Matches at 12, 25 and 37 markers

[Fern]

I'm sure I've read somewhere in one of the forums that Ydna matches who've tested at higher levels of markers (67+) often "disable" their lower-level matches because they have so many of them. Is this correct, or did I dream it? I've tried Search but it brings up no results. Thanks if anyone can help

[clintonslayton76]

Account Settings - Match and E-Mail settings

When you go to Account Settings - Match and e-mail settings, you can limit levels of matches to only those who share a project with you, by my interpretation. Never used it myself.

[The_Contemplator]

Log into your kit. Move your mouse to the top right where the kit number is at. Go to Account Settings and then click on Match and Email Settings tab. In the section for "Y-DNA Matches and Email Notifications" you will see different options at every Y level with a Yes and No options.

If you select "No" you stop getting email notifications about new matches at that Y level. However, you also won't see matches at that level either. (You can go back and change it back to "Yes" to see them again.) Your matches at those levels will only see your prefix (like "Mr."), your surname, your most distant known ancestor, your genetic distance, your haplogroup/SNP, and match date. Everything else including the buttons for contact and family tree are not shown.

It can be useful if you have a ton of matches at the lower levels. But it can also be an issue. Say you tested to Y111. You have too many matches at the lower levels so you disable Y12 to Y37. A new match who tested at Y37 sees you as a match. He can't contact you and you are not aware he exists. Of course the way around that is for that match to upgrade, but to them that is a gamble. They could upgrade to Y67 and you could still have them blocked or maybe you don't reply. There has been word in the past that FTDNA intends on separating these functions as customers generally want to block the notifications but not the matches. No idea when FTDNA will have that ready, but they claim it is coming.

[Fern]

Thanks, clintonslayton76 and The_Contemplator

I'm looking at this from the POV of the low-marker tester, so it's very helpful to know that the disabling affects only the low-marker tester's ability to communicate with the matches... and that they can still see the matches.

My brother, who is now deceased, tested at 25 markers in late 2005. His sample is no longer viable, so upgrading to 67 or 111 is impossible. He has no matches at 12 or 25 markers. I had thought maybe he did have matches, but they were invisible because of disabling ... so does this mean he genuinely does not match anyone else in the Ydna database?

[The_Contemplator]

Then he genuinely does not have matches at those levels. However, some people are known to have mutations in the earlier STR levels that prevent them from seeing their closest matches. So if you could find another male of that same lineage, having them take a Y37 or Y67 may yield some matches. Though we don't know for sure, so it could just be no matches as well. The Y37 is a good starting point. Generally if you don't have matches at that level you won't have at a higher one.

[Fern]

Thanks again, Contemplator. It's good to have that uncertainty resolved. There are a few (very few!) others of the same lineage, so I'll have to see who might be interested.