [[53,-0]] || [[53,0]] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
| || [[52,-2]] || [[52,-1]] || [[52,-0]] || [[52,0]] || [[52,1]]
+
| [[52,-3]] || [[52,-2]] || [[52,-1]] || [[52,-0]] || [[52,0]] || [[52,1]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
| || [[51,-2]] || [[51,-1]] || [[51,-0]] || [[51,0]] || [[51,1]]
 
| || [[51,-2]] || [[51,-1]] || [[51,-0]] || [[51,0]] || [[51,1]]
 
|-
 
|-
| || [[50,-2]] || [[50,-1]] || [[50,-0]] || [[50,0]] ||  
+
| || ||style="background-color:#ffbbbb;"| [[50,-1]] || [[50,-0]] || [[50,0]] ||  
 
|}
 
|}
 
[http://w3w.co/aimlessly.worm.gourmet aimlessly.worm.gourmet]
 
[http://w3w.co/aimlessly.worm.gourmet aimlessly.worm.gourmet]
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== Calculators and Links ==
 
== Calculators and Links ==
  
'''Calculators: ''' [http://geohashing.info/?lat=52.458526&lon=1.435400&&glat=52&glon=0&date=today Eupeodes] - [http://carabiner.peeron.com/xkcd/map/map.html Peeron] - [http://tjum.anthill.de/cgi-bin/geohash.cgi?lat=52.4586&lon=1.43547&nr=o&map=gs&size=240x240&t=&date=&unit=km Ekorren's Tool] - [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.exclaimindustries.geohashdroid&hl=en Geohash Droid (Android)] - [http://stattrek.com/online-calculator/binomial.aspx Probabilities]
+
'''Calculators: ''' [https://nbest.co.uk/kmlGeohash/testForm.php Sourcerer's KML Tool] -  [http://geohashing.info/?lat=52.458526&lon=1.435400&&glat=52&glon=0&date=today Eupeodes] - [http://carabiner.peeron.com/xkcd/map/map.html Peeron] - [http://tjum.anthill.de/cgi-bin/geohash.cgi?lat=52.4586&lon=1.43547&nr=o&map=gs&size=240x240&t=&date=&unit=km Ekorren's Tool] - [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.exclaimindustries.geohashdroid&hl=en Geohash Droid (Android)] - [http://stattrek.com/online-calculator/binomial.aspx Probabilities]
  
'''Links: ''' [http://wiki.xkcd.com/geohashing/United_Kingdom UK Graticules] - [https://cbe002.chat.mibbit.com/?server=irc.foonetic.net&channel=%23geohashing&nick=Sourcerer Foonetic] - [[Most_active_graticules | Graticule Stats]] - [[Most_active_users | User Stats]] - [[Maps_and_statistics|Maps and statistics]] - [http://wiki.xkcd.com/wgh/index.php?title=Special%3AListFiles&limit=50&ilsearch=&user=Sourcerer My Images] - [[Sourcerer Implementation Notes|Implementation Notes]] - [http://www.timeanddate.com/moon/uk/norwich Moonrise and set]
+
'''Links: ''' [[United Kingdom|UK Graticules]] - [https://cbe002.chat.mibbit.com/?server=irc.foonetic.net&channel=%23geohashing&nick=Sourcerer Foonetic] - [[Most_active_graticules | Graticule Stats]] - [[Most_active_Geohashers | Geohasher Stats]] - [[Maps_and_statistics|Maps and statistics]] - [{{canonicalurl:Special:ListFiles|limit=50&ilsearch=&user=Sourcerer}} My Images] - [[Sourcerer Implementation Notes|Implementation Notes]] - [http://www.timeanddate.com/moon/uk/norwich Moonrise and set]
  
 
== Hash Map ==
 
== Hash Map ==
  
* There is a more up-to-date [http://nbest.co.uk/SourcererGeohash/index.php interactive version] using the Google Maps API.
+
* There is a more up-to-date [https://nbest.co.uk/SourcererGeohash/index.php interactive version] using the Google Maps API.
* Green=Reached, Red=Not reached, Purple=Never set out, Blue=Retro expedition. [http://nbest.co.uk/SourcererGeohash/SourcererGeohash.kml KML hashpoints download]
+
* Green=Reached, Red=Not reached, Purple=Never set out, Blue=Retro expedition. [https://nbest.co.uk/SourcererGeohash/SourcererGeohash.kml KML hashpoints download]
 +
 
 +
[[File:Sourcerer Google Maps.jpg|link=https://nbest.co.uk/SourcererGeohash/index.php]]
  
[[File:Sourcerer Google Maps.jpg|link=http://nbest.co.uk/SourcererGeohash/index.php]]
 
  
 
== Expeditions ==
 
== Expeditions ==
  
=== January ===
+
{{Sourcerer_Nav}} Here is an  [http://xkcd.nathanwoodruff.com/GooMapXKCDSourcerer.htm Interactive Map] implemented by [[User:NWoodruff|NWoodruff]].
<!--
+
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date =  | lat =  | lon =  | day =  | reaCount =  | expCount =  | reached =  | text = }}
+
<!-- {{Sourcerer/Expedition | date =  | lat =  | lon =  | day =  | reaCount =  | expCount =  | reached =  | text = }} -->
-->
 
 
{| cellpadding="2" border="1" cellspacing="0"
 
{| cellpadding="2" border="1" cellspacing="0"
 
|-  
 
|-  
| '''Expedition''' || '''Day''' || '''Map''' || '''Reached/Total''' || '''Summary''' - {{Reached|'''Reached'''}} {{Fail|'''Not reached'''}} {{Retro|'''Retro'''}} || '''Achievements'''
+
|
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-31 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Sun | reaCount = 386 | expCount = 439 | reached = true | text = Freston Park on the south bank of the river Orwell, south of Ipswich, Suffolk, UK.}}
+
===January===
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-29 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Fri | reaCount = 385 | expCount = 438 | reached = true | text = A quarry next to a petroleum distribution depot, east of Wymondham, Norfolk, UK.}}
+
| '''Day''' || '''Map''' || '''Reached/Total''' || '''Summary''' - {{Planning|Planning}} {{Reached|Reached}} {{Fail|Not reached}} {{Retro|Retro}} || '''Achievements'''
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-23 | lat = 52 | lon = 0 | day = Sat | reaCount = 384 | expCount = 437 | reached = true | text = A field south east of Watton, Norfolk, UK. | achievements = Midnight}}
+
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2020-01-09 | lat = 33 | lon = -13 | day = Thu | reaCount = 564 | expCount = 644 | reached = yes | text = An ocean hashpoint about 340 km east of Funchal, Madeira, Atlantic Ocean.
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-22 | lat = 52 | lon = 0 | day = Fri | reaCount = 383 | expCount = 436 | reached = true | text = A field north west of Great Bircham, Norfolk, UK.}}
+
  }}
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-21 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Thu | reaCount = 382 | expCount = 435 | reached = true | text = A field south east of Saint Cross South Elmham, Suffolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-16 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Sat | reaCount = 381 | expCount = 434 | reached = true | text = A field south of Loddon, Norfolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-15 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Fri | reaCount = 0 | expCount = 0 | text = A field west of Brinton, Norfolk, UK. | achievements = Not attempted}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-14 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Thu | reaCount = 380 | expCount = 433 | reached = true | text = A field between Stoven and Frosteden, Suffolk, UK. | achievements = Midnight}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-13 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Wed | reaCount = 379 | expCount = 432 | reached = true | text = A field, east of Kenninghall, Norfolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-11 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Mon | reaCount = 378 | expCount = 431 | reached = true | text = A field north of Aslacton, Norfolk, UK. | achievements = Midnight, Graticule 2<sup>8</sup>}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-10 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Sun | reaCount = 377 | expCount = 430 | reached = true | text = South west of Orford on the flood bank, Suffolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-09 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Sat | reaCount = 376 | expCount = 429 | reached = true | text = A field east of Foulsham, Norfolk, UK. | achievements = Midnight}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-08 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Fri | reaCount = 375 | expCount = 428 | reached = true | text = A field at Clippesby, Norfolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-07 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Thu | reaCount =  53 | expCount = 427 | text = A reed bed, South Walsham Broad, Norfolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-06 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Wed | reaCount = 374 | expCount = 426 | reached = true | text = A field north of Brockdish, Norfolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-05 | lat = 52 | lon = 0 | day = Tue | reaCount = 373 | expCount = 425 | reached = true | text = A field between Nedging and Nedging Tye, Suffolk, UK. | achievements = Midnight}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-04 | lat = 51 | lon = 1 | day = Mon | reaCount = 372 | expCount = 424 | reached = true | text = A field south of Wrabness and the river Stour, Suffolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-04 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Mon | reaCount = 371 | expCount = 423 | reached = true | text = A field west of Bodham, close to All Saints Church, Norfolk, UK.}}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2015-11-08 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Mon | reaCount = 15 | expCount = 15  | reached = true | text = A field entrance south of Bodham, close to All Saints Church, Norfolk, UK. Revisited on 2016-01-04. | retro = true }}
 
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2016-01-01 | lat = 52 | lon = 0 | day = Fri | reaCount = 370 | expCount = 422 | reached = true | text = A field at Little Massingham, Norfolk, UK. | achievements = Midnight}}
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
== Retro meltdown ==
 
  
The more hashpoints you visit, the more likely it becomes that you will revisit drive-by points while geohashing. In addition more and more hashpoints have a retro point, previously explored, really close. Could there be there a retrohash event horizon where the number of retro visits tends to infinity?
+
<!-- {{Sourcerer/Expedition | date =  | lat =  | lon =  | day =  | reaCount =  | expCount =  | reached =  | text =  }} -->
 +
{| cellpadding="2" border="1" cellspacing="0"
 +
|-
 +
|
 +
 
 +
===July===
 +
| '''Day''' || '''Map''' || '''Reached/Total''' || '''Summary''' - {{Planning|Planning}} {{Reached|Reached}} {{Fail|Not reached}} {{Retro|Retro}} || '''Achievements'''
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-07-14 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Sun | reaCount = 563 | expCount = 644 | reached = yes | text = A residential street in north Norwich, Norfolk, UK. }}
 +
|-
 +
|
 +
 
 +
===May===
 +
| '''Day''' || '''Map''' || '''Reached/Total''' || '''Summary''' - {{Planning|Planning}} {{Reached|Reached}} {{Fail|Not reached}} {{Retro|Retro}} || '''Achievements'''
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-05-26 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Sun | reaCount = 562 | expCount = 643 | reached = yes | text = A field perimeter near Denton, Norfolk, UK. }}
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-05-25 | lat = 52 | lon = 0 | day = Sat | reaCount = 561 | expCount = 642 | reached = yes | text = Mouseover Day: East of Brandon and south of the B1107, on a forest track, Suffolk, UK. }}
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-05-25 | lat = 52 | lon = 1 | day = Sat | reaCount = 560 | expCount = 641 | reached = yes | text = Mouseover Day: Very close to a right of way, between Mutford and Carlton Colville, Suffolk, UK. }}
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-05-21 | lat = 52 | lon = 0 | day = Tue | reaCount = 559 | expCount = 640 | reached = yes | text = Geohashing Day: A wind farm near Stanhoe, Norfolk, UK. }}
 +
|-
 +
|
 +
 
 +
===February===
 +
| '''Day''' || '''Map''' || '''Reached/Total''' || '''Summary''' - {{Planning|Planning}} {{Reached|Reached}} {{Fail|Not reached}} {{Retro|Retro}} || '''Achievements'''
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-02-13 | lat = 51 | lon = 0 | day = Wed | reaCount = 558 | expCount = 639 | reached = yes | text = 1.4 km north of Great Bardfield, Esset, UK. }}
 +
|-
 +
|
 +
 
 +
===January===
 +
| '''Day''' || '''Map''' || '''Reached/Total''' || '''Summary''' - {{Planning|Planning}} {{Reached|Reached}} {{Fail|Not reached}} {{Retro|Retro}} || '''Achievements'''
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-01-09 | lat = 49 | lon = 8 | day = Wed | reaCount = 81 | expCount = 638 | reached = no | text = 31 km north of the hashpoint between Wiesloch and Rauenberg }}
 +
{{Sourcerer/Expedition | date = 2019-01-01 | lat = 51 | lon = 0 | day = Tue | reaCount = 557 | expCount = 637 | reached = yes | text = A mid field hashpoint near Sible Hedingham, Essex, UK. }}
 +
|}
  
 
== Interesting Hashpoints ==
 
== Interesting Hashpoints ==
  
* Neil wonders if [http://irc.peeron.com/xkcd/map/map.html?date=2010-09-13&lat=52&long=1&zoom=16&abs=1 2010-09-13_52_1] is in a tiger enclosure. The hashpoint is at Banham Zoo.
+
* Neil wonders if {{egl|2010-09-13|52|1|text=2010-09-13_52_1}} is in a tiger enclosure. The hashpoint is at Banham Zoo.
* Stealth hashing is fun but not [http://irc.peeron.com/xkcd/map/map.html?date=2010-12-11&lat=52&long=1&zoom=8&abs=1 today]! Is there a get yourself arrested award?
+
* Stealth hashing is fun but not {{egl|2010-12-11|52|1|text=today}}! Is there a get yourself arrested award?
 
* [[2011-01-17 52 0]] - A nudist beach hashpoint. Sadly it was a freezing January night.
 
* [[2011-01-17 52 0]] - A nudist beach hashpoint. Sadly it was a freezing January night.
  
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Sourcerer lives in and likes likes [[52,1]] but he's seriously considering moving to [[52,-1]] because there are so many ocean hashpoints locally. [[52,-1]] is the only UK graticule surrounded by adjacent graticules that are mostly land.
 
Sourcerer lives in and likes likes [[52,1]] but he's seriously considering moving to [[52,-1]] because there are so many ocean hashpoints locally. [[52,-1]] is the only UK graticule surrounded by adjacent graticules that are mostly land.
  
* Graticules attempted - 24
+
* Graticules attempted - 26
* 87.8% coordinates reached
+
* 88% coordinates reached
 +
* Countries - England, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, Cyprus, Tenerife (Spain), Turkey.
 
* First expedition - [[2010-08-07_52_0|August 7th 2010]]
 
* First expedition - [[2010-08-07_52_0|August 7th 2010]]
 
* One hundredth expedition - [[2012-08-10_56_-3|August 10th 2012]]
 
* One hundredth expedition - [[2012-08-10_56_-3|August 10th 2012]]
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* Real name: Neil
 
* Real name: Neil
 
* Home Location: [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:52.4586,1.43547&output=classic&dg=oo Suffolk, UK 52,1]
 
* Home Location: [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:52.4586,1.43547&output=classic&dg=oo Suffolk, UK 52,1]
* Age: One of the oldest active geohashers. Not everyone has an updated ASG template - see [[:Category:Geohashers_by_age|Geohashers_by_age]]
+
* Age: One of the older active geohashers. Not everyone has an updated ASG template - see [[:Category:Geohashers_by_age|Geohashers_by_age]]
* OpenStreetMap - New map features get uploaded to [http://www.openstreetmap.org/ OpenStreetMap]
+
* OpenStreetMap - I upload new map features to [http://www.openstreetmap.org/ OpenStreetMap]
 
* WikiLoc - Good walking routes get uploaded to [http://www.wikiloc.com/ Wikiloc].
 
* WikiLoc - Good walking routes get uploaded to [http://www.wikiloc.com/ Wikiloc].
 +
* 2016: Joined the UK Ramblers in an effort to get a bit fitter. Some of my geohashing has been diverted into this new hobby but one day I hope to get a record breaking "drag along" achievement.
  
 
Have all the geohashers been [http://www.xkcd.com/356/ "Nerd Sniped"]?
 
Have all the geohashers been [http://www.xkcd.com/356/ "Nerd Sniped"]?
  
My user name is a play on words based on computer source-code and is a tribute to controlled folly.
+
My user name is a play on words based on computer source-code and is a tribute to controlled folly. I'd should have chosen Sourcerror but thought of it 10 years too late.
  
 
I enjoy computer programming and in 1972, wrote an implementation of [http://pmav.eu/stuff/javascript-game-of-life-v3.1.1/ Conway's Game of Life] in BASIC. The virtual creatures were printed on a paper roll by a mechanical teletype. Those were the days!
 
I enjoy computer programming and in 1972, wrote an implementation of [http://pmav.eu/stuff/javascript-game-of-life-v3.1.1/ Conway's Game of Life] in BASIC. The virtual creatures were printed on a paper roll by a mechanical teletype. Those were the days!
Line 112: Line 127:
 
More recently I have used HTML, CSS, DOM, PHP, MySQL, Javascript and Delphi.
 
More recently I have used HTML, CSS, DOM, PHP, MySQL, Javascript and Delphi.
  
Since childhood, I've loved going out at night. I seem to have above average night vision. I love it when it's so dark you can almost count the photons and the night vision is grainy and a bit sparkly. This might explain love of geohashing - stealthy, often unobserved, at night. If possible, to save fuel and the planet, I visit pairs of hashpoints each side of midnight. This is great for wildlife spotting and the roads are empty. I have a spreadsheet to calculate when to set out in order to arrive at the second hashpoint at midnight. I get driving times from Google maps and estimate walking times from the UK Ordnance Survey maps available on-line using Bing maps.
+
Since childhood, I've loved going out at night. I seem to have above average night vision. I love it when it's so dark you can almost count the photons and the night vision is grainy and a bit sparkly. This might explain my love of geohashing - stealthy, often unobserved, at night. If possible, to save fuel and the planet, I visit pairs of hashpoints each side of midnight. This is great for wildlife spotting and the roads are empty. I have a spreadsheet to calculate when to set out in order to arrive at the second hashpoint at midnight. I get driving times from Google maps and estimate walking times from the UK Ordnance Survey maps available on-line using Bing maps. I note that USA time zone citizens can't do this due to the algorithm. It would be good if that rule could be tweaked.
  
 
Like golf and most other human activities, geohashing is totally <strike>pointless</strike> (in fact it is one of the few activities that has got an identifiable point) and it's much more fun than geocaching or golf. Many hashpoints are in the middle of a muddy field. These are a bit worthless but if there's some other attraction or challenge, I'm more likely to make the effort. In 2015 Sourcerer discovered a previously unsuspected competitive streak leading to a serious increase in geohashing activity. For some grand scale folly, see Neil's Big Walk below.
 
Like golf and most other human activities, geohashing is totally <strike>pointless</strike> (in fact it is one of the few activities that has got an identifiable point) and it's much more fun than geocaching or golf. Many hashpoints are in the middle of a muddy field. These are a bit worthless but if there's some other attraction or challenge, I'm more likely to make the effort. In 2015 Sourcerer discovered a previously unsuspected competitive streak leading to a serious increase in geohashing activity. For some grand scale folly, see Neil's Big Walk below.

Latest revision as of 21:03, 19 February 2023


Nb in 52 1.jpg
Lol-asg.png 71 / M / 52,1
Suffolk colour.PNG This geohasher lives in Suffolk.
56,-3 56,-2
53,-2 53,-1 53,-0 53,0
52,-3 52,-2 52,-1 52,-0 52,0 52,1
51,-2 51,-1 51,-0 51,0 51,1
50,-1 50,-0 50,0

aimlessly.worm.gourmet

KML Tool - Implementations

Calculators and Links

Calculators: Sourcerer's KML Tool - Eupeodes - Peeron - Ekorren's Tool - Geohash Droid (Android) - Probabilities

Links: UK Graticules - Foonetic - Graticule Stats - Geohasher Stats - Maps and statistics - My Images - Implementation Notes - Moonrise and set

Hash Map

Sourcerer Google Maps.jpg


Expeditions

Sourcerer's archives for - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010    My favourites are highlighted yellow. Here is an Interactive Map implemented by NWoodruff.

January

Day Map Reached/Total Summary -  Planning   Reached   Not reached   Retro  Achievements
2020-01-09 33 -13 Thu Map  564/644  An ocean hashpoint about 340 km east of Funchal, Madeira, Atlantic Ocean.


July

Day Map Reached/Total Summary -  Planning   Reached   Not reached   Retro  Achievements
2019-07-14 52 1 Sun Map  563/644  A residential street in north Norwich, Norfolk, UK.

May

Day Map Reached/Total Summary -  Planning   Reached   Not reached   Retro  Achievements
2019-05-26 52 1 Sun Map  562/643  A field perimeter near Denton, Norfolk, UK.
2019-05-25 52 0 Sat Map  561/642  Mouseover Day: East of Brandon and south of the B1107, on a forest track, Suffolk, UK.
2019-05-25 52 1 Sat Map  560/641  Mouseover Day: Very close to a right of way, between Mutford and Carlton Colville, Suffolk, UK.
2019-05-21 52 0 Tue Map  559/640  Geohashing Day: A wind farm near Stanhoe, Norfolk, UK.

February

Day Map Reached/Total Summary -  Planning   Reached   Not reached   Retro  Achievements
2019-02-13 51 0 Wed Map  558/639  1.4 km north of Great Bardfield, Esset, UK.

January

Day Map Reached/Total Summary -  Planning   Reached   Not reached   Retro  Achievements
2019-01-09 49 8 Wed Map  81/638  31 km north of the hashpoint between Wiesloch and Rauenberg
2019-01-01 51 0 Tue Map  557/637  A mid field hashpoint near Sible Hedingham, Essex, UK.

Interesting Hashpoints

  • Neil wonders if 2010-09-13_52_1 is in a tiger enclosure. The hashpoint is at Banham Zoo.
  • Stealth hashing is fun but not today! Is there a get yourself arrested award?
  • 2011-01-17 52 0 - A nudist beach hashpoint. Sadly it was a freezing January night.

About Sourcerer

Sourcerer lives in and likes likes 52,1 but he's seriously considering moving to 52,-1 because there are so many ocean hashpoints locally. 52,-1 is the only UK graticule surrounded by adjacent graticules that are mostly land.

  • Graticules attempted - 26
  • 88% coordinates reached
  • Countries - England, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, Cyprus, Tenerife (Spain), Turkey.
  • First expedition - August 7th 2010
  • One hundredth expedition - August 10th 2012
  • One hundredth success - February 19th 2013
  • One hundred and ninety ninth expedition - February 22nd 2015 Oops.
  • Two hundredth success - May 5th 2015
  • One hundredth expedition in 52,1 - February 5th 2015
  • One hundredth success in 52,1 - February 26th 2015
  • Real name: Neil
  • Home Location: Suffolk, UK 52,1
  • Age: One of the older active geohashers. Not everyone has an updated ASG template - see Geohashers_by_age
  • OpenStreetMap - I upload new map features to OpenStreetMap
  • WikiLoc - Good walking routes get uploaded to Wikiloc.
  • 2016: Joined the UK Ramblers in an effort to get a bit fitter. Some of my geohashing has been diverted into this new hobby but one day I hope to get a record breaking "drag along" achievement.

Have all the geohashers been "Nerd Sniped"?

My user name is a play on words based on computer source-code and is a tribute to controlled folly. I'd should have chosen Sourcerror but thought of it 10 years too late.

I enjoy computer programming and in 1972, wrote an implementation of Conway's Game of Life in BASIC. The virtual creatures were printed on a paper roll by a mechanical teletype. Those were the days!

In 1976 I taught programming to school kids. We used Algol! We filled in coding forms and submitted them to be punched onto cards for the overnight run. The next day we'd get the error message print-outs or occasionally a successful run.

More recently I have used HTML, CSS, DOM, PHP, MySQL, Javascript and Delphi.

Since childhood, I've loved going out at night. I seem to have above average night vision. I love it when it's so dark you can almost count the photons and the night vision is grainy and a bit sparkly. This might explain my love of geohashing - stealthy, often unobserved, at night. If possible, to save fuel and the planet, I visit pairs of hashpoints each side of midnight. This is great for wildlife spotting and the roads are empty. I have a spreadsheet to calculate when to set out in order to arrive at the second hashpoint at midnight. I get driving times from Google maps and estimate walking times from the UK Ordnance Survey maps available on-line using Bing maps. I note that USA time zone citizens can't do this due to the algorithm. It would be good if that rule could be tweaked.

Like golf and most other human activities, geohashing is totally pointless (in fact it is one of the few activities that has got an identifiable point) and it's much more fun than geocaching or golf. Many hashpoints are in the middle of a muddy field. These are a bit worthless but if there's some other attraction or challenge, I'm more likely to make the effort. In 2015 Sourcerer discovered a previously unsuspected competitive streak leading to a serious increase in geohashing activity. For some grand scale folly, see Neil's Big Walk below.

Local Terrain

The terrain in the east of England is almost flat and often quite dry. Google earth has been most useful for planning expeditions. Usually it's easy to identify hashpoints which are on private land or inaccessible for other reasons. After 100 expeditions, my success rate was 86%. In late August and autumn, most of the fields have been harvested but not yet re-planted so they are easily accessible. In the other seasons, it's often wetter and access is less easy. Hard frozen ground in deep winter is really good for geohashing.

Big Walk, Little Walks

Another folly is to walk from Cape St Vincent (Portugal) to Istanbul (Turkey). Starting in 2003, after 183 days walking and 3798 km, Neil had reached Vicenza in the north of Italy. The walk is about 50% complete. Neil is not seriously expecting to complete this walk but that is all part of the folly. He set out with his mother and sister. Both have since died. His mum reached a ripe old age. His sister died of cancer but she walked 2567 km before the cancer overcame her. She reached France. Geohashing is a good way to keep fit enough to continue with the big-walk stages.

Here are the walk details and photo gallery. You can download a [KML file] of Neil's walk for use with Google Earth. These paths are also logged at [WikiLoc].

This is what Google Earth looks like if you download the KML file. It makes more sense when you zoom in.

Ge-image-neils-walk-2010.jpg

More Walks

Respect Zone

Here I pay tribute to awesome contributors to geohashing. If there were Oscars for geohashing, in no particular order, these would be my nominees.

  • The low profile people who set up and maintain the wiki.
  • Atlanta, Georgia - for breaking all sorts of records.
  • Eupeodes - for making a really useful coordinate calculator and acting on suggestions for improvement.
  • GeorgDerReisende - for being so active and often hitch hiking.
  • NWoodruff - for breaking all sorts of records and writing bots that generate interesting statistics.
  • 2011-05-21_52_14 - I wish I'd been able to go there.
  • A catch all - because there is much more effort going in, invisible, because it just works.

Other stuff