Groundspeak Portal

I couldn't find an "airport" group, so I made one. But apparently there is one, because I've been getting messages that it's a dupe. So, I went to the group I created but I see no way to delete it. How do I remove my group?

Nevermind! I see that the original airport group requires a picture of the outside signage.

The purpose of my group is when you're stuck in airports on layovers and such and can't get out of the airport.

indyjones1023:

Nevermind! I see that the original airport group requires a picture of the outside signage. The purpose of my group is when you're stuck in airports on layovers and such and can't get out of the airport.

Yours is still a duplicate... it is an airport.

I find a bunch of chains to waymark when I am stuck on a layover.

I make sure to note in the description if they are in an area you can only get to as a ticketed passenger

If I go outside the secure area, I can usually find indoor signage on the airport.

That's just it. I'll be traveling internationally and won't be able to go outside the secure area. If only the first group allowed what I want to do, that would be great. If not, I guess I have to start this new one.

You can't delete a group. You'll have to just have to recycle it. As far as airport, sometimes you can get a sign with a name inside the terminal's secure area.

As a waymark owner, if someone posted a photo of some of the interior of the airport, a distinctive feature inside, a food court, a VIP lounge, perhaps a golf cart with the name of the airport, or maybe the support vehicles outside the windows that say the name of the airport, as well as a sentence about their experience, I certainly would accept the visit.

Or did you want to create a waymark for the airports you'll be visiting?  I can't tell you how many times I've been to our local airport and I can't think if there is an official entrance sign. There very well could be, but maybe its not along the entrance I usually take. But there are other things inside and outside the airport that make it distinctive.  I'm not an officer for airports, and don't know their requirements, but generally for the other categories that I'm an officer in, if you can provide a few different photos of different perspectives, and provide a researched well-written write-up, we will accept it.

Here's what I've noticed over time. It's no guarantee, but if you lack in one area, make up for it in another area.
- Crappy picture + excellent write-up = probably accept.
- Excellent variety of pictures + crappy write-up = probably accept.
- Crappy picture + crappy write-up = don't waste our time, come on, put some effort into it. Will more than likely get denied with some constructive comments.

I'm the first to understand that you can't always get the "money shot" for every waymark I visit/create, but there's no excuse for at least a simple sentence when visiting, and doing a quick google search when creating a waymark.   (Stepping off the soapbox, didn't expect that to turn into a rant Sorry!)

You especially might get some leniency on the rules if it's an airport that isn't likely to get waymarked unless you waymark it.

Contact the cat owner in advance and tell them your circumstances, and ask what they will take.

Because of the review process, etc. new categories that are very similar to old categories are not likely to be approved.

Well, I'll certainly log all my visits and try for the previous group first. My trip includes the following locations:

Orlando, FL (start/home)
Detroit, MI (layover)
Nagoya, Japan (layover)
Manila, Philippines (1st destination)
A week there, then:
Singapore (6 hour layover)
New Delhi, India (6 days)
Bangalore, India (2 days)
Then back to New Delhi for the flight home (layover in Newark)

So, as you can see, I'd like to capture all these destinations!

I say go for it!  I'm always excited when non-US waymarks come up for approval.

indyjones1023:

Well, I'll certainly log all my visits and try for the previous group first. My trip includes the following locations: Orlando, FL (start/home) Detroit, MI (layover) Nagoya, Japan (layover) Manila, Philippines (1st destination) A week there, then: Singapore (6 hour layover) New Delhi, India (6 days) Bangalore, India (2 days) Then back to New Delhi for the flight home (layover in Newark) So, as you can see, I'd like to capture all these destinations!

As a person that sees 2-6 airports in most weeks, if the only problem is the sign you can usually find one in the secure area.  As I type this in Midway in Chicago I can only see two signs from where I am sitting.  I don't typically waymark airports as I find nothing really exciting about them... they are just a necessity of life for me... much like a taxi cab stand or a rental car lot.

I don't think you will find much success creating a new waymark category for airports from the inside as it really is a duplicate of an existing category with just different requirements.  I would contact the leader of the group existing airport category and find what they would accept as photos for waymark submissions explaining that you are not able to exist the secure area.

indyjones1023:

Well, I'll certainly log all my visits and try for the previous group first. My trip includes the following locations: Orlando, FL (start/home) Detroit, MI (layover) Nagoya, Japan (layover) Manila, Philippines (1st destination) A week there, then: Singapore (6 hour layover) New Delhi, India (6 days) Bangalore, India (2 days) Then back to New Delhi for the flight home (layover in Newark) So, as you can see, I'd like to capture all these destinations!

I know Detroit is waymarked and also pretty sure Bangalore. If you Tweet, Reefrider is geocacher Reefrider52, and he works on the NWA flightline afternoons. You can sometimes get him to wave to you. Somthing to kill a minute or two.

In the Detroit airport, McNamara Terminal, there is a Taco Bell that I don't think I waymarked. I think the penny smasher has been. A National Coney Island for the hotdogs cat. I think you could grab some photos from a coffee shop or two which will go into the regional chains when they go up.

If no one has joined the group, it can be deleted.

You'll have to ask your two other officers to leave before you will be able to delete the group with either the Edit tab or the Settings tab. I forget which one. They can leave the group by going to the Members tab then clicking on their username. At the bottom of that page will be a link to Quit the Group.

I don't really see the point in trying to waymark an airport that one visits only on a layover.   Where/how do you get coordinates?   What do you photograph?  Coordinates should be somewhere outside a building, even if you could get a GPS signal or on the tarmac.   If it's a layover, then you're inside a secure area, anyway, and that is not an appropriate place for a waymark anyway.   Many of the commerical categories will allow waymarks within an airport - all those McD's, etc.  but coordinates are a problem, esp. when there are multiple terminals in larger airports, and even getting decent photos is difficult, esp. when there are throngs of people.  Again, I'm not sure of the point, other than just trying to rack up some waymarks in exotic, or not so exotic, places.

And, it's still a duplicate, even if one has differing requirements.

As far as deleting a group, I think only Groundspeak can do that, but I don't think they're taking requests.  There is a LOT of deadwood in the groups!  Doesn't really make a difference one way or another.

silverquill:

I don't really see the point in trying to waymark an airport that one visits only on a layover.   Where/how do you get coordinates?   What do you photograph?  Coordinates should be somewhere outside a building, even if you could get a GPS signal or on the tarmac.   If it's a layover, then you're inside a secure area, anyway, and that is not an appropriate place for a waymark anyway.   Many of the commerical categories will allow waymarks within an airport - all those McD's, etc.  but coordinates are a problem, esp. when there are multiple terminals in larger airports, and even getting decent photos is difficult, esp. when there are throngs of people.  Again, I'm not sure of the point, other than just trying to rack up some waymarks in exotic, or not so exotic, places.

And, it's still a duplicate, even if one has differing requirements.

As far as deleting a group, I think only Groundspeak can do that, but I don't think they're taking requests.  There is a LOT of deadwood in the groups!  Doesn't really make a difference one way or another.

I've had success getting coordinates from setting my GPS in the window at the airport.

As a frequent travellor, I can say there is nothing more boring than being stuck in an airport for a long layover. If a person wanted to contribute by collecting a photo that would add to a more complete inventory of a subject, it would be win-win.

There are plenty of 'indoor' waymarks, where you could never be sure of the exact coordinates. When your within the secure area of a concourse, there isn't much chance of NOT finding the subject of a waymark. The payphone might be tough, but since they work, you just call the number and you get the right one.

globetrotters.us:

I've had success getting coordinates from setting my GPS in the window at the airport. As a frequent travellor, I can say there is nothing more boring than being stuck in an airport for a long layover. If a person wanted to contribute by collecting a photo that would add to a more complete inventory of a subject, it would be win-win. There are plenty of 'indoor' waymarks, where you could never be sure of the exact coordinates. When your within the secure area of a concourse, there isn't much chance of NOT finding the subject of a waymark. The payphone might be tough, but since they work, you just call the number and you get the right one.

But as a stand alone category (Inside Airports) it is still a duplicate of an existing category.   If someone wants to waymark all the chains in an airport more power to them,   not that anyone would ever use their gps to find them as those outside the airport can't get to them and those inside the airport really can't use their gps to navigate to them.  I have visited a waymark in an airport, one of the few Shop 24 machines in the country, but my gps never made it out of my backpack.  I have no idea how accurate the coordinates were... they were an estimate at best as the machine was in a lower level with no windows within more than 100 feet.

BruceS:

But as a stand alone category (Inside Airports) it is still a duplicate of an existing category.  

I think we all agreed on that. I was adressing the "root cause" of the desire to create a new category.

Well, I'm all for deleting the group if people are super anal about it. I don't really want to have to mod a group anyway.

I have logged finds along the way so far in Orlando and Detroit. However, how should I start one for Nagoya, Japan?

I took a pic of a sign that says "welcome to Japan," a Starbucks (those seem popular), a sign in all Japanese, and best of all - the gate sign (which includes coordinates!).

I think that last one would be a great Nagoya waymark - you must take a pic of your gate sign with coordinates.

Thoughts?

Your gate sign with coordinates can be submitted to the Permanent Geographic Coordinates category.  If your welcome sign has a slogan along with the welcome then it could be put in Welcome Signs

Thanks for the info!