10th: Moved

The project diary for the DNA Projects Portal aka DNA Surnames has moved to here.
Domain names were rationalised some time ago, and it was time the diary followed suit.

All old posts have been migrated.

16th: Upgrade sale

Family Tree DNA have just announced an upgrade sale.

Summer Upgrade Sale
Family Finder Was $289 Now $199
Y-DNA 12 to 25 Was $49 Now $35
Y-DNA 12 to 37 Was $99 Now $69
Y-DNA 12 to 67 Was $189 Now $148
Y-DNA 25 to 37 Was $49 Now $35
Y-DNA 25 to 67 Was $148 Now $114
Y-DNA 37 to 67 Was $99 Now $79
mt to FMS Was $269 Now $229
mtPlus to FMS Was $239 Now $199

To order an upgrade at these special prices log into your personal page with your kit number and password. Click on the "Special Offers" link found on the left-hand navigation bar. ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED AND PAID FOR BY MIDNIGHT, JUNE 22, 2011, TO RECEIVE THE SALE PRICE.

So anyone interested in seeing what more markers will tell them about their matches, here's a good opportunity to be in.

9th: Possible promotion; new project link

Just noticed on Family Tree DNA's facebook products page, that they seem to be about to run a promotion soon - if they get 3000 more "likes" on facebook!

That aside, the DNA Projects Portal has had a link included to a new DNA project.
Don would love to hear from any direct male line BIDGOOD (and variants) who may be willing to join his project and see what they can discover about this surname.

As always, check the individual dna project diaries for their latest news.

15th: Family Tree DNA- DNA Day

Check out Family Tree DNA's Facebook page for some specials available just for today.
eg Y-DNA37 $129, and a Y-DNA37 to 67 upgrade at $79, and the introductory offer for the Y-DNA67 to Y-DNA111 upgrade finishes with this promotion.

The coupon code, DNADAY2011, will expire on Friday at midnight (CT).

8th: New test announced

Family Tree DNA have announced a new Y-DNA test, Y-DNA111, which will be of particular interest to those with close/exact matches at the Y-DNA67 level.
Read about here, remembering that discounts apply to tests ordered via your appropriate surname project.

Family Tree DNA Matches

The following may be of interest to those enrolled in more than one project:
It is being posted because a close match wasn't being shown for one participant (KitB in the example below), the reason being that he had enrolled in another project, and that was the one selected (his secondary project) on his matches page.
Even though he had "match against entire database" selected, his closest match, which was with someone enrolled in his primary project, was not being shown.
The matching person (Kit A in the example below) had his preferences set to match only with that project, which, according to the explanation below from FT DNA, is not going to show up on Kit B's matches until Kit B's project is changed to the same project.
============
If kit A has his preferences set to be compared against his surname projects only, he will only be compared against participants who are in that project AND have that project selected on their personal page (if they are in more than one project). If kit B has his options set to be compared against the entire database, his results will be compared against everyone else that also has their preferences set to be compared against the entire database AND those who are in the project that is selected on his page at the time.
============
From this, it could be deduced that it is therefore best to set your preferences to match against the entire database, and make sure that you have your main project selected when you check your matches.

21st: Bit of fun

Probably a bit late for the Christmas shopping, but I happened upon this site:
The DNA Store
No, I don't endorse it, know nothing about them other than what is available from their site, and thought others may care to see some of the products they feature.

Seasons Greetings to all and may 2011 bring us all great genetic genealogy discoveries.