How to Enter Search Parameters

[saltspring]

Could some kind person please advise me on what to enter in the "Enter Search Parameters" section at ysearch? For genetic matches, not surname matches.
It says "We compare your genetic information to every other user in our database. We make the comparison using every marker that you and that person both tested. Here is an example: assume you ask us to show users that tested at least 21 of the markers that you did, and allow a maximum genetic distance of 1 per marker compared above 21. Anyone who tested 21 or fewer of the same markers that you did must have a genetic distance of 0 from you to be included in the results. Anyone who tested 22 of the markers that you did must have a genetic distance of 1 or less. Anyone who tested 23 must have a genetic distance of 2 or less, and so on. Alternatively you can specify a fixed maximum genetic distance. Your search results will indicate the number of markers that were included in each comparison and the genetic distance. "
This is confusing to me. Which numbers would be advisable?
I know I have many matches in the FTDNA match section, however none come up when I try and search ysearch, I have tried various numbers at random and now have no idea of the original settings.
Any advise welcome.
Thank-you.

[fbirder]

How many markers did you have tested with FTDNA? And how many matches with FTDNA?

[saltspring]

Hi, thank-you for your reply. I (actually my brother) did the Y-DNA67, and there are 80 matches. at 67 markers with 0 distance.

[MMaddi]

Hi, thank-you for your reply. I (actually my brother) did the Y-DNA67, and there are 80 matches. at 67 markers with 0 distance.

It sounds like you're doing something wrong. It seems incredible that there would be 80 exact matches at 67 markers. The only way that could happen is if you've actively recruited every single paternal line cousin - from first through fifth or more - to test their DNA.

An exact match at 67 markers generally means a common paternal line ancestor within a fairly close genealogical timeframe. That would mean there are 80 men in the database with whom your brother's paternal line shares a common ancestor in the last few hundred years, probably most in the last 200 years. That doesn't seem very likely at all to me.

Here's how to search for close matches at 67 markers so that you get accurate results. Click on the "Search for Genetic Matches" tab at the top of ysearch. Then enter the ysearch ID for your brother's results in the search box and click on "Search." On the page you're sent to, choose 67 from the pulldown menu, where it says "Show users that tested at least _ of the markers that I did." Then click on the button next to "maximum genetic distance of 1 per marker compared above _ markers." Choose some number like 15 or 20 in the pulldown menu for that line. Type in the Captcha and click on the "Search" button.

That will give you a list of your closest matches in ysearch. I will be shocked if you have more than two or tree exact matches using that method. You may not even get any matches closer than a genetic distance of 7 or 8. Let us know what you get using that search method.

[saltspring]

Thank-you so much for your clear instructions.
I did it, and got just one result - our own. I'll try adding a genetic distance of one, or would I find closer relatives leaving it at 0 and changing the markers to a lower number?
I do have some 5th cousin matches, they have e-mailed me, but the only reason I know is because our group administrator e-mailed me and let me know, then they e-mailed me. I thought they'd show up on the ysearch at least?

[MMaddi]

Thank-you so much for your clear instructions.
I did it, and got just one result - our own. I'll try adding a genetic distance of one, or would I find closer relatives leaving it at 0 and changing the markers to a lower number?
I do have some 5th cousin matches, they have e-mailed me, but the only reason I know is because our group administrator e-mailed me and let me know, then they e-mailed me. I thought they'd show up on the ysearch at least?

You should get a very long list, even if none of them are close at all. You must have done something wrong.

Give me your brother's ysearch ID and I'll do the search for you.

[saltspring]

Thanks so much!
UNJXW

Maybe I messed up when joining ysearch somehow?

[MMaddi]

OK. I did a search and found lots of close matches to your brother. There are 44 matches with a distance of 4 or less, 9 of them are 1 or 2! I have to eat my words about you not finding many close matches. Your brother is in haplogroup I1, based on his close matches. I'm not familiar with that haplogroup, so maybe it's common for men in I1 to get so many close matches. Several of the close matches share your brother's surname, Hamilton. It looks like you have some good leads for possible fairly close cousins in the paternal line.

Here's a link to the list of matches I found with the search; you'll have to type in the Captcha phrase to get the page to come up:

http://www.ysearch.org/search_result...haplo=&region=

[saltspring]

MMadi, thank-you so much. I wonder what I was doing wrong? I will go check now, and see our matches.