Hi Mark,

I am checking the new board almost every morning and answer what I can. It do take some getting use to though. Not quite sure what you are looking for but let me know if I can help with anything. I have been at GPAA from 2000 or there about but not contiguous. I do go out when I can mostly desert with drywasher. Anyway I am here in claims dept. usually working on maps or researching claims or information that comes in on claims. 

Hi Walter,
It is not that I myself are looking for any info in particular just trying to figure out why all the members from the old forum wont come here to do any posting,is it simply because of the screen name issue, but if you look at the post from the old board everyone was posting and sharing info about claims,equipment, and finds and sharing everything about prospecting. I aggree there was a lot of fighting from some member, which I feel if the home office was more involved it probably would have been different, but there is NOTHING at all being posted. Generally when there is a question it gets ignored by the people at the office that could have provided the answer it is not saying much about the people who are only interested in getting our money each month. I have had some questions and concerns and have called the office and talked to someone, sometimes i would get a partial answer or had it passed off to another voicemail and then nothing. We can all understand that the people there have a job and we are prospectors but isnt their job to help us and not just say wait for the next issuse of the pick & shovel to see if you get your anwer in hopes you will forget and the issue will die. I am sorry if i am complaining to much but I am just looking to get people to come here again....

It will take a little time but it will come, so don't lose faith.

Dont worry i wont lose faith I am a strong beliver in the GPAA and LDMA even if I dont get much support. From the people I am paying......

Of-course everyone gets busy but I know we, here at the office are supposed to get answers for all our members, the members are why we are here. Without you-all we/I do not have a job and I do love working for GPAA and being involved with members. I, like you am getting used to the new forum and I would suppose that is the case with the members from the old forum. The members from the old forum that were not members are not able to access all of the forum though. The format of the forum is also different and may slow down some of the members that were use to the older forum. I am confident that they will come as the content increases so keep adding to the forum. It is good to here from you and all the members here and I do not look at your post as complaints just justified concerns that we need to here when they are out there. Thanks

Hello all, would like to start with a little history. Started prospecting in 1974. Joined the L.D.M.A. in 2002. Since joining i have seen some changes. After Mrs. Massie passed away is when things started being noticeable in my opinion. Then ( and i have no proof of this ) it looked like Tom and Perry were having a falling out at the Mesa AZ gold show about six or so years ago. Now it feels like a marketing and sales team has been brought in to grow and increase profits and THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. What is wrong, is if a company loses the personal touch and replaces it with the commercial attitude. In other words a company gos from, " What can we do of quality and service to command a dollar, to what can we get away with and still get the dollar."Now i am not saying this is what has happened. Problems for me began when the billing process was changed some years back. That change cost me 10 dollars more than i owed and now when i get the statement i am a month and a half late and two months late by the time i can cut the check and it gets to the office. That's enough on that and yes i made many phone calls trying to get it straighten out and then just gave up on it. Now the forum has been changed and that is not a big deal to me. What is a BIG DEAL to me is we lost the chat room. When the chat room went bye bye i lost touch with a lot of people i enjoyed chatting with on line. I hope the club and this site is still miners helping miners and not a money making tourist trap for the corporate office. Yes i know everyone has to make a dollar, let's just keep it an honest dollar that keeps everyone feeling good about it. Well i have been a little long winded here, it's a condition some of us old prospectors have. I am adding the following that i posted on the old chat room and then i am out of here,                                                                 The Old Prospectors Disclaimer: I just give my opinion and relate my experiences as to how i prospect. I am putting fourth ideas, it is up to others to weigh the information and do with it as they please. What works for me, may not work in another's situation. I am always on the lookout for new tips on prospecting and appreciate all suggestions. When we share our knowledge, we all benefit and grow in our endeavors. It is a hand up, not a handout undertaking and that in itself, helps to keep America strong and great. Good GOLD to you all !      Ron

Ron,

 

   I too miss the GPAA chat room. There is another forum out there with a great chat room full of people doing just as you say. They are giving information and handups without asking for anything in return. the site is goldprospectorsspace.com and is one of the best I have found on the net for prospectors everywhere.

I was not around in the "Good Old Days" ; but everytime someone refers to the lack of a chat room on this site, they also mention how there were issues with "drama" before. If I want that, I would go back to AOL chat. I come here to learn from others that like to dig for gold and be outdoors. I have no problem putting my name out there. And I remember the "good old days" of the internet where there were issues all the time. I attribute that to the fact no one knew who was who online. It seems that when people have to give their real names, they want to pass on a chance to share the joy of finding that flake, or swinging a detector and finding that old relic or nugget. My name is Tim Leibel and I have no problem sharing that here.

i also would like to know how to get on the other site [ the one before this new one ] i have alot of contacts there but unable to get to them, yes i should have saved them else where but i did not.
please help and get the other site back up or tell us how to get it.
thank you.
maui

i asked this question in writing to the office but got no response.

Ronald-  go to the "news from GPAA" page and there is a thread with a link to the old forum which is archived.  I don't know how deep you can drill in it for stuff though.

 

I did notice that out on the "Community" page at the bottom right of the page there is a chat function button now.

 

 

My take on not posting.
Old timers like me, I joined in 06 I believe, some of the ole timers were not GPAA members, but would stop by and post if they had something to add, good or bad.
I know of at least three people that posted daily in the ole days, most times with good info, sometimes poking fun.
Not every one shares may sense of humor and that's ok.
They, like myself aren't hiding from anything/anyone, but don't like putting their true name and address out there for anyone to see.
I'm unhappy with the fact my (to me) personal info is out there for some one to pull my name and zip code look me up within seconds WITH a google street view if needed, and the fact that I frequent gold mining forums.....hmmmm ya think it maybe worth our time ( bad guys) to take a look ?
Despite that, I joined the new site.

I have not tried this myself, does one need to be a member to access this area of GPAA website ?
I know one cant reply or start new topics not being a member.

If ya gotta put personal info, they aint joinin.....way more risk than they are willing.
These days ya just never know. Transparency is not always a good thing.



That's my take,
Bill or
Ornery Cuss ole timer

I know several who will not come on here for the same reason you just expressed .

On the GPAA members section only members can open up the threads. This is also true with the LDMA member section. The sections above that can be looked at by non-GPAA members but can not post. This thread area can be see but not posted to by non members as I understand it. You can log out and check the areas out also to see what is available to non members.

the names George but they call me uncle buck.
you want to talk about the old days

back in 1986 I went to a gpaa gold show and met the buzzard ( was a heck of a man - I would have said hell of a man but I don't know if any woman or kids are reed'n this. lol )
did the year to year thing for 10 years thin got smart and joined for life in 96
anyway you could feel the passion he had for prospecting and he wanted to share it with every one he met, he lit a fire under me and my wife that still burns today!
tom seams to be doing his best but some times it comes off like acting but we all know he loves prospecting as much as his dad did.
it just seems that every thing has to do with money and not passion any more, I don't mind money but a little passion goes a long way in my book
I guess what I'm trying to say is less wining and more talking about gold prospecting will do us all a bit of good!

I don't post much ( 2 or 3 times in my life) but I do enjoy reading everyone's post so god bless and happy digging

thanks folks for the info. appreciate it.
ron

Hi All,

If you want to view the "old forum" for info it is read only and open for all to see . . .

Here is the link:


http://goldprospectors.org/archiveforum

thanks dominic.