When I go there, I see the different locations, with hyper links, however, I don't see a number of boxes. When I clicked on Michigan, I got the red letter warning about being more than 2,500 boxes and can't show them all. I edited it to active and got the same message. So I still don't know the total active.

https://www.atlasquest.com/about/wiki/question.php?wikiId=483

It looks like the stats are just for states/countries/provinces, but it should include the numbers on the AQ Statistics page. Maybe if you scroll further down?

It looks like Michigan has 4,297 active boxes (well over the 2,500 display limit). But Michigan is ranked number 9 with Massachusetts leading the pack.

Thanks, this is helpful

I'm not sure where you got that impression, but if you click the "help" link in the title, it describes in more detail about how the counts are generated and says explicitly that it's only counting active boxes.


City counts won't be accurate, so I don't even try to list those. Take a large city like Seattle, and there are various areas within the city: West Seattle, North Seattle, Alki, Capitol Hill, Ballard, etc. Dozens of them, really, and people can list boxes as those being a "city" even if they aren't really an actual separate city. (And, before AQ supported address-level locations, I actually encouraged people to list boxes that way to make their locations more accurate.)

Then there are boxes planted well outside of a city, but people might list it as a "nearby city". So in that case, boxes might be counted that shouldn't be.

In my home town of San Luis Obispo, most of the local university (Cal Poly) is technically outside of the city limits, but the boxes there are still listed as being in the city of San Luis Obispo.

So city counts, even if I provided them, are completely and utterly useless for statistical purposes. There's absolutely no way to create an accurate list of "top 25 cities/metro areas".

State counts work fairly well because everywhere in the country is in a designated state, the boundaries are obvious, clear and well-known, there's no overlapping states or gaps between the states, etc. Nobody lists a box that they planted in Nevada as being in California because it's a "nearby" state, and nobody lists a state as being "Northwest California" rather than just stating the state itself. (Technically, you can actually list boxes as being in a region of a state like that, but the "name" should be "Northwest California" while the state is still "California", so it still works fine for state counts. Even then, it's not actually a state called "Northwest California" in the database--just the region within the state.)

Anyhow, that's why looking for city counts is a pointless and fruitless search. You won't find any. At best, you can only see a list of cities that have active letterboxes, but they won't be sorted in any manner except alphabetically.

-- Ryan

Thanks.

That was interesting to read. thanks for putting the link.

I'm sure this has been asked before but I'm no good a searching the boards for answers.

I received some LTC's that the planter accidently marked as "Traditional" instead of "LTC". Is there a way as a Premium Member I can make a custom find type for myself and change to LTC? I know you can do custom location so thought maybe you could do this as well?

You can't change a box type, but you can log an "unlisted find" and then just post a note on the incorrectly listed box.

Thanks.

No, only admins can change the type after people have started recording finds on a box, but if the boxes were accidentally mislabeled, you can let them know that they can send a note to an admin to change the type and it'll get done.

I fixed a few listings from the L&B event that were listed as traditionals but were obviously event boxes just because I had found them and knew precisely what they were. Most the time boxes are listed incorrectly (doesn't matter if it was deliberate or by accident), admins don't know about unless someone tells them.

-- Ryan

These were old and I only recently noticed because I was looking through my finds. I just deleted the finds.

Is it possible to change the trailname on a sub-account? Or do I have to just create a new sub-account, and then try to figure out how to delete the old one?

Just log into the subaccount and change the name from the Account Info page.

-- Ryan

Thanks!

What are the reasons you put restrictions on your boxes?

If you search "restrictions" on the boards, you'll find a year's worth of posts to read. It's been discussed at length, and there are many reasons why some do, and why others don't agree.

So I have an 'impersonal travel' that I added to an event.


How do people find it if its registered as 'personal traveler'? People might assume its on me, but its not.

Do I list it as a 'traditional box'?

I usually list these as PTs (and say where/how to find them in the clue) or as event boxes (and say where/how to find them in the clue) or sometimes as traditionals (if its not so straight forward to find it, and say where/how to find them in the clue).

It's called impersonal because it's sitting with the tabletop boxes where anyone can "meet" you (get the image) and stamp in its logbook without actually crossing paths with you.
edited to add: or at your campsite, or on your vehicle. Sort of with you, but not quite with you.

Just put it down and go about your inky business. Pick it up at the end of the day (if you can find it) and see who you've "met".

@ maude


I think you are thinking of a personal traveler, vs impersonal travel.

I wouldn't list it as a personal traveler unless it's actually ON you. People have to find you and ask you for it.

If you just bring it from event to event and throw it out on a table for people to find or have it "hidden in plain sight", it's a "traveling event box". The key words were are "event" and "box". It should be listed as an event box. There's a "traveling" attribute you can add to it as well.

If you actually hide the box and people actually need clues in order to find it, then go ahead and list it as a limited-time traditional box, but do make sure to retire the listing whenever it's not an event so it doesn't clutter up people's search results. Edit the location for each event it goes to and tweak the clue if necessary. (If it's hidden on your car, for instance, you might be able to get away without changing the clue. "The box is on the left, front tire of the car with a license plate of ABCXYZ" type of thing. But if you hide it in a fake rock located somewhere in the woods at the event, the clue would need to be edited with each event.)

So it just depends on the nature of your "impersonal traveler." From what you described, though, it definitely shouldn't be listed as a personal traveler. Whether it's actually a traditional box or event box depends on the nature of the box.

-- Ryan

I have it listed as a PT with the clues. https://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.php?boxId=361873

but its just added with everyone else's PT that carries their PT with them. There is no separate category for Impersonal Travelers...just the 'brick wall' in the
Attribute section...🤔.

Here is how its listed now, look at the bottom of the page, mine is the last one

https://www.atlasquest.com/results.php?typeId=11&sort=1&subFlags=48&title=Personal+travelers+registered+at+Pi+Day+2024&eventId=4763

(Ryan, how about adding a new category for IPT in the 'Registered Boxes'? )

Sorry, where was I?

Oh yea,

Im thinking maybe I should list it again with a different number and go from there, but keep the other number for those few that logged in already.

I think 'traditional' is the way to go, because I have clues on where to find it. I read another thread recently, that event boxes are usually table top boxes with no clues. At least thats what I remember reading, I am pretty new to this part of letterboxing.

Look at me, coming out of my little comfort zone of finding and planting boxes, Im now doing postals, LTCs and planting at events....Watch out people, Im BRANCHING OUT!..😂

Ryan, you posted before me, but I was thinking thats the way to go. It seemed to make more sense to list it as traditional. For the few people that already signed it, I will let them know that they already 'found it' and to not bother.

Thank you

I guess my point is, not all PTs are carried, so I dont feel there needs to be a new category. ore important that people set the state properly.

If you arent bringing a PT to an event, set it to unavailable or retired so people know it isnt available.

Yep, already did.

Yes, they are. If you have a PT that's not being carried, it's not a PT.

Calling it an "impersonal traveler" is the same as calling it a "non personal traveler". As in "not a personal traveler". The words "personal" and "impersonal" are opposites!

Adding a prefix that negates a term automatically puts it in a totally different category.

I'm not even sure where the term "impersonal traveler" came from. It's not in the glossary, and it's an unnecessarily vague term since it usually applies to either an event box or traditional box depending on the situation.

-- Ryan

Um.... it came from you a couple years ago. Post #927972 You added a brick wall icon and labeled it:

The impersonal traveler is much like the personal traveler in which it travels from place to place with a letterboxer, but it's often left unattended for other letterboxers to acquire such as at a campsite or on their vehicle.

I don't know why you'd listen to him. He's a crackpot!

That was a pretty funny post, though. =)

-- Ryan

From what I’m reading in the discussion if an impersonal traveler is left on the table it becomes a table top or event box. Or an HIP? So then it no longer IS an impersonal traveler.

If it’s hidden and has clues then it’s traditional. So it’s no longer an impersonal traveler.

I don’t see the point of the attribute of impersonal traveler. The whole thing becomes pretty convoluted.

I think simple personal travelers are sufficient.

It came from you. You created the attribute. And as you say it’s vague. Seems unnecessary.