Monday, March 9, 2009

My Y-DNA results! - Post 1: Getting Started

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My daughters gifted me a Y-DNA test from The DNA Ancestry Project (http://www.dnaancestryproject.com/) for Christmas. I sent it in via mail in mid-January and had not heard anything back from them. I realized today that it should probably be done, and I had not provided an email address or any contact information other than a street address. I found the box with the CDROM (which I have not loaded) and the small user guide which told me where to go and what to do, including the Username and Password I need to use to login.

So I went in to http://www.dnaancestryproject.com/ today to see what I could find out. I thought my readers might be interested in the process with this company, which uses GeneTrack Biolabs and http://www.genebase.com/.

Here is the DNA Ancestry Project screen.




I clicked on the "Log In" link to get started. I had to input my login username and password provided on the test box. That worked, and I added some information to my profile. When I was done, I clicked on the Home tab in the top menu and was greeted by:





OK, where's my Y-DNA test markers? The Genebase site really wants to help me understand what it's all about - the page has Notifications, Updates to my page, Learning Center, What's New, and more. The left sidebar has lots of links for me to try and the right sidebar wants me to upgrade to more markers and other DNA tests.

I had a hard time figuring out what to do next - I tried clicking on the Announcements link and got lost. I clicked on the "My Raw DNA Data" link in the left sidebar and got lost. read somewhere that I should click on the "My Orders" link in the left sidebar, so I did:



This page told me that my Y-DNA test was completed and the results are available. I clicked on the link "Completed, view results" and got the "Explore Your Ancestry" page (two screens):


This page has sections for View Maternal Ancestry, View Paternal Ancestry, Recommended Tutorials, and Recommended Tests.

I'm going to click on the "View Y-DNA" link under Paternal Ancestry next. That should provide the details of my Y-DNA 20-marker test results. From the first Genebase page, it looks like I am in Haplogroup Group R. I'm not surprised! Already, they want me to upgrade to the Subclade R test.

The Genebase site provides the opportunity to upload a GEDCOM file so that they can have my entire researched ancestry just in case someone else matches me somehow. It looks like I can add the mitochondrial DNA results I received in September for GeneTree.

I need to learn more about what all of this means, and see how I can input my Y-DNA and mtDNA data on other DNA web sites. There are many more features on the Genebase site that I need to explore, also.

I'm confused about just who DNA Ancestry Project and Genebase are connected to. I'll have to do more research on them (frankly, when I sent the swabs in I thought it was to GeneTree!). Should I load up the CDROM on my computer? What will it do for me? I'm really not sure, other than provide a shortcut on my Windows screen and link to Genebase.

Was all of the above helpful to anybody? Should I publish my Y-DNA matches on my blog, or keep them private? Any advice? Thanks!

2 comments:

Sheri Fenley said...

I had my mtDNA done and entered the results on ancestry and at Sorensen's and at Mitosearch. All of them protect your privacy. If someone matches with yours then you are emailed and given the choice whether to make contact or not.

Chris said...

You can enter your Y-DNA and Mitochondrial DNA results in the new RootsMagic 4.

When I saw this article I took a look at the DNA fact in RM4 and it looks like a pretty extensive entry. I haven't had my dna tested so I don't know how RM4 makes use of the fact.